Vellulla, small Telangana village with 2k people, has 54 Hanuman temples
Hyderabad: In Telangana villages, Lord Hanuman is revered as a guardian deity who protects communities from harm and brings prosperity. This deep-rooted belief has led to the presence of Hanuman temples in almost every village. In this, Vellulla in Metpally mandal of Jagtial district stands out: It has 54 temples for Lord Hanuman.
The unusually high number of temples in Vellulla is attributed to two factors. The village once had a significant Brahmin population, with many families building their own Hanuman temple next to their homes to perform personal rituals. Although most of these families have since migrated to cities, the villagers continue to maintain and worship at these temples with unwavering devotion.
On fulfillment of wishes, the villagers construct a new Hanuman temple. This is another key reason for the increased number of temples in Vellulla village, which has around 2,000 population.
“Vellulla had nearly 200 Brahmin families, and many constructed a temple beside their house to conduct their anushthan,” said Ramu Sharma, the village priest. “Though many of them moved away, villagers still perform nitya puja and the youth take Hanuman Deeksha before Hanuman Jayanthi, observing strict discipline and organising a grand shobha yatra,” he explained.
Not only in Vellulla village, the trend of youth observing Hanuman Deeksha gained popularity in most of the towns and villages in Telangana due to its spiritual significance and deep-rooted devotion to Lord Hanuman in the region. Hanuman Deeksha is a 41-day spiritual vow observed by devotees, particularly during the period leading up to Hanuman Jayanti. It involves wearing a sacred mala (garland), maintaining celibacy, performing daily pujas, chanting Hanuman mantras and adhering to strict spiritual disciplines such as avoiding footwear and taking baths twice daily. Young people are increasingly participating in this practice, drawn by the discipline it instills and the inspiration they derive from Hanuman's qualities of strength, courage and devotion.
D. Rajeshwar Rao, a villager, said that their family constructed a Hanuman temple in their courtyard after the fulfillment of their family wishes. He also points out that worshipping Lord Hanuman helps their village with abundant rain and good crops every year, besides blessing them with peace and harmony.
Lord Hanuman holds a special place in Hindu mythology as a symbol of devotion, strength and protection against evil. His association with Lord Rama makes him widely worshipped across regions steeped in Ramayana traditions. The entire Vellulla village presents a spiritual atmosphere around the year and the festive atmosphere prevails during Hanuman Jayanthi days.
