Home / Temples / Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir
Vishnu-tradition Temple (Hanuman)Sankat Mochan — "remover of troubles" — is one of the most visited temples in the city on an ordinary day, popular with students from the nearby university as much as with pilgrims, and known for the resident monkeys who treat the grounds as home.
Tuesdays and Saturdays, the days traditionally associated with Hanuman worship, bring noticeably larger crowds, with devotional singing and a steady flow of visitors well into the evening. The temple also hosts an annual music festival, the Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh, that draws classical musicians from across the country each spring.
In 2006, the temple was the site of a bombing during evening aarti that killed worshippers and drew national attention; today, security at the entrance is correspondingly tighter than at most of Varanasi's other temples, with bag checks in place.
Its location near BHU makes it an easy addition to a visit that also includes the university campus and the New Vishwanath Temple, all within a short ride of each other.
Tuesday or Saturday evening, for the devotional atmosphere — expect larger crowds then
Bag checks are in place at the entrance
BHU campus, New Vishwanath Temple
Both days are traditionally associated with Hanuman worship across Hindu practice, and this temple sees noticeably larger crowds and devotional singing on those evenings.
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