Hanuman - The mighty శ్రీ ఆంజనేయం

This is Hanuman Statue in the village Relangi, W Godavari Dist. Relangi is our native village where my father spent his first 20 - 21 years. I have been there only a couple of times though.

 

Almost all the villages in the East & West Godavari Dists of Andhra Pradesh have a huge Hanuman idol installed. Inicdentally the land where this statue stands was once owned by us, my father told me :-)

 

I have always had an immense admiration, turning towards devotion for HanumantuDu - Anjaneyaswamy (that's how he is referred in telugu). He is MY HERO. Almost all children grow up learning to comeout of childhood fears by repeating his shlokas or name. I had an Anjaneyaswamy pendant hanging around my neck for many years into my teens.

 

As a child, listening to stories of his exploits was a great sense of excitement. Even now, as an adult I never tire reading / hearing any descriptions of him and none more great than those in Ramayanam - Sundarakanda. My favourite shloka being

 

yathaa raaghavanirmuktaH sharaH shvasanavikramaH |

gachchettadvadgamishhyaami laN^kaaM raavaNapaalitaam

 

I will go to the city of Lanka, ruled by Ravana just like an arrow released by Rama will go, with wind-like speed

 

courtesy: www.valmikiramayan.net/

 

యథా రాఘవనిర్ముక్తాః శరాః శ్వసనవిక్రమః

గఛ్ఛెత్తద్వద్గమిష్యామి లంకాం రావణపాలితాం

 

రాముడు ప్రయోగించిన రామబాణంలా, వాయువేగంతో రావణుడు పాలిస్తున్న లంకకు వెళ్తాను.

Done