Anjanadri Hanuman project, Bommai's pet, to start in July

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai directed officials Saturday to start work next month on his pet project of developing the Anjanadri Hill in Koppal, the fabled birthplace of Hanuman, into a pilgrimage spot doubling up as a tourist destination.

Bommai, who reveres Hanuman, chaired a meeting here to take stock of the project’s progress. He has set aside Rs 100 crore for this.

The BJP government wants to connect the Hanuman temple atop the Anjanadri Hill with the Ram Mandir coming up at Ayodhya.

The CM asked the Koppal deputy commissioner to finish the process of acquiring land fast. “The project needs 60 acres of land. Of this, 58 acres are private lands belonging to farmers. Acquire the lands after taking farmers’ consent or purchase them through the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB),” Bommai said, according to a statement from his office.

In the first phase of the Anjanadri development project, improvement of roads and development of alternative routes will be done. The Public Works department will widen the national highway up till Gangavati for which Bommai sought a detailed project.

Bommai also directed authorities to start work on parking and other infrastructure works at the base of the hill. He also asked officials to send a proposal to the government seeking financial approval for the project.

The Anjanadri Hill overlooks the Tungabhadra river. On the other side of the river stands Hampi, the world heritage site that is believed to be ‘Kishkindha’, the mythological kingdom of vanaras or monkeys. Anjanadri Hill and Hampi are some 20 km apart.

Karnataka has rejected the claim by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that Hanuman was born in the Anjanadri Hill in Tirumala.

There are mythological references to Anjanadri, the birthplace of Hanuman, and the reference of ‘Kishkindha’ in Ramayana. With many places in and around Hampi that have references in the epic, it is believed that Kishkindha and Hampi are the same.

The temple hill will also get a 430-metre ropeway. “The tender process for this should be completed in two months,” Bommai told the tourism department. “The base of the ropeway should have facilities for tourists,” he said.

Bommai said he would visit the Anjanadri Hill on July 15 for another review.

The project was first announced by Bommai’s predecessor BS Yediyurappa in 2020 by earmarking Rs 20 crore for the hill temple, which is an ‘A’ category Muzrai shrine.