Ram Navami

Ram Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya of Ayodhya. Ram is the 7th incarnation of the Dashavatara of Vishnu. The festival falls in the Shukla Paksha on the Navami, the ninth day of the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. Thus it is also known as Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami, and marks the end of the nine-day Chaitra-Navratri celebrations.

At some places the festival lasts the whole nine days of the Navratras, thus the period is called 'Sri Rama Navratra'.It is marked 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 infant form of Shri Rama are placed on cradles and rocked by devotees. Since Rama is the 7th incarnation of Vishnu having born at noon, temples and family shrines are elaborately decorated and traditional prayers are chanted together by the family in the morning. Also, at temples special havans are organized, along with Vedic chanting of Vedic mantras and offerings of fruits and flowers. Many followers mark this day by Vrata (fasting) through the day followed by feasting in the evening, or at the culmination of celebrations.In South India,in Bhadrachalam the day is also celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Sri Rama and his consort Sita. Sitarama Kalyanam, the ceremonial wedding ceremony of the celestial couple is held at temples throughout the south region, with great fanfare and accompanied by group chanting of name of Rama, (Rama nama smaranam).Where as the marriage is celebrated in Mithila and Ayodhya during another day on Vivaha Panchamias per Valmiki Ramayana.

The important celebrations on this day take place at Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh),Bhadrachalam (Andhra Pradesh) and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), thronged by thousands of devotees. Rathayatras, the chariot processions, also known as Shobha yatras of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, are taken out at several places,including Ayodhya where thousands of people take a dip in the sacred river Sarayu.

History:

In the epic Ramayana, Dasharatha, the Emperor from Ayodhya, had three wives named Kausalya,Sumitra and Kaikeyi in the Treta Yuga, which follows the Satya Yuga and is succeeded by Dwapara Yuga. Their greatest worry was that they had no children, and so they had no heir to the throne in the Ikshvaku Kula or royal lineage of great, pious, wonderful Emperors. Rishi Vasistha suggests him to perform Puthra Kamesti Yagna, through which he can have a desired child. He also tells him to bring Maha Rishi Rishyasringa to perform this yagna for him. Emperor Dasharath consents and heads to Maharshi Rushya Shrunga's ashram, to invite him. Maharshi agrees and accompanies Emperor Dasharatha to Ayodhya (Capital of Avadha) and performs the yagna. As the result of this yagna, Yagneshwara appears and provides Dasharatha a bowl of divine pudding or Kheer/Payasam and requests him to give it to his wives. Dasharata gives one half of the payasam to his elder wife Kausalya, and another half to his younger wife Kaikeyi. They both give half of their portions to Sumitra. After few days all three Queens conceive. On the ninth day (Navami) of Chaithra Masa (last month in Vedic calendar), at noon Kausalya gives birth to Rama, Kaikeyi gives birth to Bharata, and Sumitra to twin boys, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Rama is the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, who takes birth by His own will, on Bhuloka (Earth) when Adharma rules over Dharma. He protects all his devotees by vanquishing the roots of Adharma. Rama decided to incarnate to destroy an Asura or person with demonic and evil designs, called Ravan.

Celebration:

Followers of Hinduism in South India normally perform Kalyanotsavam (marriage celebration) with small deities murtis of Rama and Sitain their homes, and at the end of the day the deity is taken to a procession on the streets. This day also marks the end of the nine-day utsava called Chaitra Navaratri (Maharashtra) or Vasanthothsava (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu) (festival of Spring), which starts with Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra). According to recent astrological studies, some consider his date of birth to be January 10, 5114 B.C.

Some highlights of this day include

• Kalyanam, a ceremonial wedding performed by temple priests
• Panakam, a sweet drink prepared on this day with jaggery and pepper.
• Procession of murtis in the evening, accompanied by playing with water and colours.

For the occasion, Followers of Hinduism fast or restrict themselves to a specific diet in accordance to VedaDharma. Vedic temples are decorated and readings of theRamayana take place. Along with SriRama, people also worship Sita, Rama's wife;Lakshmana, Rama's brother; and Hanuman, an ardent devotee of Rama and the leader of his army in the battle against the asura Ravana.

