Hanuman

We see in almost all Hanuman temples that the deity of Hanumanji is covered or coated with orange colour sindoor. What is the story associated with applying sindoor to Lord Hanuman and what is the importance of sindoor in Hanuman puja?

One day Sita mata was wearing a red powder in the parting of her hair. Curiously Hanuman asked mata, what was the red powder that she was wearing. Sita mata replied “Hanuman! This is sindoor. Sindoor makes Lord Rama happy and would bless him with a long and prosperous life.”

Listening to this Hanuman disappeared from the place. Hanuman came back with his body fully covered with red sindoor. He covered his entire body, even his clothes and hair with sindoor.

Lord Rama saw Hanuman covered with sindoor and asked the reason. Hanuman replied “Sita mata told me that by applying just a small pinch of sindoor on her head every day it will make you have a long and happy life. I thought if just a pinch will do so much, what will happen if I cover my entire body with sindoor.”

Thus, Lord Ram gave a boon to all his devotees that those who apply sindoor to Hanuman and observe hanuman puja with sindoor would be blessed with a long, happy life and have their wishes fulfilled.

For this reason sindoor is mixed in til (sesame) oil and applied to the entire body of Lord Hanuman. This is also called as Chola Chandana. People take back a little sindoor from Lord Hanuman as prasada and wear it on their foreheads.