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Salasar Balaji Temple
Hanuman (Salasar Balaji) · Churu, Rajasthan
॥ ॐ हनुमते नमः ॥
The Salasar Balaji Temple in the Churu district of Rajasthan is one of the most visited Hanuman shrines in India, home to a unique image of the lord shown with a beard and moustache. Self-revealed to a farmer ploughing his field in 1754, the deity of Salasar Dham draws millions of pilgrims, especially on the great fairs of Hanuman Jayanti and Chaitra Purnima.
The bearded lord of Salasar
Salasar Balaji is worshipped in a rare form, the face of Hanuman bearing a beard and moustache, unlike the usual images of the lord. Tradition tells that the deity appeared in 1754 to a Ginthala farmer whose plough struck a stone in his field at Asota, revealing the image of Balaji, which was then carried to Salasar and enshrined at the bidding of a devotee, Mohandas.
Salasar Dham
The temple grew into the great pilgrimage centre of Salasar Dham, its sanctum kept under an unbroken flame and adorned with gold and silver. Devotees make offerings of chhappan bhog and savamani, and tie threads in vow, returning to fulfil them when their prayers are answered — a faith that has made Salasar one of the busiest shrines of Rajasthan.
The great fairs
Two vast fairs each year, at Chaitra Purnima and Ashwin Purnima, draw enormous crowds, and Hanuman Jayanti fills the town with pilgrims who walk for days to reach the lord. Through the year a steady stream of the faithful comes to Salasar from across the north and west of India.
How to reach the temple
- By road: Salasar is in Churu district, about 110 km from Sikar and on the Jaipur–Bikaner route near Sujangarh.
- By train: Sujangarh and Didwana are among the nearer railheads.
- By air: Jaipur airport is about 180 km away.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is special about Salasar Balaji?
Salasar Balaji is a rare image of Hanuman shown with a beard and moustache, unlike the usual depictions of the lord; it is one of the most visited Hanuman shrines in India.
How was the deity revealed?
By tradition, in 1754 a farmer’s plough struck a stone at Asota, revealing the image of Balaji, which was carried to Salasar and enshrined at the bidding of the devotee Mohandas.
What is Salasar Dham known for?
It is a great pilgrimage centre with an unbroken flame in the sanctum, where devotees offer chhappan bhog and savamani and tie threads in vow, returning to fulfil them.
When are the great fairs?
Two vast fairs are held each year at Chaitra Purnima and Ashwin Purnima, alongside Hanuman Jayanti, drawing enormous crowds.
How do I reach Salasar?
Salasar is in Churu district near Sujangarh, about 110 km from Sikar; Sujangarh and Didwana are nearer railheads, and Jaipur airport about 180 km away.
Why do devotees tie threads at Salasar?
Pilgrims tie threads as a vow when asking the lord’s grace, and return to untie them and make offerings when their prayers are fulfilled.
॥ जय सालासर बालाजी ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Deity | Hanuman as Salasar Balaji (bearded form) |
| Revealed | Self-manifest, 1754, found by a farmer |
| Significance | Among India’s most visited Hanuman shrines |
| Offerings | Chhappan bhog, savamani; vow-threads |
| Fairs | Chaitra Purnima and Ashwin Purnima |
| Region | Churu, Rajasthan |