Shri Rama Navami is dedicated to remembering Rama, as the most Supreme with resolute Bhakti (devotion). It occurs on the ninth day, or navami beginning count from the "no moon day" or Amavasya, during the waxing moon duration called "Shukla Paksha". Sri Rama Navami generally occurs in the months of March and April. Celebrations and festivities begin with prayer to the Surya Deva early in the morning. At midday, when Rama incarnated on that day in Treta Yuga, that duration is special and hence devotional service to him is performed with Bhakti and peity.

The Kalyanam performed in the Bhadrachalam Temple, in Andhra Pradesh is very famous.

A number of ISKCON temples introduced a more prominent celebration of the occasion of the holiday with the view of addressing needs of growing native Hindu congregation. It is however always was a notable calendar event on the traditional Gaurabda calendar with a specific additional requirement of fasting by devotees.

Sri Rama Navami is shared with Swaminarayan Jayanti, the birth of Swaminarayan, who was born in the village of Chhapaiya in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Ram navami at Shirdi:

In 1897, Gopalrao Gund proposed holding in Urus as in expression of his gratitude to Baba for having been granted the birth of a son after many childless years. Baba gave his permission for the celebration and fixed the day for Ramnavami. 

This was an ingenious touch of Baba’s. Urus is a Muslim festival honoring a Muslim Saint( usually one who passed away); by holding the Urus, on the day of a Hindu festival, the two communities were brought closer tighter in a natural yet remarkable way. 

           Things were going on in this way and the fair was gradually increasing in importance till 1912. When a change took place. That year one devotee Mr. Krishnarao Jogeshwar Bhishm came to the fair, he was staying in Dixit Wada. A new thought arose in his mind and he costed a letter thus. There is some providential arrangement in the fact that the Urus or fair is celebrated in Shirdi on the Ram Navami day. The Ram Navami day is very dear to all the Hindus then why not begin the Ram Navami festival the celebration of the birth of Shri Ram on this day here. Kaka Mahajani liked the idea and it was arranged to get Baba’s permission in this matter. Bhishm solved the difficulty of Kirtan by saying that his Ram Akhyan, the composition on Rama’s birth was ready and he would do the Kirtan himself while Kaka Mahajani should play on the harmonium. It was also arranged to get ‘Suntharwada’  (ginger powder mixed with sugar) as Prasad prepared by Radhakrishnamai. So the went to masjid to get Baba’s permission Bhishma explained the idea of celebrating Ram Navamifestival and asked for Baba’s permission and Baba gladly gave it. All rejoiced and made preparations for the Jayanti festival. Next day the masjid was decorated. A cradle was supplied by Radhakrishnamai and placed in front of Baba’s seat and the proceeding stated Bhishma stood up for Kritan and Mahajani played on the Harmonium.  Baba took a garland form the ‘Nimber’ and placed it round his neek and sent another for Bhishma. Then the Kritan commenced. That day’s programme including Mahapuja and Arti was Finished. Later on Mr. Mahajani asked Baba for permission to remove the cradle. Baba   refused the same saying that the festival was not yet finished. Next day another Kritan and Gopalkala ceremony was performed and the Baba allowed the cradle to be removed. While the Ram-Navami Festival was thus going on, the procession of the two flags by day and that of the sandal by night, went off with the usual pomp and show. From this time onwards the Urus of Baba was transformed into the Ram Navami Festival and began to grow gradually year by year, Radhakrishnamai started Naam-saptah. ‘Shirdi’ looked like a be hive of men.

             It is to be noted that both the Hindus and Mohammedans have been working together in both the procession during the entire festival and there has been no confrontations or quarrel between them at all so far.

            In Shirdi, two locally historic rituals are carried out during this festival: the sack of wheat that is kept in Dwarkamai is changed and the old one taken to prasadalaya to be used there, and secondly, the dwarkamai flags are replaced. When Urus was first celebrated,  Gopalrao Gund prevailed upon his friend to supply a flag for the procession. This was Damu Anna Rasne of Ahmednagar who had similarly been blessed by Sai Baba with Son’s having come to Baba for this Purpose on the recommendation of shama’s father – in – law .In addition, Gund asked Nanasaheb Nimonkar to supply a second flag with embroidery. This was also done and both flags (described as “huge” by M. W. Pradhan, who saw them) were taken in procession through the village and fixed the two corners of Dwarkamai. Descendants of these two devotees continue this tradition and flags are brought and offered at Baba’s Samadhi before being taken on a grand procession.

Various religious activities are arranged Great number of people flock to Shirdi during this Festival.

Raghupati Raghav Rajaram, 

Patit pavan Sai naam