Shri Hanumat Niketan Temple Prayagraj

Vital Information for Visitors

Address:

Hanumat Niketan, M G Marg, Civil Lines, Prayagraj, U.P.

Open & Close:

Open on all days

Timings:

05:30 AM – 12:00 PM
04:00 PM – 09:30 PM

Entry Fees:

NIL

Duration:

1 Hour

Significance:

Centrally located with temple, akhara, library, sabha mandapam

Shri Hanumat Niketan Temple, a prominent tourist attraction in Prayagraj, is located in Civil Lines. The temple, primarily dedicated to Lord Hanuman, houses several smaller shrines and idols of many other deities like Lord Shiva, Lord Ram, Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Laxmi, Goddess Durga etc. Saint Ramlochan Brahmachari laid its foundation in 1958 and installed idol of Lord Hanuman in 1973. He single handedly raised the entire structure by collecting donations from the residents of Prayagraj. He used to move either on foot or on a bicycle. Shri Hanumat Niketan Temple, spread over three and a half acre land, is a huge and integrated complex of temples, gymnasium, yogalaya, library, reading rooms, Ved Bhawan, guest house and a museum of weaponry. The construction of the whole complex reached its completion by 1974. Thus, the present form of this beautiful and grand temple complex can easily be termed as one-man show.

The idol of Lord Hanuman in Hanumat Niketan (हनुमत निकेतन) is different from the idols of Bajrang Bali in any other temple in a way that here the statue of Lord Hanuman consists of all elements of body. Hanuman is worshipped as ‘jitendriya’ (जितेन्द्रिय), one who has control on all the senses. Brahmachari Ji used to say that if the ‘lingam’ was not there then how the presiding deity can be called ‘Jitendriya’. He used to term Hanumat Niketan as ‘Daridra Narayan’ Temple because it had been built by a penniless saint by collecting a rupee only donation from all and sundry. The temple is open for all. There is no caste bar for entry to the temple and people of all faith are welcome to it. By promoting Hanuman worship, Brahmachari Ji wanted the youth to inculcate the virtues of Lord Hanuman like knowledge, trustworthiness, physical strength, devotion to duty and service above self.