Rajapur

Rajapur is a familiar place for Sri Hanuman devotees; this happens to be the birthplace of the great saint of modern times. Saint Sri Tulsidas had given us the great epic of Sri Ramayana in the Awadhi language, the language of the common man of the place. Despite being a scholar of the Sanskrit language, he received an ordination to pen epics for the common man to recite. The saint with great knowledge had retold the Sri Ramayana and had the epic “Rama Charit Manas.” He had plotted the manas as Sri Siva rendering the story of Sri Ramachandra, thus bringing unity among the cult’s followers of Sri Siva and Sri Vishnu. It was revolutionary on his part to bring much-needed unity among the sanadhana dharma followers of that time.

This great saint was born in the village of Rajapur, in the Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh. This beautiful village is situated on the bank of the river Yamuna. It is interesting to note that the river Yamuna takes a right turn to touch this place, thereby making it holy. Sri Tusidas was born to Sri Athmaram, a Saryupareen Brahmin, and Hulsi. Right at birth, the boy uttered ‘Ram,’ hence called Rambola.

Rambola leaves Rajapur

The child was born under the Abhuktamūla constellation, which, according to Jyotisha (Hindu astrology), causes immediate danger to the life of the father. Due to the inauspicious events at the time of his birth, he was abandoned by his parents on the fourth night and sent away with Chuniya, a female servant of Hulsi.

Chuniya took the child to her village of Haripur and looked after him for five and a half years, after which she died. Rambola was left to fend for himself as an impoverished orphan and wandered from door to door begging for alms.

Tusi’s revisit to Rajapur

After Rambola was adopted by Narharidas, a Vaishnava ascetic of Ramananda's monastic order who is believed to be the fourth disciple of Ramananda, Rambola was given the Virakta Diksha (Vairagi initiation) with the new name of Tulsidas.

Then Tulsidas was educated on various aspects of Sanatana Dharma. After a few years, he was given initiation by his guru to the narration of Srimath Ramayana of Saint Valmiki. Sri Tulsidas was known to many then as an exponent of Ramayana pravachana [discourse].

As the Rajapur village was undergoing some bad patch of time, people from Rajapur village approached Tulsidas to grace the village without knowing that he was their Rambola. On an auspicious day, he set forth to the village. The village elders welcomed him, and as arranged, he gave a discourse on the Ramayana in his village.

People of Rajapur found a quantum change in their prospects after the arrival of Sri Tulsidas and his discourse of Srimath Ramayana. The rains were regular, and the crops were grown in abundance. The people of Rajapur grew prosperous and were happy.

By this time Sri Tusidas realised that Rajapur is his village where he was born.

Sri Tulsidas and Naandhi Sri Hanuman

During his stay in Rajapur, Tulsidas one fine day set his sights on the Sri Hanuman temple at NAndhi village nearby. He frequented his visit to this particular temple and meditated in the temple of Sri Hanuman. Naandhi means joy, satisfaction, and delight, in general.

Once when the river was flooded preventing Sri Tulsidas from going to the village NAndhi. He meditated upon Sri Hanuman of NAndhi sitting on the banks of the flooded river. He had a divine direction from Sri Hanuman of NAndhi that He would present Himself in Rajapur itself in the sandalwood paste prepared by him. He can initiate NAndhi Hanuman [Thantric roopa] in the sandalwood paste in Mantra roopa.

Mantra roopa Sri Hanuman at Rajapur

After returning to his village, Rajapur, in accordance with the instruction of Sri Hanuman, Sri Tulsidas made a sandalwood paste and performed the prana pradishta of the deity. After installing the deity in the mantra roopa, he started worshipping Sri Hanuman in this form.

After sometime he proceeded on his pilgrimage to Sangam, Varanasi etc.

Sankata Mochana Sri Hanuman of Rajapur

Today the deity installed by Sri Tulsidas in Rajapur is known as Sri Sankata Mochana Hanuman. In recent years the temple has been renovated. Temple is located on the banks of the River Yamuna, but away from Tulsi Ghat, which is the birthplace of Sri Tulsidas. One can take the main bazaar of Rajapur leading to Yamuna. After about two kilometres from the bus stand, the temple of Sankata Mochana Sri Hanuman is present.

As you enter the temple complex, to the right is the sannidhi of Sri Rama, Sita, and Lakshman. This sannidhi is facing the main garbhagraham of Sri Sankata Mochana Hanuman.

Saint Sri Sharabhang was doing penance and waiting to have the darshan of Sri Rama, who was on vanavasa. As Sri Rama had never failed His devotees, He visited the saint in his ashram [the place is near Chitrakoot]. Saint Sri Sharabang received Sri Rama along with his brother and Sri Sita in his ashram. After ‘aititi upachar’ of the parivar of Sri Rama, he said that his wait in this world has come to an end and entered again by saying:

सीता अनुज समेत प्रभु नील जलद तनु स्याम।
मम हियँ बसहु निरंतर सगुनरूप श्री राम॥

[Hey, Sri Ram, whose body is in the colour of a dark blue cloud, resides in my heart permanently along with Sri Sita Ma and younger brother Sri Lakshman.]

Sri Ramachanderji Parivar at this place as seen by Saint Sri Sharabang. Before proceeding to have the darshan of Sri Hanuman, have the darshan of Sri Rama, the principal deity of Sri Hanuman.

Sri Sankata Mochan Hanuman

One has to climb a few steps to have the darshan of Sri Sankata Mochan Hanuman. Sri Hanuman of this kshetra resembles that of Naandhi Sri Hanuman. Sri Sankata Mochan Hanuman is ever seeing Sri Ramachanderji. The scene here seems to be that He bestows the blessings He receives from Sri Rama on His devotees.

Receive the blessings of Sri Ramachanderji and Sri Hanuman by offering your prayers in this holy place.

 

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SRI HANUMAN THINKS DIFFERENTLY, THINKS FAST
THINKS AHEAD AND ACTS FOR SURE

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Ed [November 2014]
Updates: [Jan 2025]

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