Ram Navami 2027राम नवमी

When is Ram Navami?

Observed on Shukla Navami, Chaitra month. Dates follow the Panchang for New Delhi and can differ by a day in other places — check the Panchang for your city.

What Ram Navami means

Ram Navami, the ninth day of the bright half of Chaitra, celebrates the birth of Shri Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, in Ayodhya. It is the last day of Chaitra Navratri, so the nine nights of the Devi end with the birth of the one who upheld dharma in every part of his life.

Rama is Maryada Purushottam — the ideal man who stayed within the bounds of right conduct as son, brother, husband, friend and king. Ram Navami is therefore not only a birthday but a day to remember what he stood for: truthfulness, keeping one's word, care for the weak and the rule of justice, the 'Ram Rajya' that India still holds up as its ideal of good government.

The heart of the day is midday, the hour of Rama's birth. Temples hold the janmotsav at noon, the Ramcharitmanas or Valmiki Ramayana is read, devotees fast until midday or all day, and towns take out shobha yatras with tableaux of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman.

The story of Ram Navami

King Dasharatha of Ayodhya had no son. On the advice of his ministers and the sage Vasishtha he had the sage Rishyashringa perform the Putrakameshti yajna. From the fire rose a radiant being carrying a vessel of divine payasam, which Dasharatha shared among his queens: Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra.

Valmiki tells that when twelve months had passed, in Chaitra, on the ninth tithi, under the Punarvasu nakshatra (whose deity is Aditi), with five planets exalted and Cancer rising, Kaushalya gave birth to Rama. Kaikeyi bore Bharata, and Sumitra the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Tulsidas adds that it was midday — 'neither too cold nor too hot' — in the Abhijit muhurat, and that Rama first appeared to Kaushalya in his four-armed form as Vishnu. At her request he became a crying infant, so that she could know the joy of a mother. The Ramcharitmanas verse 'Bhae pragata kripala' describes this moment and is sung at noon in temples on Ram Navami.

Ram Navami puja vidhi, step by step

A simple Ram Navami puja for home. Many families also keep the Chaitra Navratri fast, which ends today or tomorrow with kanya puja — follow your own tradition.

What you need

• An image or murti of Shri Rama, ideally with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman (Ram Darbar), or of Ram Lalla
• A small cradle (palna) for the infant Rama, if your family keeps that custom
• Panchamrit (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar) and clean water for abhishek
• Yellow cloth, sandal paste, roli, akshat, tulsi leaves, flowers and a garland
• A ghee diya, incense and camphor for aarti
• Naivedya: panjiri (dhaniya panjiri), kheer, fruits, and panakam (jaggery water with pepper and cardamom) in the South
• The Ramcharitmanas, Valmiki Ramayana or Ram Raksha Stotram for reading

When to do the puja

The janmotsav is done in the madhyahna (midday) period, when Navami tithi prevails — Rama was born at noon. In 2027 Ram Navami falls on 15 April. The exact midday muhurat changes with your city; check the Panchang. See the Panchang for your city.

Steps

1. Morning. Bathe early, clean the puja place and take a sankalp for the vrat — a fast until noon, a phalahar fast, or a full fast, as health allows.
2. Prepare the altar. Place Rama's image on a yellow cloth with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. Decorate the cradle if you use one.
3. Read before noon. Read the Bal Kand birth episode from the Ramcharitmanas, or the Ram Raksha Stotram, or chant 'Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram'.
4. Janmotsav at midday. At noon do the abhishek with panchamrit and water, dress the murti, offer sandal, tulsi and flowers, and rock the cradle while singing 'Bhae pragata kripala'.
5. Naivedya and aarti. Offer panjiri, kheer and fruit, then do the aarti of Shri Rama and Hanuman. Distribute prasad.
6. Breaking the fast. Those fasting until noon eat after the puja; others break the fast the next morning. Feed someone in need and, if you can, give books of the Ramayana.

Offerings & food: Panjiri (made of coriander seeds), kheer, kesar bhaat, panakam

Mantras for Ram Navami

Ram Navami across India

Grand celebrations at Ayodhya, Sitamarhi (Sita's birthplace), Bhadrachalam (AP), Rameswaram. South India also observes Ram Navami Kalyanotsavam (celestial marriage).

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh)

The largest celebration: lakhs of pilgrims bathe in the Sarayu and crowd the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Hanuman Garhi and Kanak Bhawan for the noon janmotsav.

Bhadrachalam (Telangana)

The Sita Rama Kalyanam — the celestial wedding of Rama and Sita — is performed on Ram Navami, with pearls (talambralu) and silk sent by the state government.

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

Panakam and neer mor (spiced buttermilk) are offered and shared, and Ramayana discourses and music festivals (Rama Navami utsavams) run for days around the festival.

Bihar and Nepal

Sitamarhi and Janakpur, linked with Sita's birthplace, hold large fairs; in Bihar the Mahavir Mandir in Patna and Hanuman temples see huge crowds.

Maharashtra and Gujarat

Kirtan and the reading of the Ramayana end with the janma at noon; a cradle is rocked and dry ginger and sugar (sunthavda) are given as prasad in many homes.

Prayers to recite

Do’s and don’ts

Temples to visit for Ram Navami

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi MandirAyodhya, Uttar PradeshHanuman GarhiAyodhya, Uttar Pradesh

Frequently asked questions