The Bangalore fort was the seat of the rulers of Bangalore till Tipu Sultan. After fall of Tipu Sultan to the English, the fort received no attention from the British for strategic reason. The Victoria Hospital was planned and built inside the Bangalore fort by the British. The foundation stone for the hospital was laid on 22nd June 1897 by Her Highness Kempananjammani, the then maharani regent of Mysore to commemorate the completion of 60 years of reign of Queen Victoria. The Hospital named after Victoria was then formally inaugurated on 8th December 1900 by Lord Curzon the then Viceroy of India. It started as a health centre with 140 bed strength which is now the second largest Hospital in India accommodating more than 1000 patients at a time. It is located in the hub of the city and is easily accessible. This is a teaching hospital and is attached to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, which is one of the premier Medical Colleges of India.
The Minto Hospital was started as a small dispensary in Chickpet in the year 1896. It grew to give better service and was moved to the present place at Chamarajpet in the year 1913 as a hundred bed hospital. The hospital was upgraded with 300 beds in the year 1994 and now has Cornea Grafting Centre.
During the last decade of the 19th century, the old towns of Bangalore began to outgrow. Sprawling new extensions started coming up. Chamarajpet was one of the first extensions to be laid. This well planned layout west of Tipu’s Palace, lies between Basavanagudi and KR market.
The development of the area started in 1892 and was completed in two years. The layout was named Chamarajendra Pete, in memory of Chamarajendra Wodeyar, who died on December 28, 1894. Over the years, Chamarajendra Pet was abbreviated to Chamarajpet.
According to Campbell’s Directory of Mysore and Bangalore, 1920, the Chamarajpet Extension is conveniently divided into five streets running parallel to each other, into which open nine cross roads. Each of the main roads has a distinct name. The first main, Albert Victor Road, was named after the visit of Prince Albert Victor - son of Queen Victoria - in 1899. The road was later named Alur Venkatrao Road. The second main road is named Anjaneya Temple Road, the third main road is named Rameshwara Temple Road, the fourth main road is named Central Bank Road and the fifth main road is named Puttana Chetty Road.
When the city was leased to the Mysore King Chikkadevaraya by the Mughals in 1689, he expanded
the existing main fort to the South and built the Sri Venkataramana temple within its boundaries.
An Anjaneya temple was in existence adjacent to Tipu’s summer palace and near Sri Venkataramana
temple. It can be observed from the above that the second main road of Chamarajpet was named as
Anjaneya Temple Road during last decade of nineteenth century itself. From this the antiquity of the
present Anjaneya Temple just opposite to the present day Minto Eye Hospital can be judged.
This beautiful temple for Sri Anjaneya exists just opposite to Minto Eye Hospital in Chamarajpet. The temple is to the west of Tipu’s palace. Old name of this area is Sultanpet.
The temple is facing the Minto eye hospital and many people visit this temple before and after visiting the eye hospital and Sri Anjaneya Swamy of this temple is known popularly as ‘kannaspathre Anjaneya’. There are visits by regular devotees from the Chamarajpet and few of them visit the temple with the entire family.
While the Eye Hospital was taken up for construction in the fort area, an Anjaneya vigraha was found by one Sri Sonnappan. He had placed the deity under a thatched shed nearby and worshiped. During these days Sri Vitaladasacharya follower of Sri Admaru mutt of Udipi made a visit to Mantralaya to offer prayers to Sri Raghavendra. After few days of his prayers in this kshetra, he was given a divine direction by Sri Guru Raghavendra to go to Bangaluru and worship Sri Mukhyaprana devaru. He had dharshan of the deity Sri Mukhyaprana devaru also. He left for Bangaluru and stayed in a dharmashala near railway station which is known as “Thodathappa chultry”. But was not knowing how to find the deity of Sri Anjaneya as directed by Sri Gurugalu. One fine day somebody who had come to stay in the dharmasala asked if he could accompany him to a place where a deity of Sri Anjaneya is without regular pooja. Sri Vitaladasacharya accompanied the stranger to the place opposite to the Minto Eye Hospital. To the surprise of the Pundit, the deity of Sri Mukhyaprana devaru was same as that of the one he had dharshan in the dream at Mantralaya. He started the worship of the deity as per the practice of Madhwa practice. The deity which was in the ground level was put on the platform with the help of the merchants nearby. Slowly the patronage for the deity grew so also the infrastructure of the temple.
Sir Mirza Muhammad Ismail, Diwan of Mysore had made the present structure of the temple with
stone and cement. The merchants from nearby had built the gopuram for the deity, Sri Madhawarao
had presented the temple bell.
Almost all the leaders of freedom movement like Nehru, Rajaji, Babu Rajendra Prasad, and Lord Mountbatten had visited this temple.
The deity of this kshetra is seen with prabavali and is made of single stone. Sri Anjaneya is facing north and seen walking towards west. His lotus feet is adorn with thandai and nupuram. The left foot in front and the right foot is slightly raised. Akshayakumar is pressed below Lord’s feet. He is wearing kacham which is holding the thighs lightly. In the hip He is wearing ornamentally worked chains. His bosom is adorned with two long chains of which one has a pendent. He is wearing decorated mala close to the neck. He is wearing yagyopavetham. His left hand adorning bracelet is seen resting on the left hip and holding the steam of sowgandika flower. The flower is seen above His left shoulder. With His right hand in ‘abhaya mudra’, He comforts the devotees. The longulam [tail] of the Lord gracefully takes a curve and rises above His head. The tail ends with a curve which is adorned by a small beautiful bell. Lord is wearing ear-studs and His kesam is neatly tied. In His head Lord is adorning an ornamental ‘kesa-bandh’. His eyes are glowing and pleasing.
Poojas are conducted as per madhwa sampradhaya, hari vayu stuthi parayana is made while abishekam is performed to the deity. During the months of sravana, karthika and danur special poojas are conducted. Sri Hanumath Jayanthi is conducted during the month of Markazi. Sri Rama Navami is celebrated in grand scale during the month of Chitra.
Stand in front of this deity with the folded hands, feel and experience ‘niSabd’ [निशब्द], and grace of almighty engulfing your heart.
Ed [June/July 2015]
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SRI HANUMAN THINKS DIFFERENTLY, THINKS FAST, THINKS AHEAD AND ACTS FOR SURE.
Our salutations to this Hanuman who always brings subham - everything that is good - for His devotees and eliminates the bad and the evil. He removes even the traces of bad thoughts and deeds from His devotees. i.e He makes them pure in words, thought and deed.