Ram Navami – रामनवमी

This festival is celebrated on the Navami Tithi of the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar. Ramlila is also organized, in which the story of Lord Rama is presented in a theatrical form by local actors.

Ram Navami is celebrated as the day of the incarnation of Lord Shri Ram. This festival comes on the Navami of Shukla Paksha of the first month of the Hindu calendar, Chaitra, and this festival is also celebrated as the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri. Shri Ram appeared in Abhijit Nakshatra at twelve noon.

Lord Shri Ram is considered an ideal man in India, hence he is called Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram, and his highest administrative skills are addressed as Ram-Rajya.

On the day of Ram Navami, devotees take a dip in the holy river Saryu in Ayodhya, the birthplace of Purushottam Shri Ramchandra. And devotees organize bhajans, kirtans, Ramayana recitations, fasts, processions and chariot processions related to Lord Shri Ram, his wife Mata Sita, his younger brother Shri Lakshman and Shri Ram devotee Hanuman ji. It is believed that Shri Goswami Tulsidas ji started composing Ram Charit Manas on this day.

Holy birth story of Shri Ram Ji

Ramayana and Ramcharit Manas are our holy books. Tulsidas ji has composed Ramcharitmanas considering Shri Ram as God, but Adikavi Valmiki has considered Shri Ram only as a human being in his Ramayana. Tulsidas ji ended Ramcharitmanas after the coronation of Ram, while Adikavi Shri Valmiki has described the story further in his Ramayana till the Mahaprayan of Shri Ram.

Maharaja Dashrath decided to start a Yagya to get a son. As per the King's orders, the Shyamkarna horse was released with the Chaturangini army. Maharaja Dashrath sent invitations to all the wise, ascetic, learned sages and Vedavigya scholars to complete the Yagya. When the appointed time came, Maharaja Dashrath, along with all the guests, reached the Yagya Mandap with his Guru Vashisht ji and his best friend, the ruler of Anga Desh, Lobhpad's son-in-law, Ring Rishi. In this way the great Yagya was duly started. The entire atmosphere resonated with the high-pitched recitation of Vedic mantras and smelled of the fragrance of Samidha.

The Yagya ended with all the scholars, Brahmins, Rishis etc. being respectfully bid farewell after offering them appropriate wealth, grains, cows etc. King Dashrath took the Prasad Chara (Kheer) of the Yagya to his palace and distributed it among his three queens. As a result of accepting the Prasad, all three queens conceived.

When on the Navami Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month, Sun, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus were situated in their respective high places in Punarvasu Nakshatra, as soon as Cancer ascendant rose, a child was born from the womb of Maharaja Dashrath's elder queen Kaushalya, who was blue in color, had magnetic attraction, was extremely radiant, supremely radiant and extremely beautiful. Those who saw that child kept watching. After this, in auspicious constellations and auspicious moments, Maharani Kaikeyi gave birth to one and the third queen Sumitra gave birth to two radiant sons.

Joy was celebrated throughout the kingdom. Gandharvas started singing and Apsaras started dancing in the joy of the birth of the King's four sons. The gods sat in their planes and started showering flowers. The Maharaja gave donations and alms with open hands to the bards, charans and Brahmins and petitioners who came to the Rajdwar to give blessings. In the award, wealth and grains were given to the subjects and gems and ornaments were given to the courtiers. The naming ceremony of all the four sons was performed by Maharishi Vashisht and they were named Ramchandra, Bharat, Lakshman and Shatrughna.

With increasing age, Ramchandra started surpassing his brothers in qualities and became extremely popular among the people. He had an extremely unique talent as a result of which he became proficient in all subjects in a short period of time. He acquired extraordinary proficiency in driving all types of weapons and riding elephants, horses and all types of vehicles. He was constantly engaged in the service of his parents and teachers.

The remaining three brothers also followed him. As much reverence and devotion these four brothers had towards their teachers, they also had as much love and harmony among themselves. Maharaja Dashrath's heart was filled with pride and joy on seeing his four sons.