Begam Rubia of Lakshmanpuri was not blessed with any child for a long period after her marriage. The prayers were offered for the blessings in many places of worship. She had been advised by many to offer prayers in Hanuman mandir of Hanumanbadi (Aliganj), which is on the other side of the river Gomathi. She was contemplating of doing the same. As she was hesitating, she had a divine direction to visit the temple and offer her prayers. She immediately proceeded to the Hanuman temple of Hanumanbadi and offered her prayers and solicited to Him to bless her with a child. After some time she was blessed with a child.
![Hanuman Badi [new], Aliganj, Lucknow](lockn_new.jpg "Hanuman Badi [new], Aliganj, Lucknow")
After giving birth to the child she proceeded to Hanumanbadi and offered many new ornaments to
the Hanuman of the temple. Poor feeding were arranged and many cultural activities were arranged.
While she was staying in Hanumanbadi during this time she had a dream about a Hanuman statue which
is lying below the ground under a small hillock. The next morning she arranged for search party to
locate the hillock, giving the descriptions as seen her dream. Once the hillock was located few
miles away from Hanumanbadi, the bottom of the hillock was searched, and to her amazement she
could see the same identification as she had seen in her dream. Now she ordered that particular
spot to be excavated, and the Lord Hanuman's idol was found in the very same spot. She was thrilled
of the blessings showered on her by Lord Hanuman. She felt that a suitable temple has to be built
for the Lord. After counciling with her ministers it was decided that the temple would be built in
Hasi pudowla Himambade which is in Lakshmanpuri.
The idol of the Lord Hanuman was kept on a singasan (throne) mounted on the top of an elephant. A grand procession was arranged to take the idol to Hasi pudowla Himambade from the spot where it was found. With pomp and show the procession started and proceeded. While the procession was near Chandganj the elephant became tired. The procession halted for some time and the elephant was given rest by de-mounting the singasan with idol. After a while it was restarted but the elephant could not move with the Lord Hanuman in the singasan mounted on it. But it was observed that the elephant could move with ease with singasan alone. The Begam was worried and asked for advice from the Mahant of the Hanumanbadi temple. It was suggested by the Mahant, that there could be two reasons for this one that Lord Hanuman may be wishing not to be away from Chandganj or secondly He has no desire to go to Lakshmanpuri which is on the other side of the river Gomathi.
Begam then decided not to take the Lord Hanuman's idol to Hasi pudowla Himambade in Lakshmanpuri. Instead a grand temple was planned for the Lord where the elephant had stopped in Chandganj. A Nawabi ordinance was passed and a new Mahant was appointed for the temple at the exchequer cost. Mohamadhabat reign had donated lands to the temple. Today this ancient temple is known as New Hanuman Mandir of Aliganj and the activities are managed by a Trust.
Begam Aliya, Sister of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was taken ill for some time. Many Hahims and Vaidhs were called and best medical attention was given by Nawab. But Begam Aliya's illness could not be c ured. Prayers in the places of worship were offered for curing Begam's illness. As per the advice of elders Nawab Wajid Ali Shah offered his prayers in the (New) Hanuman temple and pleaded for his sister to be cured of the mysterious illness. Like a miracle, Nawab's sister was cured of the mysterious illness with in few days of his prayers in (New) Hanuman mandir.
As gratitude towards saving his sister by Lord Hanuman, he organised a grand mela in the New Hanuman temple of Aliganj on the Hanumath jayanti day of that year, which also happen to be Tuesday. As per the tradition the Hanumath jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day of the Jesht month of lunar calendar. He had offered grand feast to many (known as 'Bada Bhog') on that day.
The tradition of organising the mela during this particular day i.e., first Tuesday of the Jesht month of lunar calendar had continued for years now. Even now the Bada Bhog is arranged and many people are fed. Though the tradition was started from the new Hanuman mandir, the old Hanuman mandir also adopted this and the devotees go to both the mandirs during this day, which is popularly celebrated as "Bada Mangal".
There is a peculiar tradition followed by some of the devotees to come and attend the prayers in these two Hanuman temples on the bada mangal day. The devotee makes a namaskar lying on the ground with his folded hands above his head. A brick is kept where his hands ends and from that spot the devotee once again makes a namaskar lying on the ground with his folded hands above his head. The process is repeated till the devotee reaches the Hanuman temple. This process of devotee proceeding from his place of dwelling to temple on the Bada Mangal day is known as 'sayana thapas'. This tradition was followed by many devotees, and devotees use to come from many far off places like Sitapur, Kanpur, Unaov, Hardooi, Bharabhaki etc. The tradition had more or less come to stop now a day because of the heavy traffic condition in the roads.
Now tradition has been formed that whenever a new temple for Lord Hanuman is built around Lucknow, the first cloth, weapon, sindur for the new idol is initially offered to the Lord Hanuman of either Old or New Hanuman temple in Aliganj.
The temple is small and the Hanuman murthi is small, but it is seen to be believed that how Sri Hanumanji of Hanuman Badi the protector and rakshak, protects the devotees from any all evils hovering around them.
[ed 26.02.03]
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