Sri Rama Navami

Sri Rama Navami

Sri Rama Navami is celebrated normally on first month of Hindu calendar and when it is Sukla Pakshami Navami.      This year it falls on 31st of March for smarthas and 1st april for vaishnavas.    The birth of Lord Rama was on this day, as per Valmiki, who wrote the Ramayana.   Rama was born in Punarvasu (Punarpoosam) Nakshatram.     

When I was a school boy, it was festival of 10 days of carnatic music along side temples of Tamilnadu.     Young boys in the neibhourhood would be invited and neermore (Buttermilk) and panagam will be given and also a palmyra leaf fan.    What Mahaperiyval has told to do on Rama Navami day is given below:
On this day, young and the old should read the Ramavadhara kanda poems (if not possible from valmiki ramayna) of Kambaramayanam and especially the following-
வேய்புனர் பூசமும் விண்ணு ளோர்களும் 
தூய கற்கடகமும் எழுந்து துள்ளவே
சித்தரும் இயக்கரும் தெரிவைமார்களும் 
வித்தக முனிவரும் விண்ணு ளோர்களும்
நித்தரும் முறைமுறை நெருங்கி யார்ப்புறத்
தத்துறல் ஒழிந்து நீள் தருமம் ஓங்கவே 
ஒரு பகல் உலகெல்லாம் உதரத்துட் பொதிந்
தருமரைக் குணர்வரும் அவனை யஞ்சனக்
கருமுகிற் கொழுந்தெழில் காட்டுஞ் சோதியைத் 
திருவுறப் பயந்தனள் திறங்ககொள் கோசலை.


People above 20 years will have to fast for the day (Siddha upavasam).    People young and old to gather in the temple precincts of the village or the area and pray Rama Namam for atleast 5 minutes and with a bhajan of Sri ram jaya ram jaya ram ( 13 aksharas of the mantra) make a round of the area and after reaching the starting place, continue the bhajan for 10 minutes and complete it.  The next day morning, in the common place, after reading the rama pattabishekam, the poor of the village or area should be fed with annadhanam.
While doing these, one should pray that the brotherhood among the people should get strengthened and bakthi should flourish among the people.