On the summit of Jakhoo hill, the highest point of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, stands the Jakhoo temple, dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Tradition holds that Hanuman paused to rest upon this hill as he flew across the Himalayas in search of the life-giving Sanjeevani herb to save Lakshmana — and so the peak became sacred to him.
The temple is crowned by a colossal statue of Hanuman, among the tallest in the world, visible for miles across the hill-station and standing serene above the cedar forests. Reached by a climb through the woods, often amid frolicking monkeys, Jakhoo Hanuman draws pilgrims and visitors alike, and is a beloved landmark of Shimla.
