Large number of devotees from all over India and abroad reaches Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh to visit Hanuman Garhi to bask in the divinity of Lord Hanuman. Barbaric Muslim invaders kept attacking Hindu temples and religious sites because of ingrained religious intolerance in Islam for believers in other faiths. This barbarism and destructive zeal (‘majhabi’ toxicity) reached its zenith during the reign of Aurangzeb. The temple at the place of the birth of Lord Ram was demolished by Mir Baki, an army commander of Babur, the first Mughal invader. Rai Bahadur Lala Sitaram, awarded with Sahitya Ratna and Sahitya Sudhakar, provides an authentic description of Hanuman Garhi in his book Shri Awadh ki Jhanki (श्री अवध की झांकी), written in 1933 AD. As per the treatise, Maharaja Vikramaditya built 360 temples to restore the splendour of Ayodhya. During Aurangzeb's time many of these were ruined.
An interesting fact about the present temple is that it was built by Nawab of Awadh Shuja-ud-Daula ((1739-1754). Hanuman Garhi remained a mound till early seventeenth century. The small idol of Lord Hanuman, now placed in front of the bigger idol covered with flowers, was worshiped under a tree. Baba Abhayram Das ji then used to live here. He cured the son of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula from a life-threatening disease by reciting some ‘mantras’ (hymns) and sprinkling the water of Hanumanji's feet. The pleased Nawab requested Baba several times to ask for anything. Baba Abhayram Das Ji said that since Nawab’s son was cured by the grace of Lord Hanuman so get Hanuman Garhi built. As of now, Hanuman Garhi is the tallest building in Ayodhya which is visible from all sides. This huge temple and its residential complex is spread over 52 ‘bighas’. In nineteenth century, Wajid Ali Shah started the tradition of Bhandara at Hanuman Garhi on the first Tuesday of every month.
If any auspicious work is done in Hanuman Garhi and Ram Janmabhoomi, then Hanuman Nishan is worshiped first. Worshipping Hanuman Nishan in Hanuman Garhi Temple is more than 1700 years old. Hanuman Nishan is a religiously significant flag – eight – meter long and four-meter wide. There is a tradition in Ayodhya of taking Hanuman Nishan along with mace (गदा) & trident (त्रिशूल) from Hanuman Garhi to Ram Janmabhoomi site at the onset of every worship ceremony (पूजा). Nishan worship is also done at the time of Kumbh Mela. Hanuman Nishan worship is done in Hanuman Garhi. During Nishan Puja, the marks of the ‘akhadas’ (अखाडा) are worshipped. The worship of the marks of the ‘akhadas’ is also as important as the worship of Hanuman. The presiding deity of Nirvani Akhara is Hanuman ji. Hanuman Garhi is looked after by Nirvani Akhada (निर्वाणी अखाडा).