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Presiding seer of Ayodhya's Hanuman Garhi steps out after 30 years to visit Ram TempleThe Mahant had a darshan of Ramlala, offering 56 types of ‘bhog’ (food items) to the idol.
Sanjay Pandey
Last Updated IST
<div class="paragraphs"><p>Mahant Prem Das, the chief priest of Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi temple, takes part in a procession to visit Ram Mandir, in Ayodhya on Wednesday.&nbsp;</p></div>

Mahant Prem Das, the chief priest of Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi temple, takes part in a procession to visit Ram Mandir, in Ayodhya on Wednesday. 

Credit: PTI Photo

Lucknow: Ayodhya witnessed a historic religious ritual, when the Mahant (head of mutt) of the famous Hanumangarhi Temple, breaking decades old traditions, stepped out of the Temple complex for the first time in 30 years to pay obeisance at the Ram Temple on the occasion of Akshoy Tritiya on Wednesday.

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Mahant Premdas, came out of the Hanumangarhi Temple at around seven in the morning and, accompanied by scores of disciples along with horses, camels and elephants, reached the sacred Saryu river where he took bath and set out for the Ram Temple. He was atop a chariot.

The Mahant had a darshan of Ramlala, offering 56 types of ‘bhog’ (food items) to the idol.

As per the tradition, the mahants of the Hanumangarhi Temple are not allowed to step out of the Temple complex. ‘’This tradition is over 300 year old....the Mahant can not even appear in the courts,’’ said an Ayodhya based seer.

According to the Hindu mythology, Lord Rama had handed over his empire to Lord Hanuman and hence the latter was considered to be the protector of Ayodhya. ‘’As the Mahant of the Hanumangarhi Temple is considered to be the representative of Lord Hanuman, he is required to remain present inside the Temple complex all the time,’’ the seer said.

The Mahant said that he broke the tradition on the direction of Lord Hanuman. ‘’Lord Hanuman came in my dreams and asked me to pay obeisance at the Ram Temple....it was a divine order and I followed it,’’ he said. The tradition also found mention in the literature concerning the Hanumangarhi Temple.

The seers said that the land for the Hanumangarhi Temple was donated by the Nawab of Avadh Wazid Ali Shah in 1855 and this tradition had been in practice since the Temple was constructed.

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(Published 30 April 2025, 20:02 IST)