V Muralidhar Sharma, the VC of National Sanskrit University and one of the experts in the committee constituted by the TTD to declare the Tirumala Hills the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, officially proclaimed that Jaapali Theertham near Akashganga Waterfalls of Tirumala as the birthplace of Lord Hanuman.
Dr Sharma says the experts worked vigorously for four months to collect the Puranic anthologies, literary evidence, epigraphic evidence and geographical details to prove Lord Hanuman's birthplace as Tirumala Hills.
It was said Anjana Devi had performed penance (Tapasya) intensely for 12 years and was blessed with Hanuman. The hill where Anjana Devi had performed Tapasya is called Anjanadri. And this Anjanadri has several names. It was called Vrushadri during Krithayuga, Anjanachalam in Tretayuga, Seshachalam in Dwaparayuga and Venkatachalam in Kaliyuga.
Lord Hanuman got baffled by the rising sun as a fruit and so flew off from the same hill to catch the sun to get his hunger quenched.
Literary evidence claimed Lord Hanuman served Lord Venkateswara as well.
Meanwhile, Dr Sharma ruled out the claims of Hampi, the birthplace of Lord Hanuman. "Brahmanda Purana, Skanda Purana, 12 other puranas and several other evidence established the fact that Tirumala Hills the birthplace of Lord Hanuman," he asserted.