In the epic Ramayana, Dasharatha, the Emperor from Ayodhya, had three wives named Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi in the Treta Yuga (which follows the Satya Yuga and succeeded by the Dwapara Yuga). Their greatest worry was that they had no children, and so they had no heir to the throne in the Ikshvaku Kula or royal lineage of great, pious, wonderful Emperors. Rishi Vasistha suggests him to performPuthra Kamesti Yagna, through which he can have a desired child. He also tells him to invite Maharshi Rishyasringa to perform this yagnafor him. Emperor Dasharatha consents and heads to Maharshi Rishyasringa's ashram, to invite him. Maharshi agrees and accompanies Emperor Dasharatha to Ayodhya (Capital of Avadha) and performs the yagna. As the result of this yagna, Yagneshwara appears and provides Dasharatha a bowl of kheer (divine pudding/payasam) and requests him to give it to his wives. Dasharatha gives one half of the kheer to his eldest wife, Kausalya, and the other half to his youngest wife, Kaikeyi. They both give half of their portions to Sumitra. After few days all three Queens conceive. At noon on the ninth day (Navami) of the Chaitra Masa (first month in Vedic calendar), Kausalya gives birth to Rama, Kaikeyi gives birth to Bharata, and Sumitra to twin boys, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.
Rama is the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, who takes birth by his own will, on Bhuloka (Earth) when Adharma rules over Dharma. He protects all his devotees by vanquishing the roots of Adharma. Vishnu decided to incarnate, as Rama, to destroy the Asura (person with demonic and evil designs) called Ravana.
Rama Navami (Devanāgarī: राम नवमी) also known as Sri Rama Navami (IAST Śri Rāma navamī) is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of the god Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya in Ayodhya. Rama is the 7th avatar of Vishnu.[2][3][4] The holy day falls in the Shukla Paksha on the Navami, the ninth day of the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. Thus it is also known as Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami, and marks the end of the nine-day Chaitra-Navaratri (Vasanta Navaratri) celebrations. Rama navami is one of the most important festivals of the Hindus, particularly the Vaishnava sect of the Hindus.
At some places the festival lasts the whole nine days of the Navaratri, thus the period is called 'Sri Rama Navaratra'.[5][6] It is marked by continuous recitals, Akhand Paath, mostly of the Ramacharitamanas, organized several days in advance to culminate on this day, with elaborate bhajan, kirtan and distribution of prasad after the puja and aarti. Images of the infant Rama are placed on cradles and rocked by devotees. Community meals are also organized.[7] Since Rama is believed to have been born at noon, temples and family shrines are elaborately decorated and traditional prayers are chanted together by the family in the morning. Also, at temples, specialhavans are organized, along with Vedic chanting of mantras and offerings of fruits and flowers. Many followers mark this day by vrata(fasting) through the day followed by feasting in the evening, or at the culmination of celebrations.[2][8][9] In South India, inBhadrachalam the day is also celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Rama and his consort Sita. Sitarama Kalyanam, the ceremonial wedding ceremony of the divine couple is held at temples throughout the south region, with great fanfare and accompanied by group chanting of name of Rama.[10][11]
The important celebrations on this day take place at Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) Sita Samahit Sthal (Sitamarhi) (Bihar), Bhadrachalam(Andhra Pradesh) and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), thronged by thousands of devotees. Rathayatras, the chariot processions, also known as Shobha yatras of Rama, Sita, his brother Lakshmana and Hanuman, are taken out at several places,[2][12][13] including Ayodhya where thousands of people take a dip in the sacred river Sarayu.[14]
Rama is the seventh incarnation of Vishnu
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