A cālīsā is a devotional hymn composed of exactly forty (cālīs) verses, typically in Awadhi, Hindi, or Braj Bhasha. The most famous is the Hanuman Chalisa, attributed to the 16th-century poet-saint Tulsidas, which describes Hanuman's qualities and deeds in 40 doha-chaupai verses. Chalisas exist for many deities — Ganesh, Durga, Shiva, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Surya — and typically conclude with a prayer for the devotee's welfare. They are memorized and recited as daily spiritual practice, during auspicious occasions, or as remedial measures (upayas) in astrology.