Due to various discussions concerning road widening, the dismantling of the temple building, and the impossibility of moving the statue, there is a suggestion that the Hanuman statue in Ujjain may be around a thousand years old. With experts involved, historians are now planned to assist in understanding the age and historical context of this statue. The Archaeological Department posits the hypothesis that the statue might be about 1000 years old, and a corresponding investigation has begun.
In Ujjain, road widening work is underway on the section from Kantal intersection to Chhatri Chowk (Bada Sarafa Marg) as part of preparations for Singhastha 2028. The Hanuman temple building located on this route and its enclosure have fallen into the construction zone. After some structures were removed, the situation surrounding the statue became sensitive. In recent days, various discussions regarding this statue have emerged. Some devotees consider the inability to move the statue a miracle and travel from neighboring states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan to see Bajrangbali. Many pilgrims share videos of the statue on social media, leading to a constant trend of Hanuman-related videos.
The greatest interest lies in the age of the Hanuman statue. An examination is being conducted to check the possibility that the statue is about 1000 years old. However, this is not yet a final conclusion. Expert studies are necessary to confirm the true age of the statue. This is why the role of historians and relevant specialists becomes extremely important. Ujjain is known for its ancient religious and historical traditions. Historians can study which stylistic tradition the statue belongs to: its posture, facial features, body structure, ornaments, and manufacturing style can be compared with temples and statues of that era.
Local sources claim that the Hanuman temple itself is about 170 years old. If the statue's age turns out to be around 1000 years, the question will inevitably arise: where was this statue before the current temple? Was there any old religious structure on this site previously? Was the statue moved from another old temple or location? Or was there a tradition of worship in some form here even before the construction of the current temple? Answers to these questions can only be found through the research work of historians.
Part of the enclosure and the temple building was dismantled for road widening. Currently, the Hanuman statue is temporarily placed in a tent to ensure its preservation. Despite the change in the appearance of the temple, the flow of pilgrims has not decreased; on the contrary, there has been an increase in crowds in recent days. Pilgrims arrive for worship from morning till evening. On Tuesday evening, a maharati took place on the temple grounds, accompanied by the sounds of drums and trumpets, as well as the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa. On Wednesday, representatives of religious organizations also visited the temple to conduct rituals. Local residents note that Hanuman is part of the old religious life of Ujjain, and people have long revered this statue.
Recently, various discussions regarding the relocation of the statue appeared on social media. Some people claimed that the statue had not moved from its place, attributing this to the divine power of Hanuman. However, the district administration issued a clarification regarding these claims, noting that many news items on social media are misleading. The administration emphasized that no attempts to move or dismantle the statue using machinery have been made so far.
On Wednesday, many representatives of religious organizations came to worship Hanuman. The Sangh performed worship according to rituals and opposed the relocation of the statue. Mahant Raghavendra Das Maharaj called for the statue to remain in its original place. In turn, Gadipati Mahant Vinit Giri Maharaj from Mahanirmohi Akhara stated that the administration should find a solution through dialogue, respecting public sentiment. Meanwhile, Congress leaders also held a demonstration against the alleged plan to remove the statue. The administration insists that no action has been taken to remove the statue.
