Ram Navami festivities take place to honour the birth of Lord Ram, who is believed to be the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. This spring festival is generally celebrated on the 9th day of Chaitra Navratri, which is around April or March as per the Hindu calendar.
Devotees come to Ayodhya from different parts of the country and visit the Ram temple illuminated and decorated with flowers. From taking a holy dip in the Sarayu river to being involved in ‘eight prahar’ fasting, there are so many traditions associated with it.
So, do you want to be a part of such traditions and celebrate Ram Navami Holiday in 2022? This article might help you with that. Give it a read!
As mentioned earlier, the festival is celebrated to display devotion towards Lord Ram as it is his birthday. Devotees believe that Maryada Purusottama or Lord Ram came down to earth on this day to protect human beings from evil forces. People in Ayodhya perform the Ram Navami puja during afternoon hours as Lord Ram was born during the ‘Madhyanha‘.
In 2022, the Ram Navami celebration is supposed to take place on April 10 (Sunday). To know about Ram Navami holidays for the upcoming years, refer to the following section!
Here is a tabular representation of all the dates for the upcoming years starting from 2023, on which Ram Navami will be celebrated:
Year | Date | Day |
2023 | March 30 | Thursday |
2024 | April 17 | Wednesday |
2025 | April 6 | Sunday |
2026 | March 27 | Friday |
2027 | April 15 | Thursday |
2028 | April 4 | Tuesday |
Before beginning the Ram Navami celebration, people thoroughly clean their houses and decorate them with flowers and lights. There is a small idol of Lord Ram in most of the Hindu households that take part in such festivals. To participate in Ram Navami puja, they usually restrict themselves to a particular diet or fast for 24 hours and start their prayer only after an early bath.
They also take part in aarti and bhajans and recite Tulsi Ramayan when the puja is going on. Finally, the puja ends with the distribution of prasad, comprising sweets and fruits. In some places, fairs and theatrical portrayals of Ravan getting defeated by Lord Ram get conducted as well.
If you want to witness this auspicious festival and make the most of your Ram Navami holiday in 2022, here are some ideal locations for you:
It is believed that Lord Ram started his Lanka journey from this place in order to defeat Ravana and rescue his wife, Sita. He was accompanied by Vanarsena, who built a ‘Ram Setu’ to reach Lanka. People from various parts of the country visit the famous Sri KothandaramaSwamy Temple, where the celebration of Ram Navami takes place in its full glory.
Lord Ram’s birthplace Ayodhya inevitably becomes the main attraction during this time of the year. From decorating houses to organising fairs and chariot processions, the Ayodhya residents fully involve themselves in making the festival awe-inspiring. If you visit during this spiritual festival, you will witness certain unique things, such as Ram Leela, satsangs at every household, etc.
Sitamarhi remains equally popular as Ayodhya due to being goddess Sita’s birthplace. Hindu pilgrims gather around the famous Janaki Mandir to complete the puja rituals and celebrate the Ram Navami festival. Every year, the beautiful decoration of the mandir and a special fair attracts a number of devotees to Sitamarhi.
This is another popular place where you can make the most of your Ram Navami Holiday in 2022 and witness unique things. This spring festival lasts 9 days; it ends with Navami which coincides with Lord Ram and Goddess Sita’s wedding. The Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple is extremely popular over there, and that is where the ceremonial wedding takes place. To take part in the celebrations of Ram Navami, you must visit this place, situated on the banks of the Godavari River.
Apart from these, Vontimitta, a small town in Andhra Pradesh, Shirdi, a popular place in Maharashtra, etc., are equally popular destinations to visit for witnessing the grand celebrations of Ram Navami.
Now you must have an idea regarding how it all started and why thousands of Hindu pilgrims congregate around temples to celebrate Ram Navami. Plan in advance and make sure to have adequate time on your hands to witness the grandeur associated with this festival during your Ram Navami Holiday in 2022.
Ans: Most of the devotees consider fasting a major part of this spring festival. There are different types of fasts that you can take part in, such as fasting until midnight, fasting until noon, or eating a single meal on that day. Even though it is not mandatory to take part in this ritual, some believe that it brings prosperity and eminence.
Ans: Ram Navami is also popularly known as Vaishnava as there is a Hindu belief associated with it. Hindu devotees consider Lord Ram as Lord Vishnu’s avatar, and that is why Vaishnava is celebrated by worshipping Lord Vishnu in all his forms.
Ans: In the Southern part of India, people celebrate the Ram Navami festival for 9 days. In Andhra Pradesh, besides performing all the similar kinds of rituals, people also conduct the wedding of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita at temples.
Ans: Ramcharitmanas is curated by Tulsidas and based on the famous Sanskrit Ramayana, written by Valmiki. In Mandirs and puja ghars, people generally chant the entire book for 24 hours and eulogise the virtues of Lord Ram.
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