Ram Navami, << rahm nah VAH nee, >> is a Hindu festival that marks the earthly birth of Rama, the hero of the ancient Sanskrit poem the Ramayana. Hindus believe that Rama was the seventh avatar (physical form) of the god Vishnu. Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of the month of Chaitra on the Hindu lunar calendar. On the calendar used in Western countries, it falls in March or April.
During the first eight days of Chaitra, worshipers of Vishnu fast for various lengths of time and attend recitations of the Ramayana or of the Ramcharitmanas, which is a Hindi version of the Ramayana. On the ninth day, many Hindus visit temples that contain images of Rama as a baby. Some people fast, eating only potatoes with no spices or fruit and root vegetables. Other rituals of Ram Navami include bathing in rivers associated with Rama’s life and offering prayers to Vishnu. Some people watch motion pictures or television programs about Rama.
In some places, Ram Navami processions feature a chariot carrying actors dressed as Rama; his wife, Sita; his brother Lakshmana; and his servant Hanuman. In some parts of India, Ram Navami coincides with the Hindu festival of Navaratri, which honors the goddess Durga, and with Dasara, which marks the conquest of Rama over the demon Ravana.
