Ram Navami 2020: Date, day, significance, rituals and puja timings
Rama Navami is observed as the birth anniversary of Lord Rama. This year Rama Navami festival falls on Thursday, April 2, 2020, four days before the Mahavir Jayanti.
am Navami is the festival of great importance for the people of the Hindu religion. It is celebrated on the ninth day of Chaitra month, the first month in the Hindu lunar calendar. It marks the culmination of the spring festival of Vasanta Navratri or Chaitra Navratri which begins on Ugadi. On this day many people conduct homa and conclude the nine days festivities of Chaitra Navratri, due which the festival is known as Ram Navami or Rama Navratri.
This year Rama Navami Festival falls on Thursday, April 2, 2020, four days before the Mahavir Jayanti, which is the major festival of the Jain community.
Ram Navami 2020: Significance
Ram Navami is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Rama, the descent of god Vishnu as Rama avatar, through his birth to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya in Ayodhya. He was born during Treta Yuga out of four cyclic Yugas described in religious books.
Lord Rama is considered the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu and it is believed that worshipping him on this day indicates the removal of bad powers and entrance of divine power on the earth.
This year Ram Navami will fall on Thursday, April 2, 2020| Representational image
Rama Navami 2020: Date and puja timings
According to Drikpanchang, Rama Navami on Thursday, April 2, 2020, and the auspicious time for puja during Rama Navami festival are as follows:
- Rama Navami Madhyahna Muhurat – 11:57 AM to 02:35 PM
- Duration – 02 Hours 38 Mins
Sita Navami is on Friday, May 1, 2020
- Rama Navami Madhyahna Moment – 01:16 PM
- Navami Tithi Begins – 11:10 PM on Apr 01, 2020
- Navami Tithi Ends – 10:13 PM on Apr 02, 2020
Ram Navami 2020: Rituals
On this very significant day and devotees keep a day-long fast, starts in the morning and extends till the next morning. They worshipping Lord Rama listen or narrating the epic Ramayana or Nama Ramayanam, performing the ceremonial wedding of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita and some conduct the Rama Navami procession.
Devotees in some parts of the country also organize bhajans and kirtans for an entire nine-day Navratra period.
On this day some of the devotees observe a strict fast and refrain themselves from the consumption of food and water, whereas some devotees observe a milder form of fasting can consume water and fruits.
Lord Rama was born in Ayodhya and the celebration of Rama Navami in Ayodhya are remarkable. On Ram Navmi devotees from far-flung places come to Ayodhya, take a holy dip into river Sarayu and visit Rama temple to participate in birthday celebrations.