Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
Situated in the village of Punchari on the outer parikrama path is this very popular temple which is said to be dedicated to one of Krishna’s very dear friends named Lotha. It is said that when Lotha, who is believed to hail from this village, heard that Krishna and Balarama were leaving for Mathura, he decided to come and sit at this place by the side of the road and wait for Them to return. It is said that in ancient times local Vrajavasis established a temple here dedicated to Lotha Baba, but during the course of time, this Deity of Lotha Baba started to be worshiped by some people as Hanuman. There is a form of Hanuman known as Loothera, or Loothera-Hanuman and some say the Deity is actually that of Loothera-Hanuman and not Lotha Baba. Hanuman achieved the name of Lootera-Hanuman from the pastime recorded in the Ramayana when Hanuman looted and burned the demon Ravana’s city of Lanka. The word ‘lootera’ which means to ‘steal another’s property’ gave rise to the English word ‘loot’; just as the word ‘thug’ has been derived from the name of Indian criminal tribe of robbers and assassins known as the Thuggees.
