Dand Maruti Jagrut Hanuman Mandir is among the oldest temples in Nerul. Nerul is an affluent township in Navi Mumbai. The township was established by CIDCO and has different sectors. Dand Maruti Jagrut Hanuman Mandir is located in Sector 9 and was established in 1980’s. The temple has special importance and is frequented by devotees from near and far. The temple is specially crowded on Tuesdays and Saturdays, which are the days dedicated to Lord Hanuman. The temple has been in Nerul since the time Nerul was being developed and consisted of just a few sectors. The temple is not very huge but is considered to be quite significant.

The temple can be reached easily from any part of Mumbai. Regular train and bus service is available till Nerul. From the railway station and bus depots, visitors can take auto rickshaws or taxis to reach the temple. The temple is located behind the Dr. Ambedkar Udyan in Phase 1 of Sector 9 in Nerul.

The temple is open on all seven days and can be visited at any time, all around the year. However, during the monsoon months from June to August, the area receives a lot of rainfall and often commuting can become a problem. Also on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the temple is quite crowded and it can become difficult to get a glimpse of the deity.

Architecture and Surroundings of Dand Maruti Jagrut Hanuman Mandir

The temple is small yet impressive and gives a feeling of peace and calm. The entrance to the temple is simple and there is a hall where devotees stand during aartis and prayers. Bells hang from the ceiling. The sanctum has a carving of Lord Hanuman in orange color depicting the color of vermillion. The carving has a silver crown and only the eyes of the deity are emphasized. Devotees can be seen meditating in the temple hall and chanting hymns in praise of Hanuman.

The temple premise is well-maintained and quite clean. Every day, the priests start performing daily prayers in the morning which include cleaning the idol and doing abhishek. Devotees visit the temple in the morning to get blessed by Hanuman. After the abhishek, priests perform aarti and chant prayers to invoke the gods. Special prayers are also conducted in the temple upon request. Devotees who wish to conduct special prayers should consult with the priest first about the required preparations. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, special pujas and archanas are conducted and the temple is quite crowded.

There are stalls around the temple from where devotees can buy flowers and other puja items that devotees can buy to offer to Lord Hanuman.

Celebrations at Dand Maruti Jagrut Hanuman Mandir

The festival of Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated with full festivities. The festival is celebrated in the Hindu calendar month Chaitra. Hanuman Jayanti commemorates the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman. Hanuman was a devotee of Lord Rama and is worshipped for his devotion and obedience towards Lord Rama.

From early morning, devotees start visiting Dand Maruti Jagrut Hanuman Mandir to offer their prayers to the deity. Lord Hanuman is considered as a symbol of energy and strength. He is a powerful deity who played an important role in Ramayana.

Devotees visiting the temple on Hanuman Jayanti apply vermillion on their forehead and pick it from the idol of Lord Hanuman. The legend behind this is that once Hanuman Ji saw Sita applying vermillion to her forehead and he asked her the reason for applying it. Sita replied that applying vermillion on forehead would increase the life of her husband. Hearing this Hanuman ji smeared his entire body with vermillion. He did so because of his dedication to Lord Rama and he wanted to ensure the immortality of Lord Rama.

In Maharashtra, the festival of Hanuman Jayanti is observed on the full moon day of Chaitra. As per some panchangs the festival should be celebrated on the fourteenth day in the second half (dark fortnight) of the Hindu month Ashvin.

The festivities of Hanuman Jayanti start in early morning at dawn. This is because Hanumanji is believed to be born at dawn. At this time, priests distribute Prasad to the devotees. The priests also deliver sermons on the life of Lord Hanuman and sing praises in his name.