Anegundi (Anjanadri Hill) Hanuman Temple
Anegundi (Anjanadri Hill) Hanuman Temple
Few parts of India celebrates Hanuman Jayanti today.
Anegundi is located in a village in Gangavathi taluk of Koppal district in Karnataka across river Tungabhadra. It has history which is almost 5,000 years old. It is at a distance of 5 kms from Hampi. It is also, believed to be the monkey kingdom of Kishkinda in the epic of Ramayana.This also happens to be the birth place of Lord Hanuman.
(According to few records Hanuman is reported to have been born near Nasik,Anjaneri.)
Lord Hanuman is the incarnation of Rudra (One version)
It is said that when Ravana tried to enter the Himalayas, the abode of Shiva, the Lord’s faithful attendant, Nandi, stopped him in his tracks. Infuriated, Ravana called Nandi a monkey. Nandi in return gave Ravana a curse that monkeys would destroy him and his kingdom. In order to uphold Nandi’s dignity, Shiva took the form of the vanara, Hanuman.His Father is God of Air, Vayu.
Anegundi means in Kannada “elephant pit” said to have been the place where the elephants of the Vijayanagara kings were kept, it is just opposite the ruined capital of the Vijayanagara empire.
Just across the Tungabhadra river is the fortress town of Anegundi, pre-dating the Vijayanagar Empire and its capital city. More ancient than Hampi, Anegundi lies in the mythical kingdom of Kishkinda, ruled by the monkey-king Sugriva of Ramayana fame. Anjanadri hill, near Anegundi, is believed to be the birthplace of the monkey-god Hanuman. The Anjanadri Temple is located on top of the hill 572 Steps climb to reach.
Anegundi was earlier known as Kishkindha. It is believed that this picturesque and serene village was the setting for one of the most crucial chapters of the epic Ramayan. Kishkindha was where Ram and Lakshman met Sugriv and Hanuman. The place where Ram killed Vali and the place from where the mission to rescue Sita from the clutches of Ravan was launched.
There are many places that are identified with various incidents of the epic in and around Anegundi, the Kishkindha of yore. There is a cave, up in the hills that is known as Vali’s cave.
Legend has it that this was where Vali fought an epic battle with a demon named Mayavi. A beautiful lake called Pampa Sarovara surrounded by hills is believed to have been the place where Ram and Lakshman came in search of Sita and were first spotted by Sugriv. Another major landmark with mythological connections is a hill called Anjanadri. This hill on which stands a temple dedicated to Hanuman is believed to have been the birthplace of Hanuman. There is an old fort that locals called Vali’s Fort, but of course the fort dates back to more recent history, to the time of the Vijayanagar Empire.