01Where Hanuman rested
The temple’s own katha belongs to the night of the Sanjivani. When Lakshmana lay struck in Lanka and Hanuman flew north for the herb, he came down on this hilltop to ask the way of a rishi named Yaksha, who was doing tapas here. Hanuman went on, promising to return, and when he did not, the rishi built a shrine on the spot; from Yaksha, the telling says, the hill took the name Jakhu. A stone marked as Hanuman’s footprint is shown in the compound. The monkeys of Jakhu are famous and bold, and they take spectacles and bags.
02The great murti
On 4 November 2010 a murti of Hanuman 108 feet tall was unveiled beside the old shrine, then among the tallest in the world. Dussehra is celebrated on the hill. A ropeway from the town centre has carried pilgrims up since 2017, though many still walk the steep 2.5 km path from the Ridge.
The life of this place
- 4 November 2010The 108-ft murti of Hanuman is unveiled.
- 2017The Jakhu ropeway opens.
A 2.5 km climb from the Ridge, or by ropeway or taxi. Keep glasses, phones and food out of reach of the monkeys.
