Shri Salasar Balaji Temple in Salasar, Rajasthan is a Siddhpeeth Shri Hanuman Ji Temple. This is the place where Lord Hanumanji is worshipped in a different form or idol than the regular form we know. At this place, Hanuman ji or Bala Ji is a prayed in a Human Face Idol with mustaches and beard. This is a place proven for the past centuries to have been fulfilling the wishes of millions of pilgrimage from around different parts of Rajasthan and Western India and Eastern Pakistan (Formerly India).
The idol is said to be retrieved by a Jaat farmer from one of the villages of Rajasthan called Ambota. The idol was found by that Jaat farmer in his farm and then forwarded by the Thakur of Asota to Pandit Mohandas Maharaj in Salasar.
It is a faith here that getting happy with the great bhakti of Shri Mohandas Ji Maharaj, Shri Ram Bhakt Hanuman appeared in the form of this great idol of Shri Balaji from the earth in the village Asota in the year Samwat 1811(1754 AD) Vikrami Shrawan Shukla Navmi Shanivaar. There after constructing the temple of Shri Balaji in the year Samwat 1815 with the help of his disciple Shri Uday Ram and his relatives and giving them the responsibilities of this temple/ mandir took Jeevit Samadhi. Read the complete history/ legend of Salasar Balaji, how the idol of Shri Hanuman got this roop of Salasar Balaji and why Shri Mohan Das Maharaj is considered the foremost devotee of Shri Balaji Maharaj.
Temple Area and construction
The temple area is electrifying almost everyday and experiences crowds beyond normal at festivals. The market is congested with the temple walls joint with other private properties of others. A double lane street runs all the way to the other side of entry passing from in front of the temple with private residence and shops on either side. These shops are mainly, hotels, Prasad and gifts and spices shops. The temple is built in around 3000-4000 square meter area (this is only a visual estimate) which is congested within to accommodate a large pilgrimage. Though the general construction of the Salasar Balaji Temple is done with regular bricks and cement and marble, however within the central area, more and more are, specially the walls and ceiling is getting covered up with embossed silver plates of Shri Hanuman figures. Read about the complete construction and look of the Salasar Balaji temple and the market outside. There are various small temples around this main Lord Hanuman ji Temple however one of the most famous is Lord Hanumanji's mother, Mata Anjana Devi Temple. which is just a kilometer away. If you have your vehicle, go by road.
complete history :- It happened such that once Pandit Sukhram and his wife Smt. Kaanhibai resided in Salasar and were blessed by a boy named Shri Udayram. After the demise of Pdt Sukhram when Udayram was only 5 years old, upon the crisis arising on his family, Kaanhi Bai moved to her parent’s house in Rulyani Village in Rajasthan itself for a better upbringing of his child. After a long time, she decided to return back to Salasar to continue with her life, he father Pdt Lachhi Ram asked his youngest son Pdt Mohan to accompany his daughter and stay with her for help. Pdt Mohan was a spiritually inclined person and upon reaching Salasar got the ideal environment at his sister’s place and starting worshipping and reciting Lord Hanuman Ji’s name at that place.
It happened once that Uday Ram and Pdt Mohan were plowing the farm when the axe kept falling from Pdt Mohan’s hand to which he told his nephew that some power was pulling and throwing it from his hand again and again. Interpreting it spiritually that he is unnecessarily getting into the worldly acts.
To this when Udayram told the same to his mother Kanhibai, she decided to get his brother married quickly for his betterment and that he did not turn into a saint. She quickly attained all necessary clothes, jewelry etc to get the marriage done. She was sending the Shagun through the ‘Nai’(Barber, earliar in the Hindu society, barbers used to do the matrimonial alliances and messaging). Pdt Mohan told that the bride they were sending the matrimonial alliance message will die and upon the barber reaching the brides home, the bride girl’s body was being taken for funeral.
To this when Udayram told the same to his mother Kanhibai, she decided to get his brother married quickly for his betterment and that he did not turn into a saint. She quickly attained all necessary clothes, jewelry etc to get the marriage done. She was sending the Shagun through the ‘Nai’(Barber, earliar in the Hindu society, barbers used to do the matrimonial alliances and messaging). Pdt Mohan told that the bride they were sending the matrimonial alliance message will die and upon the barber reaching the brides home, the bride girl’s body was being taken for funeral.
