Heritage · Faith · Tradition
About the Temple
Introduction
Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple at Kondagattu, on a hill near Muthyampeta village in Mallial mandal of Jagtial district, Telangana, is one of the most visited Hanuman shrines in the state. Lovingly called Kondagattu Anjanna, the Lord here is revered as swayambhu – self-manifested. Kondagattu is above all the great destination of the Hanuman Deeksha: every year, vast numbers of devotees who have kept the deeksha come here in saffron to complete their vow on Hanuman Jayanti.
Main Deity
The idol of the Lord is unique: it shows Sri Anjaneya Swamy with two faces – the face of Lord Narasimha on one side and that of Anjaneya on the other – bearing the conch (shankha) and discus (chakra). Devotees believe that Sita and Rama dwell in the Lord's heart. The Lord faces north, and Tuesdays and Saturdays are especially sacred for his darshan.
Sthala Puranam (Legend)
According to tradition, several centuries ago a cowherd named Singam Sanjeevudu was searching these hills for an animal that had strayed from his herd. Tired, he fell asleep under a tree, and Anjaneya Swamy appeared to him in a dream, telling him where the animal was and asking to be sheltered from the sun and the rain. On waking, Sanjeevudu found his animal – and, clearing a thorny thicket, found the image of the Lord. With the people of the area he built a small shrine for him, from which the present temple grew. Another tradition links the hill with the Sanjeevani story of the Ramayana: when Hanuman carried the mountain of healing herbs to save Lakshmana, a piece of it is said to have fallen here and become Kondagattu.
Hanuman Deeksha and Hanuman Jayanti
Kondagattu celebrates two Jayantis: the Chinna Hanuman Jayanti on Chaitra Purnima, when many devotees take up the Hanuman Deeksha, and the Pedda Hanuman Jayanti on Vaishakha Bahula Dashami, when the deeksha is completed. During these festivals, devotees wearing the Hanuman mala in saffron clothes arrive from across Telangana and beyond to have darshan, complete their deeksha (deeksha viramana) and offer their vows, and the temple holds special abhishekams and celebrations over several days.
Beliefs and Vows
Kondagattu Anjanna is especially loved by couples praying for children: it is widely believed that worshipping the Lord here with devotion for a mandala (about forty days) brings the blessing of a child. Devotees also come to pray for courage, health and relief from difficulties, and return to fulfil their vows when their prayers are answered.
The Sacred Hill
The temple stands amid green hills and rocky ridges. Caves on the north-eastern side of the hill hold an image of Lord Narasimha, and along the path pilgrims are shown a spring revered as the tears of Sita Devi. In recent years the Government of Telangana has taken up large-scale development of the temple and its surroundings for the growing number of pilgrims.
Festivals
- Chinna Hanuman Jayanti (Chaitra Purnima) and Pedda Hanuman Jayanti (Vaishakha Bahula Dashami) – the temple's greatest festivals, with the Hanuman Deeksha begun and completed here.
- Tuesdays and Saturdays – the Lord's special days, with larger crowds.
Visitor Information
- Crowds: during the Hanuman Jayanti festivals the hill receives very large numbers of deeksha devotees; plan your travel early and follow the temple's arrangements.
- Dress: traditional, modest dress is recommended.
- Ghat road: the road up the hill is steep and winding; drive carefully and use authorised transport during festivals.
How to Reach
- By Road: Kondagattu is about 15 km from Jagtial and about 35–40 km from Karimnagar; TGSRTC buses run regularly from Jagtial, Karimnagar and Hyderabad.
- By Train: the nearest stations are Jagtial (about 15 km) and Karimnagar (about 39 km).
- By Air: the nearest airport is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad (Hyderabad), about 200 km away by road.
Other Hanuman Kshetras
Devotees of Hanuman in Telangana also cherish the Sri Karmanghat Hanuman Devasthanam in Hyderabad, crowded with devotees on Hanuman Jayanti.
