Rama Navami

The Story

Birth of Sri Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, to King Dasharatha of Ayodhya and Queen Kausalya, at noon (madhyahna) on Chaitra shukla navami. Climax of nine days of Chaitra Navratri.

Vidhi · How It's Done

• Wake before sunrise, ritual bath
• Recitation of Rama-stuti, Rama Raksha Stotra, Sundara Kanda, or full Ramcharitmanas parayana
• Decorate Rama's image / cradle with flowers
• At noon (madhyahna): Rama's birth ceremony
• Bhog: panakam (jaggery-cardamom-pepper drink), kosumalli (sprouted moong salad), neer-mor (buttermilk)
• Visit to Rama temples; especially Ayodhya during the Ram Mandir era

Key Mantras

• ॐ श्री रामाय नमः
• श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम
• Rama Raksha Stotra

Bhog · Festival Foods

Panakam · Kosumalli · Neer-mor (buttermilk) · Vada-payasam · Halwa-puri

Regional Variants

• · Ayodhya: Ram-Janmabhoomi celebrations
• · South India: Sri Rama Navami concludes 9-day reading of Sundara Kanda or Ramayana
• · Bhadrachalam (Telangana): Sita-Rama kalyanam (wedding) on this day