Mumbai: On Ram Navami day that is being celebrated today, Vinay Mishra's family makes it a point to be at home. Ram Navami is the last of the nine-day Chaitra Navratri festival that is celebrated with austerities and prayers during which Mother Goddess is prayed. Ram Navami marks the birth of Lord Rama, worshipped as Maryadapurshottam.
Devotees make it a point to have prayers at home and visit temples where special prayers are held. "In our home, it has been a parampara (tradition) to listen to the Sundar Kand path from the Ramayana by all our family. The elder person in the family reads it and we all listen to it," said Mishra, a Marine Lines resident. He added, "Sundar Kand is that section of Ramayana where Lord Hanuman meets Janaki Mata. It gives one hope, courage, and removes all problems and ushers in peace and prosperity."
Ram Navami Celebration at Shree Ram Mandir, Wadala
A more elaborate celebration centred around Lord Ram will be seen at Shree Ram Mandir, Wadala that will see Lord Ram on a cradle, Rath procession, and palkhi. Special prayers start from morning and go on through the day. "On Ram Navami, morning prayers will start at 8 am with Devta Prarthana. After that we will have Rathovastu Havana at 9 am. Around 1.30 pm Balak (child) form of Lord Ram will be seated in a cradle and a Mahapuja will be done around 2 pm that will be followed by prasad distribution, which is distributed to seven to eight thousand people," said Ulhas Kamath, secretary of Shree Ram Mandir, Wadala. The temple will be placing TV sets outside the temple premises for the live telecast of the Puja.
Rath Rohan till Dadar TT
More celebrations will follow with murti (idol) of Lord Ram with mother Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman being placed on a Rath. "The Ratha rohan (Rath procession) will start after the vidhi (prayers). It will move out of the temple and go up to Dadar TT and will come back to mandir by 8 pm. After that Lord will be placed on a palkhi (palanquin). Three rounds of the temple premises will be taken and a Maha Puja will be held at 9 pm that will be followed by food distribution," added Kamath.
