'Hanuman Spotted': Monkeys Visit Ram Temples After Ayodhya Inauguration

The grand inauguration of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir was graced by an unexpected guest—a monkey! The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, overseeing the newly erected Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, reported that a monkey had ventured into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, home to the revered idol of Ram Lalla, just a day after the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony. Coining the moment as akin to “Hanuman ji himself coming to see Ramlala (the infant Ram deity consecrated on January 22),” they soon discovered that such primate visits were not isolated incidents but rather a widespread phenomenon across Ram temples nationwide.

As the nation basked in the long-awaited return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after nearly five centuries, it is being said that not only humans but also monkeys—echoing the mythological figure of Hanuman from the Ramayana—made pilgrimages to honour their deity, Ram, not only in Ayodhya but in various other cities as well. A recent viral video depicted a monkey scaling the sacred pedestal inside a temple teeming with devotees. Allegedly occurring in Maharashtra’s Lonavala, the monkey ascended to reach the idols of Lord Ram, Sita, and Laxman, while devotees prayed with folded hands, chanting “Jai Shree Ram” and “Jai Shree Hanuman” in reverence.

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“The monkey who came to the temple did not touch the bananas and anything given to eat, he quickly sat near Shri Ram, touched the feet of Lord Shri Ram and went away,” read the caption accompanying a post on ‘X.’ The internet marveled at the inexplicable but palpable connection, believing it to a sighting of Hanuman, who had come to partake in the jubilant celebrations of his Lord Ram.

But that wasn’t all. Another video emerged on the same auspicious day of the Ram Mandir’s inauguration (January 22), leaving social media users astounded. A langur was captured visiting a yajna vedi, designated for Shree Ram naam-jap, amidst a gathering of devotees. “Hanuman Dada ke anek roop” (the myriad forms of Lord Hanuman), exclaimed the caption describing the enchanting moment at Lakshmeshwar temple in Karnataka.

And thus, many similar videos of surprise visits post the Ram Mandir’s inauguration in Ayodhya have surfaced, showcasing how people can’t help but celebrate these moments, believing the monkeys and langurs were paying homage to their ‘Lord’.

Now, whether mere coincidence or something more mystical, devotees find themselves unable to contain their jubilation.

Yet, even in the days leading up to the much-awaited inauguration, sculptor Arun Yogiraj shared a remarkable tale of regular visits by a monkey keen on witnessing the creation of the Lord Ram idol.

In an interview with India Today TV, Yogiraj recounted how, like clockwork, a monkey would arrive at his doorstep every day around 4-5 pm. “When, during the cold, we covered the gate, it used to come and bang on the door. I wasn’t sure if it was the same monkey, but it used to come daily at the same time. I told Champat Rai, the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, about it, and he said that maybe it also wants to see Lord Ram’s idol,” revealed Yogiraj.