Ram Navami Story behind it and how it is Celebrated

A Little Back Story 

Ram Navami is one of the most prominent festivals celebrated in India. Lord Ram is a Hindu God and this festival marks his birthday. Lord Rama was the first child of King Dasharath and Queen Kaushalya. He was the eldest of all the four sons King Dashratha had from his three wives. His birth happened in Treta Yuga. Lord Rama was the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Lord Vishnu purposely incarnated himself to destroy the evil, Ravana.

Read More – Chaitra Navratri: Story Time of 9 days, Gods, Colours, and More

It was during the 9 auspicious days of the Chaitra Navratri that all four brothers or all the four sons of King Dasharatha, Lord Rama, Lord Lakshman, Lord Bharat, and Lord Shatrughan were born on Earth.

Date and Month

Ram Navami happens in the month of Spring or Chaitra Month. It falls every year on the ninth day of the Chaitra Navratri. He was exactly born on Navami Tithi of Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) at noon in Chaitra. The Chaitra month is also the first month of the Hindu Lunar Calendar. As per the Gregorian Calendar, this festival falls in the month of March – April. Lord Rama has been believed to be one of the greatest kings of the Treta Yuga. He always stood for what was right and never even let his personal life come in between.

Lord Rama, the Greatest Man

Because of his nature, behaviour, decisions, and ethics, he was also known as “Maryada Purushottam”. Maryada means ‘limit’ and purushottama means ‘the greater than the greatest man. It means that he was a perfect man who was always bound by morals and ethics.

He was an ideal son who went to exile for 14 years as was instructed by his father, he was an ideal son, an ideal elder brother, and also an ideal husband. He even promised Maa Sita, his wife, that, unlike a lot of other kings, he will not marry anyone else and will remain just married to her. He was also a very ideal king who always stood for his ‘Praja’ or the audience. He made sure that the general public of his land Ayodhya are always content with his decisions as a king and he always worked for them even if it included making sacrifices for himself.

Ram Rajya

He always made sure that people’s voices are considered in his Rajya or under his reign. This is the reason people still use the phrase ‘Ram Rajya’ to point out the fact that it is needed in today’s world where there is equality, no greed, no poverty, and no hatred as well.

The Celebrations

Ram Navami is celebrated in the entire country with great zeal and honour to celebrate the birth of Lord Rama. The devotees from all over the world visit Ram temples to pay their regards to God. Lots of devotees are on fast and they eat only after visiting the temple. Taking a holy dip in the sacred rivers is also a celebration way of this day.

Celebrations in Ayodhya

The biggest celebration is carried out in Ayodhya which happens to be the birthplace of Lord Rama. The entire city is decorated and the preparations start beforehand. The temples, streets, markets, and everything are decorated in a grand way. The famous Ram Mandir of Ayodhya is decorated and the major celebrations happen there. Even the Hanuman temples all over the world are decorated on this day for the celebrations to happen there. There is always a long queue of devotees visiting the temple on this day. People make sure to visit Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman’s temples on this day.

Celebrations in Rameshwaram

Rameshwaram is also a common place to visit and experience the Ram Navami festival. Devotees also chant the “Taraka Mantra” on this auspicious day. It is strongly believed that chanting Lord Rama’s name or saying Jai Shri Ram with a whole heart will remove the sins from the lives of the devotees. The Lord himself had said, “Repetition of My name once is equal to the repetition of one thousand names of God or to the repetition of a Mantra one thousand times.”

People’s Beliefs

Apart from visiting the temples, a lot of people also do the pooja and Aarti inside their houses. They light diyas in front of the Gods and ask for peace, harmony, and well-being. Devotees also read Ramayana on this day inside their houses or in the temples. Lord Hanuman is prayed for on this day because Lord Hanuman was the greatest devotee and lover of Lord Rama.

He asked Lord Rama to always keep him in his presence and hence people never forget to pay their regards to Lord Hanuman. People also visit Lord Hanuman temple on this day and off prayers, aarti, sweets, recite Hanuman Aarti and Hanuman Chalisa, and also light diyas. There are a lot of places where the Ramayana path or Ram Katha is organised and a lot of people take part in it to listen to the stories of Lord Rama.

Navami Puja

Since it is also the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri, a lot of people also perform the Kanya Puja with young unmarried girls. The girls represent the nine forms of Goddess Durga.

Ram Navami Processions

In some parts of the country including Ayodhya, other sides of UP, Bihar, and Jharkhand, massive processions are also carried out. Lots and lots of devotees take part in this procession. Bhajans of Lord Rama are played in the big speakers during this procession.

People also carry huge flags of Hinduism as a part of the process and take them from one temple to another or rest it in some rivers after the procession is done. Lots of martial arts and other street art devotees show their art as a form of worship to God. Continuous chanting of Jai Shri Ram is done by the devotees in this procession. Lots of people just gather around to see the procession and how beautifully it is carried out.

A Little Back Story  Ram Navami is one of the most prominent festivals celebrated in India. Lord Ram is a Hindu God and this festival marks his birthday. Lord Rama was the first child of King Dasharath and Queen Kaushalya. He was the eldest of all the four sons King Dashratha had from his three…