Ram Navami 2022
Ram Navami
Embarked on the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri, Ram Navami is a Hindu festival which is celebrated in the honour of birth of Maryada Purshotam Ram, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Ram was born in Ayodhaya as the son of King Dasharath and Queen Kaushalya in the Raghu Kula (Solar Dynasty). According to the Gregorian calendar, this festival falls in the month of March or April.
Ram Navami represents the victory of good over evil and it signifies the establishment that Dharma always defeats Adharma. The day is often started by offering Jal (water) to the Hindu God Suraj Devta (The Sun) at sunrise, who is often a time in Hindu Mythology considered as an ancestor to Lord Rama. It is a popular belief amongst the devotees that celebrating and reciting prayers on the festival of Ram Navami, one brings divine power in his/her life as well as removes evil or negative energy from the earth.
The celebrations include fasting, singing of devotional songs, visiting temple and recitation of hymns from Ram Charitmanas. It is all about commemorating his ways of righteousness and worshipping Him for His divine grace to enable us to attain perfection. Ram Navami celebration is also done to reminiscence and honour Lord Ram for Ram Rajya, the peaceful days of Lord Ram’s sovereignty.
Why do we celebrate Ram Navami?
It is believed that on this day, desire of Dashrath, the pious king of Ayodhya (an ancient city in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India), was fulfilled. King Dashrath had three wives – Kausalya, Sumitra, and Kaikai. But none of the three had a male child which the king needed to take care of his empire and as a successor to his throne. Even after several years of his marriage, the King was not able to be a father.
One day the great sage Vasishta advised him to perform Ashvamedha Yagna, the holy ritual carried out to obtain an offspring, under the guidance of Maharshi Rishiyashringa. Under his guidance, king Dashrath followed all the rituals earnestly to perform the sacrifice of horse. At the end of the sacred ritual, arose Agni Dev (the God of fire) from the sacrificial fire, holding a vessel of divine kheer (preparation of rice and milk) in his hands. He handed over this kheer vessel to Dashrath and instructed him to distribute among his wives. The king gave one-half of the kheer to his elder wife Kausalya, and another half to his younger wife Kaikai. Both wives gave half of their portions to Sumitra. This unequal distribution of the holy kheer led to both Kausalya and Kaikai giving birth to one son each while twin sons were born to Sumitra.
This day was one of the greatest celebrations in Ayodhya, where not only the royal family but each and every people of Ayodhya celebrated and thanked Almighty for this miracle, little knowing that God himself was present among them in the form of Rama, the new-born son of Kausalya. Lord Rama as described in Ramayana (written by the ancient sage and Sanskrit poet Valmiki) was born on earth to restore mankind, destroy the evil (multi-headed demon Ravan) and protect the innocent.