Ram Navami this year will be celebrated on 2nd April, 2020.
We are almost bidding goodbye to the much awaited spring festival Chaitra Navratri 2020 with Ram Navami, which will be celebrated on 2nd April, 2020, Thursday. This festival is celebrated to commemorate Lord Ram's birthday, who is also known to be the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. It is the part of Chaitra Navratri and falls on the ninth day of the Shukhla Paksha (bright half) in the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra. Devotees celebrate this day by observing a fast and seek blessings from Lord Ram. The festival signifies the victory of goodness over evil.
Ram Navami 2020: Significance And Celebration Of The Festival
Lord Ram is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and devotees celebrate his birthday on the 9th day of the Chaitra month. Lord Ram is said to be incarnated on earth in order to kill Ravana. On this day, many Vaishnava Hindus visit temples and other worship at home, where miniature idols of Lord Ram are bathed and clothed. The ceremony is accompanied by reciting Ram katha and singing religious bhajans. Most devotees observe a fast on this day. Not just Lord Ram, but Lord Lakshman, Lord Hanuman and Goddess Sita are worshipped, owing to their important connection with the Ramayana.
(Also Read: Ashtami: Date, Significance, Celebrations And Feast)
Ram Navami 2018
Ram Navami 2020: Feast Prepared During This Festival
No festival in India can be complete without food and Ram Navami is no different. South Indians celebrate this day by preparing certain foods that are offered to the deity as bhog, or prasadam. These traditional offerings are made with devotion and humility as a part of the celebrations. This offering given to god is known as naivedyam.
Some of the traditional foods prepared during Ram Navami as bhog and prasad include:
- Panakam - a drink prepared using jaggery, cardamom and dry ginger. A simple cooling drink perfect to drink on the onset of summers.
- Coconut ladoos - made with jaggery, grated coconut and milk. This sweet is offered to the deities as bhog.
- Makhana kheer - prepared with makhana, sugar or jaggery and milk. This makes for an amazing substitute to rice kheer.
- Dates halwa - yet another amazing delight prepared during this day to be offered to the deity and served as prasad.
Not only sweets, grand feasts are prepared in order to seek blessings from Lord Ram.
Ram Navami 2020: Puja Muhurat
Rama Navami Madhyahna Muhurat - 11:10 AM to 01:40 PM
Ram Navami Madhyahna Moment - 12:25 PM
Navami tithi begins at 03:40 AM on Apr 02, 2020 and Navami tithi ends at 02:43 AM on Apr 03, 2020.
Happy Ram Navami 2020!