Shri Hanuman Pooja

ॐ हं हनुमते नमः

Everything for Hanuman pooja in one place — for Tuesday / Saturday, Hanuman Jayanti, chola or the everyday pooja: the samagri checklist, step-by-step vidhi, vrat rules and the aarti. The Hanuman Chalisa itself is on its own page.

Before you begin

Bathe and wear clean clothes (red or saffron are preferred). Keep brahmacharya and a sattvik meal on the pooja day; the pooja is done in the morning or after sunset — Tuesday and Saturday are the special days.
Set the chowki so that you face east or north. Spread the red cloth, place Hanuman ji in the middle (with Shri Ram-Sita's picture above/behind if you have one).
For a chola, mix sindoor with chameli oil beforehand to a thick paste; chola is offered on Tuesday/Saturday or Hanuman Jayanti, by men traditionally — women offer sindoor tilak and the vastra.
Keep the Hanuman Chalisa ready — it is the heart of the pooja. Women do not touch the idol during the pooja in many traditions; the offerings are placed in front.

Pooja vidhi, step by step

1Pavitrikaran and achaman
Sprinkle water on yourself and the pooja items with a flower while reciting the mantra; then take three sips of water (achaman).
Mantra
ॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा।
यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः॥
2Ganesh smaran
Every pooja begins with Ganesh ji: offer a flower and akshat with the mantra.
Mantra
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
3Sankalp
Take water, akshat and a flower in the right hand; say your name, gotra, place, date and the wish (courage, protection from fear and obstacles, health, relief from Shani/Mangal dosha, a vrat you are keeping) — then release the water.
Mantra
मम सकलविघ्ननिवारणार्थं भयनाशार्थं श्रीरामभक्तहनुमत्प्रीत्यर्थं
हनुमत्पूजनं करिष्ये।
4Shri Ram smaran
Hanuman ji is pleased first by Shri Ram's name: offer a flower to Shri Ram-Sita (or say the name with folded hands) before Hanuman ji's pooja.
Mantra
श्रीरामचन्द्रचरणौ मनसा स्मरामि।
श्रीरामचन्द्रचरणौ वचसा गृणामि॥
श्रीरामचन्द्रचरणौ शिरसा नमामि।
श्रीरामचन्द्रचरणौ शरणं प्रपद्ये॥
5Dhyan and avahan
With folded hands meditate on Hanuman ji — mountain-like body, golden-red hue, gada in hand, Ram-naam in the heart — and offer a flower.
Mantra
अतुलितबलधामं हेमशैलाभदेहं
दनुजवनकृशानुं ज्ञानिनामग्रगण्यम्।
सकलगुणनिधानं वानराणामधीशं
रघुपतिप्रियभक्तं वातजातं नमामि॥
6Snan
For a metal idol, bathe it with water, then panchamrit, then water, and dry it. For a picture or a sindoor-covered idol, sprinkle a few drops of water with a flower.
Mantra
ॐ हं हनुमते नमः। स्नानं समर्पयामि।
7Chola / sindoor, vastra, janeu
Apply the sindoor-chameli paste over the idol from the feet upward (chola), or put a sindoor tilak on the forehead and the feet. Then offer the red langot/vastra, janeu, and the silver vark if you have it.
Why sindoor: Hanuman ji covered himself in sindoor when Sita ji said it was for Shri Ram's long life — so sindoor is his most beloved offering.
Mantra
ॐ हं हनुमते नमः। सिन्दूरं समर्पयामि। वस्त्रं समर्पयामि। यज्ञोपवीतं समर्पयामि।
8Chandan, akshat, flowers, tulsi
Offer chandan tilak, akshat, red flowers, the garland and tulsi leaves; then dhoop and deep (a chameli-oil diya is traditional).
Mantra
ॐ हं हनुमते नमः। चन्दनं समर्पयामि। अक्षतान् समर्पयामि। पुष्पाणि समर्पयामि।
धूपमाघ्रापयामि। दीपं दर्शयामि।
9Naivedya (bhog) and paan
Offer the laddoo, bananas, gud-chana and coconut, sprinkle water around the plate, then offer the paan beeda and water for achaman.
Mantra
ॐ हं हनुमते नमः। नैवेद्यं निवेदयामि। ताम्बूलं समर्पयामि।
10Hanuman Chalisa / path
Recite the Hanuman Chalisa (1, 7, 11 or 108 times as your sankalp), and if time allows Bajrang Baan or Sundarkand. The full Chalisa with meaning is on this app's Hanuman Chalisa page.
Mantra
ॐ हं हनुमते नमः।
ॐ नमो भगवते आञ्जनेयाय महाबलाय स्वाहा।
मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम्।
वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपद्ये॥
11Aarti
Do the aarti with a ghee diya or camphor while singing "आरती कीजै हनुमान लला की" — the words are in the Aarti tab.
12Pradakshina and pushpanjali
Circle the chowki (or turn in place) three times, offer flowers/akshat with the pushpanjali mantra and bow — men traditionally with a full sashtang pranam.
Mantra
यानि कानि च पापानि जन्मान्तरकृतानि च।
तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्तु प्रदक्षिणपदे पदे॥
13Kshama prarthana and prasad
Ask forgiveness for any mistake in the pooja and distribute the prasad. The sindoor from Hanuman ji's feet is applied on the forehead as a blessing.
Mantra
आवाहनं न जानामि न जानामि विसर्जनम्।
पूजां चैव न जानामि क्षमस्व परमेश्वर॥

Special things about Hanuman pooja

Sindoor and chameli oil: The most beloved offering; a chola of sindoor in chameli oil on Tuesday/Saturday. The diya is also lit with chameli oil.

Ram-naam first: Hanuman ji is a Ram-bhakt — Shri Ram is remembered before him, and tulsi (dear to Vishnu/Ram) is offered.

Brahmacharya and sattvik food: On the day of the pooja/vrat: no non-vegetarian food, alcohol or onion-garlic; the pooja is done with a clean body and mind.

Shani and Mangal: Hanuman pooja on Saturday is the traditional remedy for Shani (Sade Sati, Dhaiya) and on Tuesday for Mangal dosha — see your Kundli report's remedies.

This is the common household vidhi; the order and some mantras differ between regions and families. The mantras are given in their traditional form — it is good to check them once against a reliable pustak (e.g. Gita Press) or your family pandit.