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Strange Devotion: Devotees Beat Themselves with Slippers at Chikkodi Hanuman Temple
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News18•11-10-2026, 15:18
Strange Devotion: Devotees Beat Themselves with Slippers at Chikkodi Hanuman Temple
- •The Swayambhu Hanuman Temple in Toranhalli village of Chikkodi taluk features a unique history dating back to 1052.
- •According to legend, cows poured milk on an anthill, and digging it revealed a Swayambhu Hanuman idol that bled when carved.
- •Devotees practice a strange slipper vow, hitting themselves with slippers after their wishes are fulfilled to remove negative energy.
- •The original idol is adorned with a silver armor weighing about 25 kg and is worshipped using water from Sital Bavi.
Key Questions Answered
The Swayambhu Hanuman Temple is located in Toranhalli village of Chikkodi taluk, near the border of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Around the year 1052, when the area was a dense forest, cows used to pour milk on an anthill daily. When the anthill was dug up, a loud thunder-like sound occurred, and a Swayambhu idol of Hanuman was discovered inside.
After their wishes are fulfilled, devotees hit themselves on the body with slippers. It is believed this removes laziness, negative energy, and bodily lethargy, with the unique notion that Hanuman himself wears slippers and accepts the vows.