It was henceforth believed that with the blessings of Hanumanji Pdt. Mohan was a Bhavishyadryshta (could see through the future). There after taking sanyaas, Pdt Mohan turned to Pdt Mohan Das and started devoting more time for his tapasya (meditation). He forgot day and night and started disappearing into jungles for many days for meditation of Lord Hanuman. Udayram used to search him with the help of villagers many times and awoke him from deep meditation after uncovering him from sand. Washed him up and fed water. Took him back to home after pleading and fed him food at home. This then became a regular practice. Attaining Lord Hanuman was his only objective in life now. His voice words became ‘Siddh’ (Proven).
Udayram Ji, then on his land and close to his house, got a kutiya (shack) named Ram-Hanuman made for Pdt Mohan Das for his meditation. And Mohan Das Ji started doing tapasya at that place.
One day Mohan Das Ji was having dinner with his sister, Kanhibai and there came a call for bhikha from outside, ‘Alakh’! He urged his sister to give food outside to the bhikshak outside. Upon going out, she could not find anyone. Mohandas Ji looked outside himself however could not search any. He understood that it was Lord Hanuman himself and he missed by his darshan. Exactly after 2 months, the same voice came from outside and Kanhibai recognized that voice and told Mohandas that it was the same voice. Mohandas ran outside and saw the glorious face of that Sant(saint) who had beard and moustaches and a stick in his hand. It was Shri Hanuman himself come to his great devotee to give darshan. After giving darshan when he was returning back, Mohandas Ji started running after him. Running all the way in the jungle at a place Hanumanji stopped and asked him what he wanted. He would give him whatever he wanted. It was a leela and a test of Hanuman ji and Mohandas Ji understood it well.
Mohandas fell on his feet and held Hanuman ji’s feet strongly saying that what he wanted, he has got it and has no more desire left. And if HE was happy with his devotedness, then He should come with him to his home. To this, Hanumanji was absolutely pleased and came with him to his home and also had refreshments and rested for a while on an untouched/ pavitra Shaiyya(sleeping/resting place). And as Gods do there after. Ram Bhakt Hanuman disappeared. The faith in Mohandas Ji for his Lord Hanuman went to the apex level and there after he forgot all and started went in complete bhakti of his Lord and demanded a darshan regularly and Hanumanji came repeatedly as well. The next step was that he never wanted Hanumanji go back again and that he stayed with him (physically) and he could not stay a second without him. The great Ram bhakt Hanuman knew what he was into and gave him the verdaan(boon) that soon he will come to him in the form of his auspicious idol of Salasar Balaji and stay with him at Salasar. Then what was the delay! But for Mohan Das every minute was like years and he started waiting desperately for the fulfillment of his boon.
One day a thakur of Village Asota came for Mohan Das ji’s darshan and asked for a seva. To this he said if he had a good idol maker in his place and that he gets him a Hanuman Mahaprabhu’s idol made and sent. The thakur was pleased to fulfill Mohan jis requirement. Soon in his village Asota, Rajasthan a villager’s plow with his bulls got stuck while farming in his farm. Upon digging he discovered a beautiful idol of Hanumanji with Rama Lakshman on his shoulders. The farmer Jaat and his wife cleaned the idol with great belief and offered eatables to the idol and sent the information to the thakur. Thakur got the idol with great admiration to his place. Same day he had a dream in which Lord Hanuman told him that he has appeared for Mohan Das ji and he immediately delivered him to Salasar. He remembered his conversation with Mohandas Ji and immediately collected the villagers and told them the entire story and mounted the auspicious idol of Great Hanuman on the bullock cart and departed for Salasar along with the villagers doing kirtan on the way.
The bullock cart stopped at Salasar on Samvat 1811 Shrawan Skhukla Navmi on the say of Saturday. Craftsman Noor Mohammed and Dau were called upon to enable the establishment of the idol the same day. Thereafter in Samvat 1815 the temple was also constructed. Mohandas gave deeksha to Udayram and also the responsibility of the idol and mandir. They then also decorated the idol with a beard and moustache just like the way Hanumanji gave darshan to Mohan Das the first time. They lit up the jyoti in front of Lord Hanuman on Samvat 1811 which is running constantly till date. The jyoti at the tapasya stali of Mohan Das ji was started by Mohandas ji himself and is still running constantly as it is.
Salasar Balaji Bhakt Shiromani MohanDas Ji took a Jeevit Samadhi early morning on Samwat 1850 baishakh Tryodashi. The Shraadh of Mohandas ji which is on Pitrapaksh Trayodashi is also Shri Balaji Temples’ main festival. Thousands of pilgrims visit this day and the mela continues for 10-15 days
Jai Shri Hanuman | Jai Salasar Balaji
