Siruli Mahavir Temple is a Hanuman shrine in Siruli village, near Chandanpur in Puri district, off National Highway 316. Temple accounts describe the main image as a monolithic black chlorite Hanuman about ten feet tall. By local tradition Hanuman stands guard here at a distance from the Jagannath Temple, with one eye said to rest on the Neela Chakra of Puri and the other toward Lanka. The temple follows Puri rituals, and temple accounts say prasad from the Shri Mandira is brought here. Do not confuse it with Siddha Mahavir or Bedi Hanuman in Puri town.
quick facts
- district
Puri
- entry fee
Free, according to one temple blog.
- dress code
Ethnic or traditional dress is customary.
how to reach
The temple lies off National Highway 316 in Puri district. A travel account from Bhubaneswar says to cross Chandanpur, reach the Sirulee crossing and turn left for about 10 km. Puri is the nearest railway station and Bhubaneswar has the nearest airport. Sources quote different distances from Puri (about 22 to 33 km) and different directions, so confirm the route on a map before travelling.
address: Siruli, Chandanpur, Puri district, Odisha 752012
history and significance
why it matters
The temple is a Hanuman shrine tied closely to Jagannath worship at Puri. According to a temple blog, devotees regard Tuesday as especially sacred here.
history
According to a local tale, Jagannath asked Hanuman to guard the Shri Mandira in Puri. Hanuman's loud breathing and constant watch disturbed Goddess Lakshmi, so he was asked to keep watch from a distance and moved to the present site. The same tradition says he stopped here on his way back from Puri after Rama's coronation and offered evening prayers at a lotus pond. Sources disagree on the builder: one blog credits Anangabhima Deva III in the 13th century, while the trust president quoted by Orissa Post credits Anangabhima Deva II in the 12th century. No inscription was found, so the date is uncertain.
what to see
Article and blog accounts describe a temple of laterite and sandstone on a platform about two feet high. The sanctum is a pidha deula of about 25 feet and the jagamohana is about 20 feet, followed by a bhogamandapa and a later natamandapa with ten pillars used for bhajans. Two lions flank the main entrance, a wall encloses the complex, and the nine planets are carved above an entrance. These measurements come from articles and a blog and are not surveyed.
The Hanuman image holds a dagger in one hand and the Gandhamadana mountain in the other, with a figure of his mother Anjana beside the pedestal. A Shiva linga topped by a seven hooded serpent sits above the image.
rituals and festivals
A temple blog says prasad from the Shri Mandira in Puri is brought to the temple daily, including khichdi, coconut sweets and dry fruits, and that mahaprasad from the Jagannath kitchen is received on Ram Navami, Dola Purnima and Hanuman Jayanti. The same blog lists these observances:
- Makar Sankranti: coconuts, jaggery and bela pana are offered to Hanuman.
- Dola Purnima: Hanuman is carried on a palanquin beneath an old peepal tree, with bhajans and conches.
- Ram Navami: aarti, mantras and devotional music.
- Tuesdays are held to be especially sacred.
nearby
other temples nearby6
questions visitors ask
Who is worshipped at Siruli Mahavir Temple?
Hanuman, shown as a ten foot black stone image.
Is this the same as Bedi Hanuman or Siddha Mahavir in Puri?
No. Those are separate Hanuman temples in Puri town. Siruli is a village shrine in Puri district.
Which day is most sacred here?
Tuesday is held to be especially sacred, according to a temple blog.