If You Have Ego, Avoid These 6 Hanuman Temples
Kinjalk Sharma | Jan 10, 2026, 05:25 IST
Hanuman
Image credit : AI
Six Hanuman temples challenge devotees physically and mentally. These sites demand effort, testing willpower and resilience. From climbing steps at Hanuman Garhi and Anjanadri Hill to facing intense rituals at Mehandipur Balaji, each location offers a unique trial. The journey reveals inner strength, emphasizing that true devotion requires perseverance and the courage to return after facing challenges.
You think you're strong until you meet these temples. Bodybuilders and athletes worship Hanuman not because it's trendy but because his temples demand something from you. They don't ask for your prayers alone. They ask for your legs, your lungs, your willpower. And when you fail, they show you exactly where you're weak. Here are six temples that separate the devoted from the delusional.
This temple requires climbing 76 steps, which sounds simple until you try it. Built atop a hill in Ram's birthplace, Hanuman Garhi dates back to the 10th century and guards the very spot where Ram was born. The climb isn't about altitude. It's about intention. Every step is a question: How badly do you want this blessing? Your knees will answer before your mouth does. People with arthritis struggle here. The elderly pause multiple times. The young assume they'll breeze through and realize halfway that pride weighs more than fat. When you reach the top, you don't feel victorious. You feel humbled. That's the point.
Anjanadri Hill is believed to be Hanuman's birthplace. To reach the temple at the summit, you must climb 575+ steps. This isn't a casual pilgrimage. It's a commitment. The temple sits in Karnataka's ancient ruins, surrounded by boulders and history. The climb takes 20 to 45 minutes for most people, though elderly visitors may need up to 1.5 hours. The heat makes it harder. Your calves will burn. Your breath will shorten. But the view from the top rewards you with 360-degree panoramas of Hampi's landscape. This temple doesn't care about your gym membership. It cares whether you finish what you start.
![Hanuman ji]()
Located at 8,000 feet, this temple is home to a 108-foot-tall Hanuman statue, one of the tallest in the Himalayas. The temple is believed to be the spot where Hanuman stopped to rest while flying to the Himalayas in search of the Sanjeevani herb. The thin mountain air tests your cardiovascular fitness in ways sea-level gyms never will. You can take a ropeway, sure. But then you're just a tourist, not a devotee. The real warriors walk. They feel their lungs work harder for every breath. They experience what Hanuman might have felt carrying a mountain on his palm. The monkeys here are aggressive. They'll steal your food if you're not careful. Consider it another test of awareness.
Built in the 16th century by the revered saint Tulsidas, this temple is one of the most visited Hanuman shrines in the country. The name Sankat Mochan translates to remover of obstacles. This temple doesn't test your physical strength as brutally as the others. Instead, it tests your emotional strength. You come here broken, carrying problems you can't solve alone. The temple is always crowded. The prasad is besan laddoo. The atmosphere is thick with faith and desperation. You leave lighter, not because your problems vanished, but because you realize you're not carrying them alone anymore. That's a different kind of strength.
![The Strongest]()
This is where things get intense. Thousands of people visit this temple to rid themselves of evil influences, black magic, and mental disturbances. The temple's intense rituals and chanting create an atmosphere unlike any other. You don't climb steps here. You confront darkness. People scream. Some fall unconscious. The rituals involve neem leaves, red chilies, and holy water. Priests perform exorcisms. It's not Instagram material. It's raw spiritual warfare. This temple reveals psychological weakness. If your mind isn't strong, you won't last ten minutes here. If you have unresolved trauma, it surfaces. Hanuman here is Balaji, the destroyer of sorrows, and watching him work is both terrifying and liberating.
This temple, located in Sarangpur, is unique because Hanuman here is worshipped as Kashtbhanjan, the destroyer of sorrows. The rituals performed at this temple, particularly on Saturdays, are believed to be highly effective in removing obstacles and bringing mental peace. This is where people come when life has beaten them down completely. Lost jobs. Failed relationships. Chronic illness. The temple doesn't judge. It simply asks: Are you ready to let go? The test here isn't how high you can climb or how long you can chant. It's whether you can surrender. Warriors understand that true strength isn't holding on. It's knowing when to release.
Hanuman is worshipped widely among bodybuilders because his celibacy is believed to be the source of his strength. But physical power means nothing without mental discipline. These temples exist to remind you that devotion requires effort. You can't swipe your way to spirituality. You can't shortcut these steps. You either climb, or you don't. And if you fail, the temple doesn't mock you. It simply waits for you to try again. That's the real test. Not whether you succeed on your first attempt, but whether you come back after failing. Because Hanuman himself failed before he remembered his own power. And every temple dedicated to him whispers the same truth: You're stronger than you think. But you won't know until you're tested. Now go find out which temple breaks you first.
