Hanuman, the lord of monkeys, is one of the few gods in Hinduism to be worshipped across caste lines by followers of the Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta orders. He is admired for his strength, scholarship, wisdom, humility and celibacy.

This book is an attempt to understand the imagery, ritual and philosophy associated with Hanuman worship in our time. At its heart is a single narrative on the life of the monkey-god woven out of plots and ideas found in the Valmiki Ramayana, Mahabharata, various Puranas and several vernacular Ramakathas. Also included are tales found in Jain Ramayanas and Ramayanas of South East Asia.

Highlights include lucid explanations, a map showing the traditional journey of Rama to Lanka through Kishkinda, the text and translation of the Hanuman Chalisa, and over 100 color illustrations.

“Let me meditate on Hanuman, Rama’s eternal servant, the embodiment of devotion, whose body is as strong as thunder, whose mind is as sharp as lightening, who holds in his arms the mountain of herbs and a mace, who crushes malefic demons under his feet, who solves problems, takes away worry, inspires strength, gives hope and confidence, and who helps the devotee make his journey to the Godhead.”