Bilaspur: Hanuman, a devotee of Lord Shri Ram and pavanputra (son of the wind), is called a Brahmachari and according to the scriptures women are prohibited from touching his idol, but there is a temple in Chhattisgarh where Hanuman ji is worshiped in a female form.
The statue of Bajrangbali in female form is installed in the temple of Girjabandh near Ratanpur in Bilaspur district and it is believed that the wishes of the devotees who come here for darshan are fulfilled.
According to mythological beliefs, the history of this temple is about 10 thousand years old.
Ahiravana took Ram and Laxman to the underworld
Temple's chief priest Tarakeshwar Maharaj tells that during the Ram-Ravana battle, when Shri Ram and Lakshman ji were sleeping, Ahiravana, the king of the underworld, by deceit, picked them up and took them to the underworld.
Ahiravana was about to sacrifice Ram-Lakshman in front of his goddess Kamada. Hanuman ji reached the underworld in search of Ram-Lakhan and entered the idol of Kamada Devi. As soon as Ahiravan bowed at the feet of the Goddess to offer sacrifice, Hanuman ji, who had taken the form of Kamada Devi, killed Ahiravan by pressing him with his left foot and carried Ram-Lakhan on both his shoulders. From that day he got this female form.
Temple was constructed by King Prithvi Devju
Another mythological belief is that the temple was constructed and established by King Prithvi Devju. King Prithvi, who once suffered from leprosy, sought advice from astrologers who asked him to worship Hanuman ji. After dedicated worship, Hanuman ji appeared to the king in a dream and instructed him to build a temple in the area and dig a nearby lake. Bathing in this lake would cure his leprosy.
Following these instructions, the king was cured of the disease. Later, in another dream, Hanuman ji guided the king to find a statue in the lake to be installed in the temple. Subsequently, a female statue of Hanuman ji was discovered in the lake and placed in the temple.
The idol has amazing shine
Integrating many features, this idol has amazing shine. Its face is towards south. In the idol, there is a glimpse of Lord Ram and Lakshman on the shoulders of Hanuman ji. He has a garland in one hand and a plate full of laddus in the other hand.
The temple is famous by the name of Girjaban Hanuman Temple. Temple priest Gajendra Dubey, who has been serving Hanumanji since childhood, says that this idol of Hanumanji is the only one in the world which is worshiped in the form of a goddess.
Local residents report that worshippers who visit this temple arrive with numerous wishes and consistently find fulfillment at this sacred site. The community's strong faith is evidenced by the steady stream of devotees who frequent the temple.
How to reach Ratanpur
You can reach Ratanpur very easily. The nearest airport from here is Swami Vivekananda Airport of Raipur, which is about 140 km from here. Direct taxis and bus services are available from here to Bilaspur. From there you can take a cab to Ratanpur. It will take about five hours from the airport to reach Ratanpur. Bilaspur Junction railway station is the nearest railway station, serving Ratanpur (25 km away). Cabs and buses are available from outside the station to your destination.
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