TTD declares Tirumala Anjanadri as Hanuman's birthplace; rules out Hampi-Kishkinda

The TTD said the conclusion is based on literary, mythological, epigraphical, and scientific, geographical evidence

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has declared Anjanadri of the Tirumala hills as the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, a conclusion it says is based on literary, mythological, epigraphical, and scientific, geographical evidence.

The provenance of Hanuman or Anjaneya, one of the most revered deities in Hindu religion, is of intense debate as several places especially south of the Vindhyas claim to be his cradle. Karnataka's Hampi – known as Kishkinda in legends and puranas, is one such prominent place.

Renewing the discussion at a time when a grand temple of Lord Ram is being built on the Ramjanmabhoomi site in Ayodhya, the Tirupati temple board had in December constituted an expert committee to determine Anjanadri, one of the seven sacred hills of the Seshachalam range at Tirupati, as Hanuman's birthplace.

Read | TTD's claim on Hanuman's birthplace at Tirumala Hills creates stir in Karnataka

In a presentation made on the occasion of Sri Rama Navami on Wednesday, Prof Muralidhara Sharma Viriventi, vice-chancellor of the National Sanskrit University, Tirupati and chairman of the committee ruled out Hampi as Anjaneya's birthplace.

“While there is no doubt about Hampi being the Kishkinda of the Ramayana, it cannot be the origin of Hanuman. I am ready for any debate, without any prejudice, with anyone on this aspect,” Sharma told DH.

Scholars of Kannada University also affirmed that there is no material evidence for Hampi, the committee, including a senior ISRO scientist, said.

Quoting from the Skanda Puranam, Sharma said that Matanga maharshi had advised Anjana to do penance seeking a child at Venkatachalam, “about 10 yojanas south of Ahobilam.” Ahobilam is in present day Kurnool district, while Venkatachalam or Tirumala is in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

The location where Anjana gave birth to Anjaneya is pinpointed as Japali Theertham, near Aakasha-Ganga, where a Hanuman temple stands now.

Anjaneri near Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra, Anjan in Gumla district of Jharkhand, Anjan hill in Navsari of Gujarat and Kaithal in Haryana are some of the other places stated to be Anjaneya's birthplace.

“Such claims are only based on local beliefs and without any evidence,” asserted TTD Executive Officer Dr Jawahar Reddy.

“It is possible that Anjaneya could have moved from Tirumala to Hampi, 363 kms away. While Hampi is 1240 kms from Gumla, 1626 km from Kaithal, about 616 kms from Trimbakeshwar,” the committee said.

The TTD committee stated their determination as based on ...

Rock inscriptions at Lord Venkateshwara temple of 1491 and 1545 mentioning Anjanadri as Anjaneya birth place.

Anjanadri Mahatyam, a book in the London Library “clearly explaining Anjanadri as the birthplace of Hanuman.”

Valmiki Ramayana Sundarakanda episode, chapter 35, which “mentions that as Hanuman was born to Anjana on these sacred mountains after a penance, he attained the name Anjaneya while the hillock came to be known as Anjanadri.”

Vyasa Mahabharata Vanaparva chapter 147, Valmiki Ramayana Kishkinda Kanda chapter 66, Shiva Puranam Shata Rudra Samhita chapter 20, Brahmanda Puranam Sri Venkatachala Mahatyam Thirtha Khandam chapter 1, Skanda Purana Vaishnava Khandam 1.38, Kamba Ramayanam-Kishkindha Kandam, Hamsa-Dootham, Epigraphia Indica Vol VI page 323 are some of the literary works sourced for the conclusion.