Bedi Hanuman temple: The sacred site where lord Hanuman has remained shackled for centuries

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In Hinduism, Lord Hanuman is known for his boundless energy and power. Even the mighty Ravana could not bind Lord Hanuman's tail, but there is a place in India where Hanuman is imprisoned in iron chains. Who imprisoned him and why? Today, we will tell you about the Bedi Hanuman Temple, located a few kilometers from the Sri Jagannath Temple.

The Bedi Hanuman Temple is located on Chakra Tirtha Road near Puri Beach in Odisha. Hanuman is imprisoned in iron shackles here. Due to its proximity to the sea, this temple is also known as the Dariya Mahavir Temple. Although Lord Hanuman is shackled here, he has been seated here for years as the protector of Puri.

It is believed that whenever the Sea God came to visit Lord Jagannath, the villages around Puri would be submerged in water, causing great damage. One day, devotees expressed their concerns to Lord Jagannath. Hearing their concerns, Lord Jagannath stationed Lord Hanuman on the seashore and ordered him to stop the Sea God.

For some time, Lord Hanuman continued to perform his duties diligently. However, whenever he heard chants of Rama's name, he would leave the seashore to join in. This prompted the sea god to seize his opportunity, and once again, the villages around Puri were submerged, and the water reached the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath Temple.

To prevent such an incident from happening again, Lord Jagannath bound Lord Hanuman with iron shackles, preventing him from leaving even after hearing the chanting of the name of Rama. Since then, he has been protecting the people of Puri by the sea.

The statue of Lord Hanuman in the temple is magnificent. He holds a mace in his right hand and a laddu in his left. It is believed that devotees come here seeking protection from Lord Hanuman. If a devotee feels threatened in life, they pray to Hanuman for relief from fear.

The temple also houses statues of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, and Mother Sita. The temple's architecture was built in the 15th century AD by the Suryavanshi Gajapati kings, and the temple's walls and dome reflect traditional Oriya styles.