Ganga floods Bade Hanuman temple in Prayagraj on first tuesday of Shrawan; devotees capture sacred ‘Mahasnan’

By Monday, water had surrounded the Bade Hanuman temple corridor. By Tuesday afternoon, it entered the temple, flowing down the stairs and fully submerging the reclining idol within an hour.

By: Trends Desk

New Delhi | July 16, 2025 11:44 AM IST

3 min read

Ganga floods Bade Hanuman temple in Prayagraj

Typically, floodwaters reach the temple in August, but this year, for the first time in decades, it happened mid-July

In Prayagraj, the holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna have surged significantly, rising nearly a metre overnight on Monday. By Tuesday afternoon, their swelling waters brought about a rare and deeply spiritual moment – the sacred Mahasnan (ritual bathing) – of “Bade Hanuman” at the famed riverside temple.

This natural occurrence, considered highly auspicious by locals, aligned perfectly with the first Tuesday of the Shrawan month, a day already significant in Hindu tradition. What made it even more remarkable was its timing. Typically, floodwaters reach the temple in August, but this year, for the first time in decades, it happened mid-July.

According to The Times of India, water began surrounding the corridor of the Bade Hanuman temple early Monday. By the next morning, it had entered the temple premises. By 2:30 pm on Tuesday, it flowed steadily down the temple stairs, and within the hour, the reclining idol of Lord Hanuman was fully submerged.

Videos capturing this have gone viral online. In them, devotees can be seen gathered around the temple, documenting the event and witnessing the half-submerged idol with reverence. Priests performed aarti (worship using lit lamps) followed by abhishekam (ritual bathing of a deity).

Watch the video here:

Mahant Balbeer Giri, the temple’s head priest, told Hindustan Times, “After the flood waters entered the temple, we performed Ganga Aarti followed by ‘Abhishek’ of both Goddess Ganga and Lord Hanuman. Later, we took a small idol of Hanuman and after touching it to the large idol, the same is placed above the temple and all rituals would now be performed on it right till the flood water recedes.”

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Following the traditions, the main chamber of the temple has now been closed for regular rituals.

Meanwhile, data from the Central Water Commission indicates that the Ganga is flowing at 68.42 metres in Varanasi and is rising at a rate of 40 mm per hour. Though still below the warning mark of 70.262 metres, the steady increase is being closely monitored.

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