Did you know these rituals of Ram Navami celebration in Karnataka?

Here's how the people of Karnataka celebrate the birth of Lord Rama.

Photograph courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Ram Navami, the Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Rama is on April 15 this year and is celebrated with much pomp and vigor in several parts of the country. Not just in north India, Ram Navami holds importance in south Indian states too. Karnataka is among the states that celebrate the festival with great fervor. The festival is celebrated on the ninth day of the Chaitra month and also marks the end of Navratri. Several people fast on the first nine days and end their fast on the day of Ram Navami.

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The celebrations in Karnataka begin with a ceremonial marriage ritual of Lord Rama and Sita known as Kalyanam. It is the temple priest who performs this ceremony with the idols of the god and goddess. In the evening, there is a procession held with the idols for the people to see who gather around and sing, dance and make merry. Temples also serve a special prasad on Ram Navami which is a sweet drink made using jaggery. Many people also have the kalyanam ceremony at home and some also place the idol in a cradle to mark his birth.

ALSO SEE How Ram Navami celebrated in Ayodhya

Ram Navami is a festival that is of religious importance and people celebrate it with immense faith. The fast begins from the first day of the Chaitra month which is celebrated as Ugadi and ends on Ram Navami. People pray to Lord Rama but they also worship Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman on this day. If you happen to go for a murti procession on Ram Navami, you will see idols of all these gods on the yatra.

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