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Hello All,

I wish you and your family, friends, near and dear........

A very happy, serene and joyful Sri Rama Navami wishes (04/04/09).

Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Hindu God/Lord Rama, son of King Dasaratha of Ayodhya, and a divine figure in Hinduism. The day also known as Sri Rama Navami, falls on the Navami, ninth day of the Chaitra month of Hindu lunar year in 'Shukla paksha' or waxing moon, thus named Chaitra Masa Shuklapaksha Navami, and marks the end of nine-day Chaitra-Navaratri celebrations. Hindus normally perform Kalyanotsavam (marriage celebration) with small murtis/idols of Rama and Sita in their houses, and at the end of the day the deity is taken to a procession on the streets. This day also marks the end of the nine-day utsavam called Chaitra Navaratri (Maharashtra) or Vasanthothsavam (Andhra Pradesh - festival of Spring), which starts with Gudi Paduva (Maharashtra) or Ugadi (South India).

In South India, the day is also celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Rama and his consort Sita, thus ceremonial wedding ceremonies, 'Sitarama Kalyanam', of the celestial couple are held at temples throughout the region, with great fanfare and accompanied by group chanting of name of Rama, 'Rama nama smaranam'.
Some highlights of this day are -

Ø Kalyanam (Ceremonial wedding of Sri Rama and Sita Devi performed by temple priests) at Bhadrachalam on the banks of the river Godavari in Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh.
Ø Paanakam, a sweet drink prepared on this day with jaggery and pepper.
Ø Procession of idols in the evening that is accompanied with play of water and colours.

Sri Rama Navami occurs at the beginning of the summer when the sun starts moving nearer to the northern hemisphere. The Sun is considered to be the progenitor of Rama's dynasty which is called the Sun dynasty. This dynasty is famous for great kings like King Dileep, King Raghu and many others. In all King Raghu was noted to stand for his word. Following the foot prints of his great ancestor King Raghu, Lord Rama too went to jungles to keep the promises made by his father Dasaratha to his step mother Kaikeyi. Hence Rama came to be known as Raghunatha, Raghupati, Raghavendra, Raghunandana and Raghurama. All these names beginning with the prefix ‘Raghu’ is also suggestive of some link with Sun-worship. The hour chosen for the observance of the lord's birth is that when the sun is overhead and is at its maximum brilliance. In some Hindu sects, prayers on Rama Navami day start not with an invocation to Rama but to Surya (Sun - Ravi in Sanskrit). Again the syllable ‘Ra’ is used in the word to describe the sun and brilliance in many languages.

The important celebrations on this day take place at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Bhadrachalam in Andhra Pradesh and Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, thronged by thousands of devotees; and Rathayatras, the chariot processions, also known as 'Shobha yatras' of lord Rama, his wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman, are taken out at several places and in Ayodhya, thousands of people take a dip in the sacred river Sarayu, on this auspicious day.

Many many happy returns of the day.

All the best and take care….

With thanks, regards and best wishes,
G.Srikanth.