Four-State Devotees Throng Kala Hanuman Shrine on TG-Maha Border
The temple is easily accessible through National Highway 161 connecting Sangareddy, Nanded and Akola.
SALABATHPUR: A black idol of Lord Hanuman at a temple in Salabathpur village on the Telangana-Maharashtra border has emerged as a major pilgrimage destination, attracting thousands of devotees from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka every year.
The Sri Maruthi Mandir is located at Salabathpur (Mirzapur) in Madnoor mandal of Kamareddy district, close to the Telangana-Maharashtra border. The temple is easily accessible through National Highway 161 connecting Sangareddy, Nanded and Akola.
Unlike the vermilion-coated Hanuman idols commonly seen across the country, the deity here is worshipped in its natural black form, making it one of the rare Hanuman temples in the region. Devotees reverentially refer to the deity as 'Icchapurthi Hanuman', believing that prayers offered at the shrine fulfil their wishes.
According to temple lore, the idol was installed by Samarth Ramdas, the spiritual guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The temple also attracts a large number of newly married couples who visit the shrine to seek the deity's blessings.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, devotee Sangayappa said the temple witnesses a huge influx of pilgrims during Hanuman Jayanti. He said its location near the borders of Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka, coupled with improved connectivity through National Highway 161, has made it easily accessible to devotees from Hyderabad and several other places.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 3.70 crore for the temple's development, and the works are under way. A Kalyana Mandapam has already been constructed within the temple premises.
To cater to devotees from different states, priests and staff proficient in Telugu, Marathi and Kannada have been deployed at the temple.
