The Founding of a Temple

Interview with a priest
Hanuman Temple, Allahabad

I am a pujari. I perform pujas to Hanuman Ji. I am a pandit. There are four or five other priests who perform pujas here.

There was a prosperous businessman in Kannauj, from the Vindhya area. He came to Allahabad to take a ritual bath in the river and to perform a puja to Hanuman. It was to this spot where we are right now that he came. At that time the Ganga used to flow through here. He was a man who was childless and was hoping that through his act of devotion, a child would be granted to him. He had a dream in the night in which a voice said to him, “if you let me dwell here, your desires will be fulfilled.” After he had finished his business here, he left Hanuman Ji and departed.

Sometime later, a man called Baba Bal Ghumri Bir Guru, came to Allahabad. He began to dig at this spot. There was an idol of Hanuman here already, and he came to this spot. Something led him to dig here. When he had dug a little ways, he struck a stone. This made him curious, so he dug all the way to find out about this stone. It turned out to be an idol of Hanuman. He built a hut to house the idol, and for some time it remained here. Slowly and steadily over time, Hanuman Ji began to awaken an awareness of his presence among his devotees in this area, and gradually, a temple was built for him here. A water supply was connected and fans were installed, and regular pujas began to be offered. These things all belonged to Hanuman Ji.