Shani Amavasya (Part IV)

That day being a Saturday, it is also important for Lord Hanuman. Lord Hanuman can be worshipped as Panchamukhi Hanuman or in the normal form. We can light lamps with jasmine oil (with a few sesame seeds). We can also apply jasmine oil mixed with sindoor to Lord Hanuman’s feet or the entire body. We can offer vada garlands made of black udad with black sesame and black pepper. We can even offer garlands with 108 lemons. We can apply unsalted white butter on all over His body or only on His heart. We can adorn it with a few seeds of black sesame and small fruits like grapes, pomegranate, etc. Post this, if we perform an aarti and wish for any desire, it is fulfilled and it also wards off Shani Doshas.

Four-sided mud lamps are lighted with mustard or sesame oil or both together. Some black sesame seeds and 8 cloves are dropped into it. An odd number of Calotropis leaves can be strung into a garland and offered to Lord Hanuman. We can also offer Calotropis flowers separately or as a garland. We can wrap betel nuts in a pair of betel leaves and these beads can be made into a garland in an odd number. We can add a white paper with our desires written in a red pen as a pendant in this garland. This is a very powerful ritual.

Hanuman Chalisa, Hanuman Ashtotra, Sankatmochan Hanuman Ashtak and Hanuman Bahuk can be chanted on this day. Naivedyam of bananas, jaggery, roasted gram and sweet boondi can be offered to Lord Hanuman.

To be continued…