Who is Hanuman?
Hanuman is a familiar name and deity to every devout Hindu in any part of the world. He is the monkey god who helped Lord Rama in his fight against the demon king of Lanka, Ravana, to rescue his wife Sita, who had been kidnapped by Ravana.
Hanuman was the son of the Wind God, Vayu. His mother was Anjana, a celestial nymph who had been cursed by a sage to take the form of a monkey. Hanuman’s devotion to Rama is legendary. Once, he tore his chest to reveal the images of Rama and Sita in his heart, just to prove his devotion. Hanuman is also the brother of Bhima, the Pandava prince, as both share the same father.
Hanuman is known not just for his devotion to Rama but also for his immense strength and courage. He is the patron deity of bodybuilders and wrestlers in India for this reason. Hanuman had great powers even when he was just a child. One day, he saw the Sun in the sky and mistook it for a ball. He wanted to play with it, so he leaped into the sky. On seeing this, Lord Indra threw his Vajrayudha weapon (thunderbolt) at him to stop the child. It struck Hanuman, and he fell down injured.
Hanuman’s Boons
One morning, Hanuman saw the sun and mistook it for a fruit. He decided to get hold of it and jumped up into the sky. Indra, the king of gods, saw Hanuman leap into the sky and wanted to stop him. And how did he do that? He threw his weapon, the Vajra (thunderbolt), at the child. Hanuman fell to earth, wounded. This enraged Vayu, who began a strike to punish Indra. Which meant that there was no wind on earth to cool people and animals during the summers, nor rain as there were no winds to move the rain clouds. Life became very difficult for everyone as no one could even breathe.
To appease Vayu, the gods decided to bestow many boons on Hanuman. Brahma announced that Hanuman would never be hurt by any weapon and that he could change his form as he wished and also travel anywhere he wanted to. Indra gave a boon whereby his weapon would not harm Hanuman, and he would have a body that would be stronger than Vajra. Lord Varuna, the god of the sea, decreed that water could not harm him. Agni, the god of fire, gave him protection from fire. Surya, or the Sun God, blessed him with the ability to change his size. Yama, the lord of death, granted him good health and immortality. The celestial architect, Vishwakarma, said that Hanuman would face no danger from any object that he created. With the help of all these boons, Hanuman became very powerful and invincible. They also helped him in his battle against Ravana and his demon army.
Hanuman’s Favorite Offerings
Some of Hanuman’s favorite offerings are Imarti, a sweet resembling jalebi, Vada mala, Jaggery laddoos, saffron rice, jaggery prasad, paan, jasmine flowers, saffron, sindoor, etc.
Vada Mala is offered to Hanuman to overcome Rahu dosha. It is also believed that Hanuman protects his devotees from planet Saturn and reduces the intensity of the suffering that Saturn causes.
Significance of Vada Mala for Hanuman
You can offer as many Vadas as you want. Usually, the count is 1, 8, 16, 51, 108, or 1008 Vadas. More than the count, it is your devotion that matters.
Vada is a popular South Indian snack. Urad Dal or Black Gram is used to make it. To prepare it, soak urad dal in water and then grind it into a smooth paste with very little water and some salt. Chop onions, carrots, green chillis, and curry leaves, and add them to the paste. Some also add whole pepper. Then shape it into rounds with a hole in the middle and deep fry in oil. String many vadas together to make a garland for the offering to Hanuman. Vadamala is a common offering to the monkey god, especially in temples in Tamil Nadu.
The Story behind Vada Mala Offering
There is an interesting story about the connection between Vada Mala and Planet Rahu. Rahu gave a boon to Hanuman that a person who offered Urad Dal to Hanuman would not suffer the negative effects associated with ill-placed Rahu in their horoscope.
As mentioned earlier, Hanuman had tried to grab the Sun, thinking it was a ripe fruit. As he was flying towards the Sun at an incredible speed, supposedly Rahu was also moving towards Sun in order to cause an eclipse. But Hanuman managed to beat Rahu in their race to reach the Sun. Like the other gods who gave boons to Hanuman to placate his father, Vayu, when Hanuman was injured by Indra’s Vajra weapon, Rahu also gave him a boon. The boon was that those who worshipped Hanuman with urad dal or black gram would not have to endure the problems of an ill-placed Rahu in their birth chart. Rahu also told Hanuman that the prasad should resemble a snake, like Rahu’s body. Hence, the vadas are strung into a garland.
Lord Hanuman’s birthday is celebrated as Hanuman Jayanthi. Offering Vada Mala to Hanuman during the Hanuman Jayanti celebration can ensure that you will be protected from Rahu Dosha.
