Lord Hanuman is veritably the brightest shining jewel in the necklace of Ramayana characters. A yogi of the highest order, the Chalisa is a stotram (devotional poetry in Sanskrit) of chalis (forty) verses. Expounded in these lines are the beauty and strength of Lord Hanuman and His yogic accomplishments in a fervent attempt to invoke His powerful blessings. The wall-mounting that you see on this page contains the complete stotram as written in the sixteenth century by the great Tulsidas. Right next to the Hanuman etching at the very top are the words ‘Shri Hanuman Chalisa’ followed by the opening Doha (couplet), while the closing Doha is at the very bottom of the panel.

It is fashioned from fine-quality velvet, dyed a fluid vermillion color. It goes well with the lofty texture of the medium, suited to the work at hand. The verses are inscribed thereon in a distinct golden color. The same is in keeping with the eternal glory of Lord Hanuman. The verses of the Chalisa are arranged in three equidimensional columns, each letter in keeping with the proportion of the others. Zoom in on the same in order to appreciate the precision with which the work has been executed on the fabric. Along the edges are inscribed the words ‘Jaya Shri Rama’ in repetitive succession.