A historic chapter in the spiritual history of Africa was written on 5 July 2026, when Chinmaya Mission South Africa, under the guidance of Swami Abhedananda, hosted the monumental "Man to HANUMAN" event as part of the 75th year celebrations of Chinmaya Mission. Conceived as a heartfelt tribute to Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, the gathering brought together more than 17,000 people from across South Africa for the largest Hanuman Chalisa chanting event ever held on the African continent.

United as one voice, devotees chanting the Hanuman Chalisa 27 times, completed over 400,000 collective recitations in an atmosphere charged with devotion and spiritual fervour.

The Durban city transformed into a sea of saffron as thousands of devotees proudly waved 10,000 saffron flags bearing the image of Shri Hanuman and the message, "I Am A Proud Hindu." The powerful display reflected the vision of bringing together South African Hindus beyond differences of language, region and ancestry, inspiring confidence, unity and pride in the shared spiritual heritage.

The chanting was led by renowned devotional singer Anup Jalota, accompanied by the talented Anuja Sahai. Their soulful renditions of the Hanuman Chalisa in different ragas elevated the devotional experience. During the final rounds, the entire gathering rose to its feet along with Swami Abhedananda, who was on stage. As thousands of saffron flags filled the stadium, many devotees were moved to tears, creating an unforgettable moment of collective devotion.

The event was graced by several distinguished guests, including the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Mr. Thami Ntuli, who attended as the Guest of Honour. Expressing his appreciation for Chinmaya Mission's 75-year legacy and its service to South African society under Swami Abhedananda's leadership, he joined devotees in waving the saffron flag and chanted Hanuman Chalisa. He concluded his address with an inspiring quote from Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. Also present were Br. Abhijit Chaitanya, Br. Vandan Chaitanya, Brni Keertida Chaitanya, Brni Madhavi Chaitanya, and Brni Gauri Chaitanya.

The event's success was made possible by the extraordinary dedication of hundreds of Chinmaya Sevaks. Volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure seamless crowd management, transportation, meals, parking, and other arrangements for the unprecedented turnout. From 11:00 PM on the previous night until 11:00 AM on the day of the event, volunteers prepared and packed nearly 20,000 lunch meals, ensuring every attendee was served. More than 5,000 devotees travelled in 85 buses from across five provinces of South Africa, receiving breakfast upon arrival before joining the gathering.

In preparation for the sacred offering, volunteers also spent an entire week making 27,000 rohts, which were offered to Shri Hanuman and later distributed as prasad. All the participants received a commemorative gift bag containing altar photographs of Shri Hanuman and Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa, and a selection of books authored by Gurudev, allowing the blessings and inspiration of the occasion to reach thousands of homes.

The "Man to HANUMAN" event stands as a landmark milestone in the 75-year journey of Chinmaya Movement, demonstrating the unifying power of devotion and the timeless vision of Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. Chinmaya Mission South Africa expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Lord Hanuman, the Guru Parampara, and every volunteer, sponsor and devotee whose dedication made this extraordinary spiritual celebration possible.