One lesser-known yet interesting tale from Valmiki’s Ramayan is the story of Makaradwaj. We know that Lord Hanuman is a Brahmachari, so it’s surprising to find out that he has a son. Makaradwaj, meaning “one who was born from an alligator,” is the son of Lord Hanuman and a female alligator.

Who was Makaradwaj?

After burning most of Lanka, Lord Hanuman took a dip in the Indian Ocean to cool down. His sweat mixed with the water and was swallowed by a female alligator. The alligator was later killed by people in Lanka, and when they opened its stomach, they found a baby resembling a monkey.
They called him Makaradwaj and appointed him as a Dwarapalak (security guard) for Patal Lok.

The duel between Hanuman and Makaradwaj:

Patal Lok was controlled by Mahiravana, brother of Ravana. To help his brother, Mahiravana disguised himself as Vibeshan and cast a spell on Rama and Laxmana. He then kidnapped them to kill them in Patal Lok. Hanuman reached Patal Lok to rescue them and was stopped by Makaradwaj at the main entrance. When Hanuman realized it was his son, Makaradwaj refused to let him enter Patal Lok, stating that he was serving Mahiravana. Hanuman defeated Makaradwaj to enter Patal Lok and killed Mahiravana to rescue Rama and Laxmana

On their way back, Hanuman hugged his son and praised him for his valor and courage in serving his master. This lesser-known tale from the Ramayan showcases a different side of Hanuman and his extraordinary son, Makaradwaj

Makaradwaj also has a temple dedicated to him in Rajasthan, known as the Balaji Makardwaj Temple in Beawar