Here Hanuman ji is worshiped along with his son Makardhwaj.

Although the place of Bet Dwarka is known because of Lord Shri Krishna, there is a special temple of Hanuman ji here which is quite famous. This is Dandi Hanuman Temple. The specialty of the temple is that along with Hanuman ji, there is also a statue of his son Makardhwaj. This temple is said to be more than 500 years old. It is said that this is the same place where Hanuman ji met his son for the first time. Another folk belief regarding this temple is that many years ago the idol of Hanuman ji was bigger and the idol of Makardhwaj was smaller. The idol of Makardhwaj grew on its own and now became equal to Hanuman ji. Both these statues do not have any weapons and both are seen in a happy posture.

Origin of Makardhwaj

Hanuman ji has been said to be a celibate and in such a situation it is natural to raise questions about him being a son. According to religious scriptures, Hanuman ji had gone to Lanka in search of Sita. There Meghnath captured him and presented him in Ravana’s court. Where his tail was set on fire. Hanuman ji had burnt Lanka with his burning tail. When he went into the sea to extinguish his burning tail, a drop of his sweat fell into the water and was drank by a fish.The fish became pregnant from that drop of sweat and gave birth to a son, whose name was “Makardhwaj”. Makardhwaj was also as powerful and brilliant as Hanumanji and he was appointed the gatekeeper of the underworld by Ahiravan. Once when Ahiravana had brought Ram and Lakshman to the underworld to sacrifice them to the goddess, Hanuman reached the underworld to free Ram and Lakshman and there he met Makardhwaj. There was a fierce battle between Hanumanji and Makardhwaj. At last Hanumanji defeated him and tied him to his own tail. Makardhwaj narrated the story of his origin to Hanuman. Hanumanji killed Ahiravana and freed Ram and Lakshman. Ram appointed Makardhwaj as the ruler of the underworld and gave him the message to follow the path of religion.