Hanuman, also known as Anjaneyaputra, is a Hindu god and divine companion of the god Rama, who is considered to be one of the central characters of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Hanuman is regarded as an ardent devotee of Rama and is one of the Chiranjivis. According to several stories, Hanuman is considered to be the son of the wind-god Vayu, who played a direct role in Hanuman’s birth. In Shaivism, he is considered to be a partial avatar of Shiva, while in Sadh Vaishnavism and few other Vaishnava traditions, he is regarded as an avatar of Vayu. Hanuman is mentioned in several other texts, such as the Mahabharata and the various Puranas. He is regarded as the god of wisdom, strength, courage, devotion, and self-discipline and is associated with the mantra “Om Sri Hanumate Namah”. Hanuman is depicted holding a gada (mace), and his abode is in Kishkindha. Hanuman Jayanti is one of the festivals dedicated to Hanuman. Evidence of devotional worship to Hanuman is largely absent in ancient Hindu texts, as well as in most archaeological sites. The devotion to Hanuman emerged about 1,000 years after the composition of the Ramayana in the 2nd millennium CE, after the arrival of Islamic rule in the Indian subcontinent. Hanuman’s iconography and temples have been increasingly common in the modern era. He is viewed as the ideal combination of “strength, heroic initiative and assertive excellence” and “loving, emotional devotion to his personal god Rama”, as Shakti and Bhakti. In later literature, he is sometimes portrayed as the patron god of martial arts such as wrestling and acrobatics, as well as activities such as meditation and diligent scholarship. Hanuman is considered to be a bachelor and an exemplary celibate. The origin of the word “Hanuman” is unclear, but one interpretation is “one having a disfigured jaw”. The linguistic variations of “Hanuman” include Hanumat, Anuman (Tamil), Hanumantha (Kannada), Hanumanthudu (Telugu), and others. Some scholars have identified Hanuman as one potential inspiration for Sun Wukong, the Monkey King character in the Chinese epic adventure Journey to the West.