Hyderabad

Hyderabad was the capital of united Andhra and presently is the capital of Telangana. The Charminar of Hyderabad is well known to many, so also is the treasure of Nizam of Hyderabad. The princely state of Hyderabad was ruled by the Muslim Nizam then. When India became independent in 1947, like all the other Princely states, the Hyderabad State was also given the choice of joining the Dominion of India. Nizam of Hyderabad was reluctant to join India.

During this struggle, a private militia known as the Razakars was organised by Qasim Razvi in support of the rule of Nizam Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII, and resisted the integration of Hyderabad State into the Dominion of India. Ultimately after a brief ‘police action’ against the army of Nizam of Hyderabad and Razakars of Qasim Razvi, Hyderabad became a part of India.

Hyderabad then

Leaving the razakars aside, the people of Hyderabad then lived in harmony. Many old temples and mutts in the present old city vouch for this. One such temple is known as Sri Sitaram Temple in Mangalhat, Malle Pally, Nampally in Hyderabad. It came into existence during the early nineteenth century. It is interesting to know that the founder of this temple had come from the North of India and had established this temple here in Hyderabad.

Sri Puranmalji Ghaneriwal

Sri Puranmalji Ghaneriwal came from a village named Ghaneri in Rajasthan which is located about 200 km from Ajmer. Ghaneri villagers are engaged in trading and financing. Sri Puranmalji had come to Hyderabad to do trading. Over time, he came in contact with the Nizam. Earning the trust of the Nizam he was drawn to managing the state’s finance. The able administration of Sri Puranmalji had recovered from many revenue collectors' unrecovered money. To this effect, he was ably assisted by his son Sri Prem Sukhdasji.

Mandir for Sri Sitaramji

In the year 1832 Puranmalji built a chabutra, a paved terrace for Lord Sitaramji, in the erstwhile village of Mallepally which has now become a part of Hyderabad. Then Nizam came here and Puranmalji organised a little function for him and offered nazrana. The Nizam in return gave the jagir to Puranmalji. The revenue of two villages in Berar (now in Vidharbha) was granted to take care of the running expenses of the temple.

Activites in Sri Sitaramji Mandir

Puranmalji Ghaneriwal belongs to Ramanuja Vaishnav sampradaya. He is a follower and disciple of Sri Ananthacharya guru from Sri Prativadi Bhayankar Mutt. Therefore following their tradition the poojas at Sri Sitaram mandir are conducted as per the rules laid in Narad pancharatra. He had started an institution ‘Veda Vedanta Vardhani Paatashalaa’ imparting Vedas, Sanskrit, and knowledge on Upanishd, itihasa, etc. With the advancement of years, the institute was affiliated with Osmania University and a diploma in ‘Oriental Languages’ was awarded. Presently the management of this institute has been handed over to T.T.D.

Sitarambagh Temple and complex

The Sitarambagh temple is on a sprawling area of over 25 acres and the entire complex is protected by a twenty-five feet high wall, giving the temple a fort-like look. It had worked as a protective structure during the attack from the razakars in those days. The complex has three gateways which are built in an imposing size and style, each one of them has been built in a different style.

The temple is equipped with six step wells of which one is defunct. There are three mosques around the temple. The property includes an old Qutub Shahi mosque with a step well, near which Puranmalji constructed the temple complex. Both the mandir and mosque still use the water from the same stepwell.

Sita and Rama idols made of marble adore the main sanctum sanctorum. The facade to this sannidhi has a beautiful colorful stucco artwork that will mesmerise and bring pleasantness to one’s thinking before having a darshan of Sri Ramji. There is a sannidhi for Sri Garuda and Sri Anjaneya is present opposite the main sanctum. The Kalyana mandap opposite this is where Sri Sita-Rama Kalyanam is performed every year.

There are other sannidhis for Sri Varadarajaswami, Lakshman, Goda [andal], Ganesha, Mahadeva, Chaturbuj Mataji, etc. There are many mandaps names Sukravara mantap, mukha mandap, Vaikunta mandapa, Kalyanamantapa for various functions observed in this temple. Each of these sannidhi and the mandaps were built at different times as the architectural styles are different.

The gateways and sannidhi have different stucco decorations and the mural paintings are also impressive and have been maintained with care. It is no wonder that the temple has won many awards.

The temple won the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) - Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Award for the year 2001. The entire temple has been declared a Protected Monument by the Archeological Survey of India.

Sri Hanuman Temple in the complex

There is a separate temple for Sri Hanuman in this complex. This temple is located near the main entrance. As one enters through the main entrance, the first thing to see is a huge pillar standing, which is known as the SriRamaKoti stupam. One crore Rama Nama is kept here in the stupam. On the left is the main entrance to Sri Sitaram mandir. One can see a step well just on the other side of the Stupa - this puskarini is the first puskarni and is known as Sudershana puskarini. Go past the step well and the path will lead us to the Sri Hanuman Mandir after entering the archway.

The temple for Sri Hanuman is fairly big. The Garbhagraham is about ten feet by ten feet with a five-foot pathway around the Garbhagrham for circumambulation. Over the Garbhagraham cupola of ten feet height looks a crown of the temple. On the cupola [vimana] in the east is the Abhaya Hanuman, in the south the Veera Hanuman, in the west the Bhakta Hanuman, and in the north the Dasa Hanuman.

Anecdote of Sri Hanuman deity re-emergence

The renovation of the Sitaram temple was undertaken in the year 2015 before the 185th-year celebration. Sri Hanuman temple was also being renovated. During renovating the Garbhagraham and the deity, a miracle happened. Sri Hanuman at that time was seen only up to the knee and had been under worship. As per the tradition, the cleaning of the deity was done with a concentrated liquid made of soapnut, rita, buttermilk, curd, multani mitti, and with the help of soaked coconut fiber. While cleaning the deity of Sri Hanuman it was observed that the entire liquid was going through a crack adjacent to the deity. Slowly when investigated it was observed that the deity is half below the ground. The ground around the deity was cleared and to the astonishment of all a full deity emerged.

Finally, it was a magnificent idol of Hanuman idol that was 6.5 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and 3.5 feet thick emerged. The idol was placed in the same place above the ground and punar-pradishta was performed on 4th March 2015.

Sri Hanuman of Sri Sitarambagh mandir

The deity Lord Sri Anjaneya Swamy of Sri Sitarambagh is of hard granite stone in walking posture and is of ‘ardha shila’ type. Sanku [counch] is seen in the right corner and Chakram [Disk] is seen in the left corner of the block of stone in which the deity is embossed.

Lord is seen walking southward with His left lotus foot adoring Nupur and thandai in the front slightly raised from the ground. Both His hands are adorned bracelets and in the upper arms, keyur is seen. Both His palms are joined and show a ‘pranam’ posture. He is wearing a chain [mala] with a pendant. The tail of the Lord is raised above His head with a curved end. Lord is wearing ear studs that are touching His shoulders. His kesam is neatly tied to form tuft which adds beauty to Him. His eyes are very attractive and magnetising. Devotee when looking at His eyes could feel peace and tranquility engulfing his thoughts and heart.

 

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

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Ed [November 2018]
Updates: [Jan 2025]

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