Ram Navmi 2021: All You Need To Know About This Day

Celebrated on the last day of Chaitra Navaratri, Sree Ram Navami is one of the biggest religious festivals in India. It is celebrated in the spring season and honours the birth of Lord Rama, also known to be the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. This year, it will be celebrated on April 21. Hindus all over the world flock into temples and other places of worship on this day to celebrate the supreme being.

Who was Lord Rama?

Lord Rama, according to mythology, was born to Kausalya and Dasharatha in Ayodhya. In Ramayana, he is described as a polite, chivalrous and virtuous hero, who managed to defeat the demon king- Ravana against great odds and freed his wife from his captivity. His marriage to Sita and their life together is seen by many as a symbol of marital devotion.

Ram Navami Celebrations and its Significance

It is believed that Lord Ram was born on this day during the afternoon hours. For this reason, most of the acts of worship including ‘yagyas’ and bhajan singing happen during the Madhyahna Kaal (noon time). This year, the best time to perform the Ram Navami 2021 ceremonial rituals falls between 11:02 AM to 01:38 PM on April 21.

The grand celebrations of Ayodhya are a sight to behold. The whole city comes together to celebrate the day by decorating their houses and neighbourhood with lights. You would even find people who’ve travelled from other states just to be in Ayodhya during this time.

On this day, people rise up early, take a bath in the waters of the Sarayu river and then go to the Ram temple to pray. Some devotees even fast for 24 hours, the process is called ‘eight prahar' with each ‘prahar’ lasting for three hours. Some common Rama Navami festival rituals include narrating the Ramayana, performing a ceremonial wedding of Rama and Sita and carrying out Ram Navami processions in the neighbourhood.

Countries That Celebrate Ram Navami

Ram Navami is an important festival not just for the Hindu community residing in India, but for people of the Hindu faith everywhere in the world. These are some of the countries that celebrate this auspicious event with India: Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Mauritius, the Caribbean, Singapore and Malaysia. It is believed that a lot of Hindus found their way into these countries during the colonial period and established roots, leading to the celebratory functions held today.