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Hanuman Garhi, Ayodhya
Lord Hanuman
This temple requires climbing 76 steps, which sounds simple until you try it. Built atop a hill in Ram's birthplace, Hanuman Garhi dates back to the 10th century and guards the very spot where Ram was born. The climb isn't about altitude. It's about intention. Every step is a question: How badly do you want this blessing? Your knees will answer before your mouth does. People with arthritis struggle here. The elderly pause multiple times. The young assume they'll breeze through and realize halfway that pride weighs more than fat. When you reach the top, you don't feel victorious. You feel humbled. That's the point.
Anjanadri Hill, Hampi
Anjanadri Hill is believed to be Hanuman's birthplace. To reach the temple at the summit, you must climb 575+ steps. This isn't a casual pilgrimage. It's a commitment. The temple sits in Karnataka's ancient ruins, surrounded by boulders and history. The climb takes 20 to 45 minutes for most people, though elderly visitors may need up to 1.5 hours. The heat makes it harder. Your calves will burn. Your breath will shorten. But the view from the top rewards you with 360-degree panoramas of Hampi's landscape. This temple doesn't care about your gym membership. It cares whether you finish what you start.
Jakhoo Temple, Shimla
Hanuman ji
Image credit : Pixabay
Located at 8,000 feet, this temple is home to a 108-foot-tall Hanuman statue, one of the tallest in the Himalayas. The temple is believed to be the spot where Hanuman stopped to rest while flying to the Himalayas in search of the Sanjeevani herb. The thin mountain air tests your cardiovascular fitness in ways sea-level gyms never will. You can take a ropeway, sure. But then you're just a tourist, not a devotee. The real warriors walk. They feel their lungs work harder for every breath. They experience what Hanuman might have felt carrying a mountain on his palm. The monkeys here are aggressive. They'll steal your food if you're not careful. Consider it another test of awareness.
Sankat Mochan Temple, Varanasi
Built in the 16th century by the revered saint Tulsidas, this temple is one of the most visited Hanuman shrines in the country. The name Sankat Mochan translates to remover of obstacles. This temple doesn't test your physical strength as brutally as the others. Instead, it tests your emotional strength. You come here broken, carrying problems you can't solve alone. The temple is always crowded. The prasad is besan laddoo. The atmosphere is thick with faith and desperation. You leave lighter, not because your problems vanished, but because you realize you're not carrying them alone anymore. That's a different kind of strength.
Mehandipur Balaji, Rajasthan
The Strongest
Image credit : Unsplash
This is where things get intense. Thousands of people visit this temple to rid themselves of evil influences, black magic, and mental disturbances. The temple's intense rituals and chanting create an atmosphere unlike any other. You don't climb steps here. You confront darkness. People scream. Some fall unconscious. The rituals involve neem leaves, red chilies, and holy water. Priests perform exorcisms. It's not Instagram material. It's raw spiritual warfare. This temple reveals psychological weakness. If your mind isn't strong, you won't last ten minutes here. If you have unresolved trauma, it surfaces. Hanuman here is Balaji, the destroyer of sorrows, and watching him work is both terrifying and liberating.
Kashtbhanjan Hanuman Temple, Sarangpur
This temple, located in Sarangpur, is unique because Hanuman here is worshipped as Kashtbhanjan, the destroyer of sorrows. The rituals performed at this temple, particularly on Saturdays, are believed to be highly effective in removing obstacles and bringing mental peace. This is where people come when life has beaten them down completely. Lost jobs. Failed relationships. Chronic illness. The temple doesn't judge. It simply asks: Are you ready to let go? The test here isn't how high you can climb or how long you can chant. It's whether you can surrender. Warriors understand that true strength isn't holding on. It's knowing when to release.
The Real Lesson
Hanuman is worshipped widely among bodybuilders because his celibacy is believed to be the source of his strength. But physical power means nothing without mental discipline. These temples exist to remind you that devotion requires effort. You can't swipe your way to spirituality. You can't shortcut these steps. You either climb, or you don't. And if you fail, the temple doesn't mock you. It simply waits for you to try again. That's the real test. Not whether you succeed on your first attempt, but whether you come back after failing. Because Hanuman himself failed before he remembered his own power. And every temple dedicated to him whispers the same truth: You're stronger than you think. But you won't know until you're tested. Now go find out which temple breaks you first.
Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Spiritual, Travel, Life Hacks, Trending, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life!