'Hanuman Jayanti' celebrated with religious fervour in India

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh), Surat (Gujarat), March 30 (ANI): People in different parts of the country celebrated the Hanuman Jayanti or, the birthday of Lord Hanuman, on Tuesday with religious fervour by visiting popular temples.

The festival is celebrated by praying and chanting hymns in praise of Lord Hanuman and offering flowers and sweets at the temple.

In Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, a large number of devotees offered prayers.

"I like it a lot here. People from all over India have come here. All are deeply engaged in their prayers. They have forgotten their families. We all bathe in the Ganges and worship the whole day. It feels very good," said Y Raja Chinchak Ladki, a woman devotee from Gwalior city, in Ayodhya.

Also on the occasion, a Hanuman temple located in the Atal ashram in Gujarat's Surat city continued its tradition of making large Laddoos, an Indian sweet, often used as religious offering.

It prepared a Laddoo weighing 2,100 kg on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.

"We have been making such Laddoos since 2007. We decided to make a 5-6 kg Laddoo, but ended up with a 1,111 kg Laddoo instead. In 2008, we made a 1,551 kg Laddoo. In 2009 also, we made a 1,751 kg Laddoo. And in 2010, we have made a 2,100 kg Laddoo offering for Lord Hanuman," said Mahant Batuk Giriji, a priest of the Hanuman temple in Atal ashram.

Lord Hanuman is a symbol of strength and power. He is also believed to help devotees get rid of evil influences. (ANI)