In Hyderabad on the way to HiTec City after Hotel Daspalla we get to see Veera Anjaneya Swamy Temple on our right. It was there I saw camel as vaahanam to Sri. Hanuman for the first time and I too was very surprised. The priest there gave me the following explanation.
Once there was an ardent devotee of Hanuman who was doing penance for a long long time praying for Lord’s Darshan. Anjaneya Swamy blessed him with His darshan but the devotee was not satisfied. He prayed and prayed to Swamy,”Because of your swabhav (nature) of vaayu vegam, mano vegam Hey Bhagwan You come in a jiffy and before I even open my eyes for darshan You are gone. I want to have a really good darshan of you to my heart’s content.” Moved by his devotion The Lord appeared before him again and asked him what will make him happy. To this the devotee requested Anjaneya Swamy to take the camel as His Vaahanam so that he can have a long time seeing Bhagwan in all His glory and Splendour astride the camel.
Bound to the devotee by his Bhakthi Anjaneya Swamy gave darshan to him on a camel and this was how camel became Swamy’s vaahanam.(Thanks to the Pujariji who took pains to explain this to me in Hindi as I was not very familiar with Telugu.)
