Salasar · Rajasthan
Sri Salasar Balaji Temple — Salasar village, Sujangarh Tehsil, Churu District, Rajasthan
Sri Salasar Balaji — the uniquely bearded-and-moustached form of Hanuman; per tradition, Mohan Das Maharaj had darshan of Hanuman in a 'fakir-saint form' which is why the murti has the beard and moustache; founded 1755 CE (Vikram Samvat 1811)
अन्य नाम: Salasar Balaji · Daadhi-Mooch Balaji (bearded-and-moustached Balaji) · Salasar Dham · Salasar Hanuman
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
Sri Hanuman (Balaji) — the unique bearded-and-moustached idol form; a calm-servant form (in contrast to the fierce Mehandipur form); upadevathas: Mohan Das Maharaj samadhi (in the temple precinct); Anjani Mata temple (2 km, Lakshmangarh road)
A bearded-and-moustached Hanuman stone murti; India's only (per multiple sources) bearded Balaji temple; per tradition, Mohan Das Maharaj had darshan of Hanuman in a fakir-saint form (with beard and moustache), and the murti reflects that
सम्प्रदाय: Vaishnava-Hanuman devotional tradition; administered by Hanuman Seva Samiti Trust (shrihanumansevasamiti.com); priests of the Dadhich Brahmin clan; descended from Mohan Das Maharaj (Mohan Das + Kaniram + Ishwardas lines); Udairam/Udayaram (son of Mohan Das's sister Kanibai; the first pujari)
Vikram Samvat 1811 (= 1755 CE) Shravan Shukla Navami Saturday — a Ginthala Jat farmer of Asota village (Nagaur district) unearthed a Hanuman stone idol while ploughing his field. His wife cleaned it with her saree and offered Bajra Churma (the churma-offering tradition continues today).
Mohan Das Maharaj — the youngest son of Pandit Lacchiram (of Rulyani village) — came to live with his sister Kanibai and nephew Udairam in Salasar. Per tradition, Bhagavan Hanuman appeared to him in the form of a fakir-saint with beard and moustache — this is the source of the unique iconography. Per divine direction, the idol was transported from Asota to Salasar by bullock-cart, and the temple was founded at Salasar.
Mohan Das Maharaj took conscious samadhi on Vaisakha Shukla Trayodashi 1794 CE (Vikram Samvat 1851). The samadhi of Mohan Das and his sister Kanibai in the temple precinct was built by his nephew Udairam (with an inscription, Vikram Samvat 1852). A daily Mohan-Das-ji aarti is performed in the temple in the evening.
Udairam (or Udayaram) — son of Mohan Das's sister Kanibai — received the spiritual-disciple robe and became the first pujari. Mohan Das granted Udairam the 'chola-seva right' — the basis of the still-ongoing hereditary pujari tradition. The descendants of Mohan Das + Kaniram + Ishwardas have managed and expanded the temple structure.
Three principal annual fairs: Chaitra Purnima + Bhadrapada Purnima + Ashwin Purnima (all in the Chaturdashi-Purnima period). The Chaitra (Hanuman Janmotsav) and Ashwin fairs draw 6-7 lakh devotees each. Hanuman Janmotsav is the largest fair.
04:30 (Pat Khaulana / opening) से 22:00 (after Shayan Aarti) तक · मध्याह्न विश्राम Not separately documented (the temple is mostly continuously open)
वस्त्र-संहिता: Modest/traditional Indian attire recommended; men in pyjama/dhoti/pants; women in saree/salwar-suit; shoulders and legs covered; shorts/sleeveless to be avoided (traditional advisory; primary-source absence — flag)
फोटोग्राफी: Sanctum photography strictly forbidden; outer temple area allowed (multi-source travel-guide consensus; primary-source absence — flag)
विशेष नियम: Tuesdays + Saturdays are very heavy-footfall days (multi-hour queues); careful time planning recommended; sanctum photography forbidden; traditional attire recommended; the nearest parking is only near the temple
Darshan of the bearded-moustached Balaji idol + Mohan Das Maharaj samadhi.
The temple's central tradition; under the guidance of the Udairam-lineage pujaris.
Book at shaligram.com + the temple office; a wish-fulfilment sankalpa offering.
The unique tradition of tying coconuts with moli (red thread) in the temple precinct as a wish-vow.
The annual peak fair; 6-7 lakh devotees.
All in the Chaturdashi-Purnima period; Chaitra + Ashwin fairs draw 6-7 lakh devotees each; the Bhadrapada fair is comparatively smaller.
Free vegetarian meals; from the temple kitchen.
The annual peak fair; 6-7 lakh devotees; special arrangements for very heavy crowds
The second annual fair; comparatively smaller
The third annual fair; 6-7 lakh devotees; in the Sharad-Purnima period
The annual commemoration of Mohan Das Maharaj's conscious samadhi
Lakhs of devotees daily; Mangal Aarti + special darshan
India's only bearded-moustached Hanuman temple (multi-source claim); founded 1755 CE; a unique-darshan sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Wikipedia + Rajasthan Tourism + Golden Triangle Tour multi-source
The temple's central tradition; under the guidance of the Udairam-lineage pujaris; a Hanuman-grace sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Official site + tradition
Book at shaligram.com + the temple office; a wish-fulfilment sankalpa-offering tirtha
स्रोत: Shaligram + multi-source
The unique tradition of tying coconuts with moli (red thread) in the temple precinct; the tradition of removing the moli after wish-fulfilment
स्रोत: Multiple travel sources
The annual peak fair; 6-7 lakh devotees; a Hanuman-Jayanti annual sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Patrika + Wikipedia multi-source
Hanuman's central days; lakhs of devotees; a weekly vrata sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Wikipedia + Rajasthan Tourism
Free vegetarian meals; from the temple kitchen; an annadana sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Multiple travel sources
The samadhi of the temple founder; Udairam-1796 inscription; the daily Mohan-Das-ji aarti site
Mohan Das's sister; Udairam's mother; Udairam's inscription memorial
The Hanuman-mother Anjani temple; the traditional pair-yatra with the Salasar darshan
The 1755 Ginthala-Jat-farmer idol-emergence original site
Mohan Das Maharaj's birth place; Pandit Lacchiram's residence
The fierce-sankat-mochan form; opposite to Salasar's calm form; the Rajasthan-Hanuman pair pilgrimage
The calm-servant form (bearded) — opposite to Mehandipur's fierce form; among Rajasthan's two principal Hanuman tirthas
2 मंदिर
The main Hanuman tirtha; with the 2-km-near Anjani-Mata (Hanuman's mother) traditional pair-yatra
2 मंदिर
Among the North-India principal Hanuman-tirtha group
4 मंदिर
Among Rajasthan's pilgrimage centres (Jaipur-Bikaner centre)
4 मंदिर