राम नवमी · રામ-નવમી
Next date
15 April 2027
Thursday · Shukla Navami
Birth anniversary of Lord Rama. The 9th day of Chaitra Navratri. Celebrated with readings of Ramayana and bhajans.
Dasharatha, childless, performed the putrakameshti yagna. From the fire came a vessel of payasam, divided among his queens, and Rama was born to Kausalya at noon on this day, Vishnu's seventh avatar, taking birth to end Ravana.
Fasting until noon, then celebration at the birth moment. Ramayana recitation, often the Sundarkand or a full nine-day akhand path ending today. Cradle ceremonies with an infant Rama. Ayodhya draws enormous crowds; Rameswaram and Bhadrachalam likewise.
Fasting food until midday, then panakam, jaggery, water, cardamom, dry ginger and pepper, with neer mor (spiced buttermilk) and kosambari. In the north, kheer and halwa.
In Andhra and Telangana, Bhadrachalam stages Sitarama Kalyanam, the wedding of Rama and Sita, on this day rather than the birth. In Tamil Nadu the same. Maharashtra holds it in temples with kirtan; Ayodhya is the north's focus.
