Chaitra Shukla Navami · March – April

Ram Navami

राम नवमी

All festivals
Whose puja is it?

Rama

Honoured alongside: Sita · Lakshmana · Hanuman

Rama's birth, at midday rather than midnight. Many households worship the whole Ram Darbar — Rama with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman — rather than Rama alone.

What the puja consists of

  1. The nine days of Chaitra Navratri lead up to it; many fast on the ninth.
  2. At noon, the hour of the birth, the cradle is rocked and the infant Rama is bathed and dressed.
  3. Offer panakam, kosambari and neer mor in the south; in the north, sweets and tulsi.
  4. Akhand paath or a public recitation of the Ramcharitmanas or Valmiki Ramayana is completed.
  5. Shobha yatras carry the Ram Darbar through the streets in the evening.

Core chants

Named, not printed — each links to a recording where the catalogue has one.

  1. Mantra

    Shri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Ramaश्री राम जय राम जय जय राम

    The thirteen-syllable taraka mantra, repeated as japa through the day.

    Not in the catalogue yet — ask at your local temple or gurdwara, or learn it from a teacher in your tradition.

  2. Stotra

    Rama Raksha Stotramरामरक्षास्तोत्रम्

    Budhakaushika's hymn of protection, recited in the morning.

    Not in the catalogue yet — ask at your local temple or gurdwara, or learn it from a teacher in your tradition.

  3. Kirtan

    Raghupati Raghav Raja Ramरघुपति राघव राजा राम

    The bhajan sung in community, familiar far beyond temple settings.

  4. Kirtan

    Ram bhajans

    Sung through the day and in the evening procession.

  5. Paath

    Ramcharitmanas — Sundarkand or Balkandरामचरितमानस

    Tulsidas's telling; Balkand covers the birth, Sundarkand is read for strength.

    Not in the catalogue yet — ask at your local temple or gurdwara, or learn it from a teacher in your tradition.

  6. Paath

    Vishnu Sahasranama

    Recited where Rama is worshipped as an avatara of Vishnu.

    Not in the catalogue yet — ask at your local temple or gurdwara, or learn it from a teacher in your tradition.

It differs where you are. Ayodhya and Sitamarhi hold the largest gatherings; Bhadrachalam in Telangana marks Sita–Rama Kalyanam, the wedding rather than the birth; Maharashtra keeps a Ram Janma kirtan at midday.

This page is editorial context, not religious instruction. Where your family, region or lineage does it differently, that is the version to follow — ask an elder or a teacher in your tradition rather than a website.