Pandupol and Hanuman Temple

The Hanuman Temple is said to be a staggering 5000 years old! There is an incredible legendary tale of Bheema, one of the Pandava brothers, using his mace to create the ‘pol or gate’ when their way was being obstructed. Thereafter, an encounter with Lord Hanuman resulted in the temple being constructed by Bheema. This historical site is located deep within the confines of the Sariska Tiger Sanctuary. For those with their own cars, the forest department has made a concession; visitors are allowed in the park on Tuesdays and Saturdays by paying a small fee of INR 250. It is an adventurous hour long drive from Sariska and is set among local date palm trees. The temple has a giant idol of Lord Hanuman and the entire history of the temple is signposted on a board behind the temple.
The Hanuman Temple is said to have been in existence for thousands of years, while Pandupol is a natural opening (gate) in the rocks through which the Pandavas are believed to have passed in their period of exile. There are lovely reflections of the palm trees in the adjacent stream while monkeys are treated as reincarnations of the monkey god Hanuman and devotees offer them prasad. It is located around 15-20 km from Sariska, inside the sanctuary.