Ram Navami 2027

What is Ram Navami?

Ram Navami celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana. It falls on the ninth day (Navami) of the bright half of Chaitra, usually in March or April, and is the last day of Chaitra Navratri, the spring Navratri. Rama is believed to have been born at midday, so the main worship takes place in the Madhyahna (midday) period.

Why is Ram Navami celebrated?

Rama is revered as Maryada Purushottam — the ideal man who lived by dharma as son, husband, brother and king. According to the Ramayana, King Dasharatha of Ayodhya performed a sacred fire ritual for children, and his queens bore four sons: Rama to Kaushalya, Bharata to Kaikeyi, and Lakshmana and Shatrughna to Sumitra. Ram Navami honours Rama's birth and the values of truth, duty and compassion that his life represents.

How is Ram Navami celebrated?

• Fasting: many devotees fast until midday or for the whole day, eating fruit and fasting foods.
• Midday puja: at the hour of Rama's birth, temples and homes rock a small cradle with an image of baby Rama, offer flowers, tulsi, fruit and panchamrit, and sing "Bhaye Prakat Kripala".
• Reading the Ramayana: families read the Ramcharitmanas or listen to Ram Katha; some complete an Akhand Path over the nine days of Chaitra Navratri.
• Processions: Shobha Yatras carry images of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman through towns with bhajans and chanting of "Jai Shri Ram".
• Prasad: panakam (jaggery and pepper drink), kosambari (lentil salad) and neer mor (spiced buttermilk) in South India; panjiri and kheer in the North.

Ram Navami across India

Ayodhya, Rama's birthplace, draws huge crowds to bathe in the Sarayu and visit the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. Bhadrachalam in Telangana celebrates Sita Rama Kalyanam, the celestial wedding of Rama and Sita, on this day. In Karnataka, Ramanavami music festivals are held in Bengaluru and Mysuru. In Bihar and eastern India, large processions with Mahavir flags are held, and in Odisha and Bengal the day is observed at Rama temples and in homes.

How to celebrate Ram Navami at home

Clean the puja place, decorate an image of Ram Darbar with flowers, and light a diya. At midday, offer tulsi, flowers, fruit and a sweet such as kheer or panjiri; read a few chaupais of the Ramcharitmanas or the Ram Raksha Stotra; perform aarti and share prasad. Children enjoy hearing the story of Rama's birth and dressing up as characters from the Ramayana.

Ram Navami abroad

Temples worldwide hold midday pujas, Ramayana recitals and Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremonies, usually also on the nearest weekend. In Trinidad, Guyana, Fiji and Mauritius, where Ramayan singing groups are a long tradition, mandalis gather to sing the Manas.