Rama Navami
Rama Navami celebrates the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya in Ayodhya. Lord Rama was the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The blue-skinned god is one of the oldest avatars of Lord Vishnu in a human form. The auspicious day usually falls during Shukla Paksha on the Navami, the ninth day of the month of Chaitra according to the Hindu calendar. It is also known as Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami as it falls in the month of Chaitra. It also marks the end of the nine-day Chaitra-Navaratri celebrations. Rama Navami is regarded as one of the most important Hindu festivals.
The festival lasts for the whole nine days of Navaratri at some places. Thus, the period of these nine days is called 'Sri Rama Navaratri'. It is celebrated by continuous recitals, Akhand Paath, mostly of the Ramacharitamanas, organized several days in advance to culminate on this day, with elaborate bhajan, kirtan and distribution of prasad after the puja and aarti. Images of the infant Lord Rama are placed on cradles and rocked by devotees. Meals for the masses are organized too.
Since it is believed that Lord Rama was born at noon, temples and shrines are decked up. Ancient traditional prayers are offered together by the family and homams are organized, along with the Vedic chanting of mantras. Fruits and flowers are offered during the puja. Many followers mark this day by observing a fast on the day, followed by a feast in the evening, or at the end of celebrations. In Bhadrachalam, a town in Southern India, the day is regarded as the wedding anniversary of Lord Rama and his Nepalese consort Sita. Sitarama Kalyanam, the ceremonial wedding ceremony of the divine couple is celebrated at temples in the southern region, with a great number of people and accompanied by group chanting of the name of Lord Rama.
The major celebrations on this day take place at Janakpurdham in Nepal , Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Sita Samahit Sthal in Bihar, Bhadrachalam in Telangana, Kodandarama Temple in Karnataka, Vontimitta in Andhra Pradesh and Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. These locations are thronged by thousands of devotees during the nine days. Chariots are taken out for processions, they are also known as Shobha yatra of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. These chariots are taken out at several places, including Ayodhya where thousands of people plunge into the sacred river of Sarayu.
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