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Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Sankat Mochan: Tulsidas's own Hanuman on the banks of the Assi

Founded by the poet-saint Tulsidas at the spot where he is said to have had a vision of Hanuman, Sankat Mochan is the emotional Hanuman temple of Kashi. Come on a Tuesday or Saturday and you will not walk in, you will inch in, shoulder to shoulder with the city that treats this deity as a personal problem-solver. Free Hanuman Chalisa and Sundarkand booklets pass hand to hand, the idol faces Rama, and the courtyard fills with laddoos, marigold, and the resident monkeys the temple is affectionately known for.

Entrance of the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple in Varanasi, with its gateway and signagePhoto: IRCTC, via Wikimedia Commons (from the article Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple)
Darshan
4:30 AM to 10:30 PM daily; closed 12 noon to 3 PM
Entry
Free; no ticket for darshan
Nearest station
Banaras (Manduadih) approx 5 km; Varanasi Jn (Cantt) approx 7 km
Signature
Founded by Tulsidas; open till midnight on Tue and Sat
TimingsHow to reachAartiDress & rulesBest timeNearbyWhere to stayFAQ

Darshan timings at Sankat Mochan Hanuman

Darshan timings by season
SeasonOpensDarshanClosesStatus
All year (daily)4:30 AM4:30 AM to 12 noon, then 3 PM to 10:30 PM10:30 PMOpen
Tuesday and Saturday4:30 AMExtended evening darshan for the heavy crowdsAround midnightOpen
Midday break (daily)-Sanctum closed 12 noon to 3 PM-Open
Verify before you travel. Timings are the widely reported temple schedule; the sanctum takes a midday break from noon to 3 PM every day. On Tuesdays and Saturdays the temple stays open into the night to handle the surge. Treat exact opening and closing minutes as approx and confirm locally on the day, especially on festival dates.

Read the full Timings & Darshan Hours →

How to reach Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple

Sankat Mochan sits in the southern part of Varanasi, in the Sankat Mochan and Assi area near Banaras Hindu University, away from the dense old-city ghat lanes. That location makes it easier to reach by road than the Vishwanath corridor, though the last stretch is still narrow.

Reaching by rail, road and air
ModePointDistanceNotes
AirLal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Babatpurapprox 26 km northwestPrepaid taxi or app cab; allow 60 to 90 minutes through city traffic.
TrainBanaras station (formerly Manduadih)approx 5 kmClosest major railhead to the temple; auto or cab from here is short.
TrainVaranasi Junction (Cantt)approx 7 kmThe main long-distance hub; more trains but a longer, busier drive.
RoadFrom central Varanasi / Godowliaapprox 4 to 6 kmAuto-rickshaw, e-rickshaw, or cab; walk the final lane to the gate.

Read the full How to Reach →

Puja & aarti schedule

  • Mangala aarti, the first aarti after openingAround 5:00 AM (approx)
  • Bhog offering and midday aartiMidday (before the noon break)
  • Sandhya (evening) aarti, the most attended; the 2006 blast struck during evening aartiAround sunset / early evening (approx)
  • Shayan aarti, the final aarti of the nightBefore closing
The temple runs the standard morning, midday, evening, and night aarti cycle. Exact clock times shift with season and festival load and are not fixed to the minute publicly, so the times above are approx; arrive 20 to 30 minutes early and ask a sevadar for the day's precise schedule.

Read the full Aarti & Puja Schedule →

Dress code & temple rules

Dress modestly: cover shoulders and knees. Traditional Indian wear is ideal but not mandatory.

Remove footwear before entering; use the shoe stand outside the gate.

Phones and cameras are not permitted inside the sanctum area; deposit them at the free locker facility at the entrance.

Expect a security check and bag screening; a police post operates inside the temple.

Do not feed or tease the resident monkeys, and keep prasad, spectacles, and bags secure around them.

Maintain queue discipline, especially on Tuesday and Saturday; offerings of laddoo, marigold, and sindoor are sold by vendors outside.

Read the full Dress Code & Temple Rules →

Best time to visit & festivals

Hanuman's days, Tuesday and Saturday, are the devotional peak but also the most crowded. For a calmer darshan, come on a weekday morning right after opening. The cool October-to-March window is the most comfortable season in Varanasi; avoid the peak summer heat of May and June.

Major festivals
FestivalWhenSignificance
Hanuman JayantiChaitra Purnima (usually March or April)Hanuman's birth celebration, the single biggest day here; huge crowds, special decoration and aarti. Peak
Sankat Mochan Sangeet SamarohApril (annual)A multi-day classical music and dance festival hosted in the temple courtyard, drawing top Indian musicians; a cultural highlight unique to this temple. Peak
Weekly Tuesdays and SaturdaysEvery week, year-roundHanuman's days; the temple stays open into the night and queues stretch for hours.
Ram NavamiChaitra (March or April)Rama's birthday, deeply tied to this Rama-and-Hanuman temple in Tulsidas's city; devotional gatherings and recitations.

Read the full Best Time to Visit & Festivals →

Nearby temples & tirths

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

The Jyotirlinga at the heart of Varanasi; the city's most important shrine, a short drive north.

approx 5 to 6 km from Sankat Mochan Hanuman →

Kaal Bhairav Temple

The fierce guardian deity of Kashi, whose permission pilgrims traditionally seek in the city.

approx 7 km from Sankat Mochan Hanuman →
Vindhyavasini Devi, Mirzapur

Vindhyavasini Devi, Mirzapur

A revered Shakti Peetha on the Ganga, a common onward pilgrimage from Varanasi.

approx 65 km from Sankat Mochan Hanuman →

Read the full Nearby Temples & Tirths →

Where to stay

Most pilgrims base themselves in one of two zones. The Assi Ghat and Lanka/BHU area is closest to Sankat Mochan, with a good spread of guesthouses, budget hotels, and homestays within a couple of kilometres, and a quieter, student-and-pilgrim feel. For those who also want the ghats and Kashi Vishwanath, the Godowlia and old-city area offers dharamshalas and hotels but heavier crowds and narrow lanes. Cantonment (near Varanasi Junction) holds the mid-range and business hotels for travellers arriving by train. Book well ahead around Hanuman Jayanti, the April music festival, and major Kashi festival dates, when the whole city fills up.

Read the full Where to Stay →

Frequently asked questions

Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple timings today
The temple is generally open 4:30 AM to 10:30 PM daily, with the sanctum closed for a midday break from 12 noon to 3 PM. On Tuesdays and Saturdays it stays open later, into the night. Confirm exact times locally on festival days.
nearest railway station to Sankat Mochan temple Varanasi
The closest major railhead is Banaras station (formerly Manduadih), about 5 km away. Varanasi Junction (Cantt), the main long-distance hub, is roughly 7 km from the temple.
is Sankat Mochan temple open on Tuesday
Yes. Tuesday is one of Hanuman's two special days here, along with Saturday, so it is one of the busiest days and the temple stays open into the night. Expect long queues.
can I take my phone inside Sankat Mochan temple
No. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside the sanctum. The temple provides a free locker facility at the entrance where you deposit them before darshan, and there is a security check at the gate.
how far is Sankat Mochan temple from Varanasi airport
Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at Babatpur is about 26 km northwest of the temple, roughly a 60 to 90 minute drive depending on city traffic.

Compiled from public sources including Wikipedia: Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple · Wikipedia: Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (Varanasi) · Wikimedia Commons pageimage (temple entrance photo). Timings and seasonal closures change; confirm with the temple trust before travelling.