Hindu festival Sri Rama Navami: Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, who is the seventh avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. It is not his marriage anniversary. The festival is observed on the ninth day of the Chaitra month in the Hindu calendar, which typically falls in March or April in the Gregorian calendar. It is a significant and joyous occasion for Hindus, marked by special prayers, bhajans (devotional songs), and processions.
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Is the Hindu festival Sri Rama Navami the birthday of Lord Ram or his marriage anniversary?
Shri Ram Navami or Chaitra Navmi the appearance day (not the birth day as commonly people say) is very popular known as as great festival of Hindus in Ayodhya UP, Janakpuri, Sitamarhi in Bihar and even parts of MP. Ram Navmi or Chaitra Navmi is the marks of appearance day of Lord Sri Ram at Ayodhya.
Bhagwaan does not take birth like us. He is neither in Sri Ram Avtar nor in Sri Krishna Avtaar took birth from any woman. (You can check Hindu scriptures) Lord omnipotent had appeared before Mata Kaushalya in four armed with his original Ayudha and After having appeared in four armed Vishnu form, look took the tiny baby form and he did divine lila. Ram Navmi or Chaitra Navmi is also very important festival in parts of Bihar and Jharkhand even today. The great festival or Mela is arranged and it continues to about one month even. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm there. Huge procession with horses, camels elephants and on chariot come out and pass through main city to its destination to mark the day of Lord appearance day.
The Day Vivah Panchmi which will be the day when Mata Sita and Lord Sri Ram wedding ceremony is celebrated even today every year in Janakpur the appearance place of Mata Sita in Bihar. So, On Vivah Panchami day Mata Sita the Supreme Aadi Shakti and Lord Sri Ram the Supreme Lord were married and this day is celebrated as marriage anniversary of Lord Rama and Sita every year.
Vivah Panchami
Vivah Panchami is a popular Hindu festival that commemorates the weddings of Mata Sita and Lord Rama. It is celebrated on the ‘Panchami’ (5th day) of the Shukla Paksha (the waxing phase of moon) during the month of ‘Margashirsha’ in the Hindu calendar. In the Hindu Dharma, this day is considered to be very auspicious day as it marks the ceremonial marriage anniversary of Mata Sita and Lord Sri Rama. It is very famous festival in Janakpur, Sita marhi, Madhubani in Bihar and it is celebrated about 15 days earlier the day and even after the marriage is done.
The celebrations of Vivah Panchami are very notable in Lord Sri Rama temples in not only in Bihar and UP but it is very famous festival in different parts of India. It is very popular in Mithlanchal region now in Bihar. Mata Sita is famous and most important deity and like family member there now as daughter, sister and Badi Did even of almost all Mithi lanchal people. The day also holds immense significance at Janakpur, in Nepal as it was believed that the ceremony was held here itself. Pilgrims from Indian different states and even abroad the people come to witness this grand celebration.
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The day of Vivah Panchami is celebrated with great fervor in Ayodhya also the appearance place of Bhagwaan Shri Ram. On this auspicious day all the temples are brightly lit with lamps. The celebrations involve the enactment of this divine wedding ceremony. During the day a grand procession leaves from one temple to another and ends with the magnificent wedding ceremony in the evening.
The entire event is popularly known as ‘Ram Vivah Utsav’. All through the day devotional songs in praise of Lord Sri Rama are sung by devotees. Besides the festivities at the temples, several stage shows and cultural programms are also organized on this occasion. Ramleela, a stage performance that depicts the life of Lord Rama and Devi Sita is also observed in many regions. People from different parts of the country come here to participate in the celebrations.
At Janakpur particularly the celebrations are observed with great fanfare. Special rituals and pujas are held across temples including the renowned ‘Dashrath’, ‘Ram’ and ‘Janki’ temples. Here the celebrations continue for a period of 7 days and devotees observe all the rituals with immense zeal and dedication. As a part of the rituals, devotees on the day of Vivah Panchami take a holy bath in renowned lakes of Mithilanchal like ‘Dhanushsagar’, ‘Gangasagar’ and ‘Argaza Pond there.
Special rituals and pujas are held across temples including the renowned ‘Dashrath’, ‘Ram’ and ‘Janki’ temples. Here the celebrations continue for a period of 7 days and devotees observe all the rituals with immense zeal and dedication. As a part of the rituals, devotees on the day of Vivah Panchami take a holy bath in renowned lakes of Mithilanchal like ‘Dhanushsagar’, ‘Gangasagar’ and ‘Argaza Pond’
Janakpur is a very spiritual and historical city of Nepal and now it is famous city due to Mata Sita appearance there. Mata Sita appearance site is exact Bihar -Nepal Border the Sita marhi. But people of Bihar and Nepal also claim their superiority over Mata Sita appearance site also. Thousands of Indians visit this birth place of Mata Sita every year to observe the festival of Vivah Panchami. So, it is very famous festival in North and different parts of India as Vivah Panchmi the day is marriage of Lord and Ram Navmi or Chait Navmi is the appearance day of Lord Sri Ram.
What was the age of Lord Rama when he died?
Let us look at the age and timelines of Shri Raghunatha:
- During Marriage – 13 years
- During Start of Vanavasa – 25 years
- During return to Ayodhya on Pushpaka – 39 years
- During immersion in Sarayu – 11039 years
Therefore, we may safely conclude that the Supreme Rama spent 11039 years on earth and then went to his eternal divine abode Vaikunta.