In the Hindu faith, Hanuman (Sanskrit: nominative singular हनुमान् Hanumān), known also as 'Anjaneya', is one of the most important personalities in the epic, the Ramayana. He is a vanara who aided Lord Rama (an avatar of Vishnu) in rescuing His Consort, Sita, from the Rakshasa king Ravana.
He symbolises the pinnacle of bhakti, and is considered to be the eleventh Rudra avatar of Lord Shiva. He is more well-known as the (spiritual) Son of Vayu deva, the Hindu deity of the wind.
He is believed by some scholars to be a source for the Chinese mythological character Sun Wukong.
Hanuman is the epitome of wisdom, brahmacharya, bhakti (devotion/faith), valour, righteousness and strength. He is symbolized in Hinduism for his unwavering dedication to righteousness, unstinting performance of entrusted duties, and unfailing talents in serving his chosen master. His indispensable role in reuniting Rama with Sita is likened by some to that of a teacher helping an individual soul realise the divine. While the uninitiated may find it odd to worship "a monkey", to believers, the idea is to revere and worship him for the astounding attributes he represents — attributes that even most humans find impossible to practice.
There is no blessing that he cannot bestow — Sita granted him the power to bestow the eight siddhis and nine types of wealth on others. However, it is believed that these pale when compared to the greatest boon one can receive from Hanuman — the uplifting spiritual qualities that Hanuman himself is known for. It is also held that while Rama did what he believed to be dharma, Hanuman acts out of compassion.
He is easily reachable — just by chanting the name 'Ram'. Conversely, it is also held that the easiest way to attain Lord Rama is to worship Hanuman — verse 33 of the Hanuman Chalisa begins, "Tumharae bhajan Ram ko paavae", which means "by singing hymns about You, Rama is reached".
- excerpted from Wikipedia, 2006
Hanuman Chalisa (40-verse Poem) sung by Anup Jalota in Temple
Live-action Hanuman Film 1976
Hanuman Art Puppet Performance
"Hanumanji" Video Collage
Video collage w/ jazz/funk Krishna Das chant
Sanjivani clip from animated "The Ramayana"
Hanuman and Sita clip from animated "The Ramayana"
