Rāma Navamī — the birth of Śrī Rāma
Caitra Śukla Navamī · March–April
Rāma Navamī celebrates the birth of Rāma, prince of Ayodhyā, remembered as maryādā-puruṣottama — the best of men, who kept to dharma even when it cost him dearly. His birth is celebrated at midday, the hour tradition gives for it, and the day closes the nine nights of Caitra Navarātri.
At home, clean the shrine and place an image of Rāma with Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān. Many keep a light fast until noon or through the day (fruit and milk are fine). At midday, ring a bell, offer flowers, tulasī, sweets and a cradle-rocking if you have a small idol of baby Rāma, and do āratī. Read a few sargas of the Rāmāyaṇa, a chapter of the Rāmcaritmānas (Bāl Kāṇḍ), or simply chant “Śrī Rām, Jay Rām, Jay Jay Rām”. Pānakam (jaggery-pepper-cardamom water) and kosambari (soaked moong salad) are favourite South Indian offerings; in the North, pañjīrī and fruit. Reciting the Hanumān Cālīsā is a natural close.
Ayodhyā draws huge crowds to the Sarayū. At Bhadrācalam in Telangana, the wedding of Sītā and Rāma (Sītārāma Kalyāṇam) is performed on this day with great ceremony, and many South Indian homes hold their own little kalyāṇam. Rāmāyaṇa discourses and bhajans run for nine days in temples, and in the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius and Southeast Asia — where the Rāmāyaṇa travelled long ago — Rāma Navamī is a beloved community festival.
Tradition says that King Daśaratha of Ayodhyā, long without an heir, had the sage Ṛṣyaśṛṅga perform a putrakāmeṣṭi sacrifice. From the fire rose a radiant being with a vessel of pāyasa, which the king shared among his queens. Kausalyā gave birth to Rāma on the ninth day of Caitra's bright half, under the star Punarvasu, while Kaikeyī bore Bharata and Sumitrā the twins Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna. Vālmīki describes the heavens rejoicing at the birth of the one who would restore dharma.
Śrī Rāma · Sītā · Hanumān · Midday pūjā; fast till noon · Ayodhyā, Bhadrācalam · Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa