Ram Navami closes Chaitra Navratri and honours the birth of Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu in the Puranic tradition and the hero of the Ramayana. It is a day of readings, of songs, and of the midday puja that recreates his birth in Ayodhya. Temples hold the Rama Kalyanam, the ritual wedding of Rama and Sita, on this day in the south.
Timing
The central worship is at midday, the Madhyahna, which tradition names as the hour of birth, and the time differs from city to city by the local sun. The Ram Navami page gives the date and the midday puja window for 49 cities. City pages such as New Delhi, Atlanta and Dubai give the local picture, and the any-city tool works out any other place. We do not give dates here. The preceding days follow the pattern in the Ghatasthapana vidhi.
Samagri: what to gather
| Item | Use |
|---|---|
| Picture or idol of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman | The focus of worship |
| A small cradle with a soft cloth | For the birth ritual, in many homes |
| Panakam (jaggery water with cardamom and pepper) and buttermilk with spices | The traditional offerings, especially in the south |
| Kheer or payasam, fruit and sweets | Naivedya |
| Tulsi leaves, flowers, sandal, turmeric | Worship |
| A lamp, incense, camphor | Worship and aarti |
| A copy of the Ramayana, the Ramcharitmanas or a Rama stotra | For recitation |
| Water and a small bell | Worship |
Steps in order
- Bathe early and decorate the altar. Many families fast until the midday puja.
- Light the lamp, invoke Ganesha and take the sankalp.
- Read a portion of the Ramayana or sing songs of Rama through the morning, building up to midday.
- At midday, bathe the idol of Rama with water and milk, dress him in new clothes and place him in the cradle.
- Offer tulsi, flowers, panakam, kheer and fruit. Ring a bell and blow a conch for the birth, and swing the cradle gently.
- Sing an aarti, for instance Om Jai Jagdish Hare, and share the prasad.
- Break the fast with the prasad, and spend the afternoon with family and with songs.
The katha
The Ramayana tells that Dasharatha, king of Ayodhya of the Ikshvaku line, had three queens, Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra, and no children. At the advice of the sage Vasishtha, he invited the sage Rishyashringa to perform a sacrifice, the Putrakameshti yajna. From the fire arose a being who carried a bowl of divine payasam. Dasharatha shared it among his queens, giving half to Kaushalya, a quarter to Kaikeyi and the rest to Sumitra, who received two portions.
On the ninth day of the bright half of Chaitra, with the Sun at its height, Kaushalya bore Rama. Kaikeyi bore Bharata, and Sumitra bore the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna. The whole city, the story says, was filled with celebration. The telling is traditional, and the details of the tithi and the nakshatra differ in various accounts.
Regional variations
Customs differ by region and family; follow your family’s custom. In Ayodhya, a large fair is held, with bathing in the Sarayu. In south India, temples hold Sita Rama Kalyanam, and the festival continues for several days, as at Bhadrachalam. In Maharashtra, kirtans are sung and gulal is sometimes thrown. In Odisha it is called Rama Navami and is observed with processions.
Fasting and food
Many keep a fast until the midday birth and then eat the prasad; some take fruit only, and others fast through the day. If you are pregnant, diabetic, ill or on medication, please speak to your doctor and eat on time if told to. Panakam is made with jaggery, so diabetic readers should take only a small amount.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Why is the puja at midday?
Because the tradition holds that Rama was born at noon on Chaitra Shukla Navami, when the Sun was at its height.
↳ What is panakam?
It is a drink of jaggery, water, cardamom and pepper, offered to Rama in south India on this day and shared as prasad.
↳ How is Ram Navami linked to Navratri?
Chaitra Navratri lasts nine days and ends on Navami, which is Ram Navami. The same nine days are devoted to the Goddess.
↳ What should I read?
Many read the Bal Kanda of the Ramayana, which tells of his birth, or sing from the Ramcharitmanas. Any short Rama stotra is also suitable.