Hanuman The Ramayana
Monkey warrior, Hanuman, whose tale is told in the classical Hindu epic poem the Ramayana, is an avatar or incarnation of Shiva the Destroyer and is worshipped as a god in India. Known as a Varana, the Sanskrit term for a mythological forest dweller with simian characteristics, Hanuman exemplifies justice, righteousness, bravery and loyalty.
Born of an apsara (celestial being) and the god of wind, his powers were evident even from childhood when he tried to lunge for the sun, mistaking it for a ripe mango. His role was to rescue Sita, wife of Rama the seventh avatar of Vishnu and to help him destroy Ravana, the demon king of Lanka who kidnapped her.
Connected to the winds, sun and thunder, Hanuman the commander of a monkey army is able to soar across the oceans, change his form and even lift a Himalayan mountain in his search for a herb to heal Rama’s wounded brother Lakshmana. As he couldn’t identify the particular herb he was supposed to gather, he gathered up the mountain on which the herb grew and brought it back instead. Quite practical, don’t you think?
Consequently, monkeys in India enjoy a degree of indulgence due to their association with Hanuman, although their behavior in recent years has caused the government to consider monkey control in public areas. Who indeed, can control the monkey general?
Hanuman exemplifies justice, righteousness, bravery
and loyalty