HANUMAN TEMPLE IN BALPAKRAM

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today demanded in the Assembly that a Hanuman temple be constructed at Balpakram National Park to attract tourists.
John Manner Marak of the NCP said during a motion that according to Ramayana Hanuman flew to Balpakram Park to collect the life-saving Sanjeevani.
According to legends, when Lakshman was injured by a poisonous arrow shot by Ravana's son Meghdut, it was diagnosed, that only the Sanjaveeni could save his life.
As Lakshman laid battling with his life, Hanuman went in search of the herb. Hanuman flew from the battlefields of Sri Lanka and came to the Himalayas looking for the herb. From top of the Himalayas he sighted a hillock and proceeded straight towards it.
Legends say the place incidentally was Balpakram National Park in South Garo Hills.
Hanuman not being able to identify the herb pulled up the entire hillock and flew back to the battlefield. Till date a huge opening in one of the hillocks in Balpakram Park exists which Hindus claim was the piece of land that Hanuman carried away.
Supporting the motion opposition leader Conrad Sangma said the government would stand to gain by constructing a Hanuman temple inside the park to attract tourists.
Other opposition members joining the discussion said that Balapkram Park is revered by the Garo people as the “abode of the departed souls” and the Park needs to be prompted to attract tourists.
Balpakram National Park stands nearly 3,000 feet above sea level and covers an area of 200 square kilometer. It is a tableland and the plains of Bangladesh can be seen from atop.
The park is rich in rare flora and fauna and is also strewn with ancient religious shrines and Hindus from India and Bangladesh visit it on annual pilgrimages.