Jakhu Hanuman Temple, Shimla

There are places that don’t just give you views; they give you goosebumps. Jakhu Temple in Shimla is one of them.

At 8,050 feet above sea level, right on top of Jakhu hill, stands the tallest Hanuman statue in the world: 108 feet of pure devotion, built in 2010. You can literally see those giant orange feet from almost anywhere in Shimla town. When the morning mist rolls in, it looks like Bajrang Bali is stepping out of the clouds.

The Treta Yuga Connection That Still Lives Here

Every local will tell you the same story, and every monkey on that hill seems to know it too.

During Ramayana times, when Lakshman lay unconscious, hit by Meghnad’s Shakti weapon, only the Sanjeevani booti could save him. Hanuman Ji was flying from the Himalayas toward Lanka with the entire Dronagiri mountain on his shoulder. Tired, he decided to take a short break on this very hill.

Some rishis were doing tapasya here. One of them asked Hanuman Ji to rest for a while. Hanuman Ji smiled and said the line that still echoes on Jakhu:

“राम काज कीन्हें बिनु मोहि कहाँ विश्राम?”

(Where is rest for me until Ram’s work is done?)

He promised the rishis he’d return after delivering the herb. Legend says the hundreds (sometimes thousands) of monkeys you see roaming freely around the temple today are Hanuman Ji’s vanar sena who stayed back to rest… and are still waiting for their leader to come back.

That’s why no one shoos them away. That’s why they rule the place. And trust me, they know it.

The Journey Up: Choose Your Adventure

Getting to the temple is half the fun (and half the workout):

• Pony ride: ₹400–600 (bargain hard)
• Shared HRTC taxi from Ridge: ₹20–30 per person
• Ropeway from Mall Road: ₹500 round trip (nice views, but long queues on weekends)
• Trek: 30–40 minutes of steep stairs (free, best sunrise views, and you earn your prasad!)

I took the stairs at 5:30 a.m. to catch the sunrise. Halfway up, the whole of Shimla was sleeping under a blanket of clouds. Felt like walking straight into Swarg.