Ram Navami 2020: Complete puja vidhi and fasting rules for devotees

New Delhi: Ram Navami is being celebrated across India on Thursday. However, this year, the festive fervour is marred by the deadly coronavirus outbreak and celebrations are restricted to homes due to lockdown. Ram Navami is celebrated on the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri which falls during Shukla Paksha (bright phase) of the lunar month. Devotees pray to Lord Ram, who was born on Navami Tithi in the Shukla Paksha of the Chaitra month according to the Hindu calendar to King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya.

On the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami, devotees can follow these steps to pray to the Lord:

Wake up early, clean your home and the puja room

Take bath

Prepare prasad to offer the god

Place an idol or frame of Lord Ram in the puja room

Decorate the aarti thal with akshat, chandan and incense sticks.

Read Ramayana or other holy scriptures

Perform aarti during the muhurat

According to Drikpanchang, the time for puja during Rama Navami is between 11 am to 1.39 pm (2 hours 30 minutes).

Meanwhile, vrat or fast is compulsory for anyone religiously observing the nine-day festival of Chaitra Navratri. As per the belief, by keeping Ram Navami vrat, one can atone their sins and achieve Mukti or liberation. Here, we present the rules of observing Ram Navami fast:

Devotees can choose from three kinds of fasts:

1. Fasting from midnight till noon or 12 pm.

2. Fasting from midnight till midnight or 12 am.

3. Taking one-time meal in the day.

The one-time meal can comprise of fruits, shakes and light beverages (milk or water-based). One can also choose to have a meal of potatoes without garlic, ginger, onion, Haldi (turmeric).

Chaitra Navaratri, which began on March 25, concludes today with Rama Navami celebrations. The prayers of Navaratri are initiated after Ghatasthapana which symbolises Devi Durga. The Goddess is invoked to accept sincere prayers and humble offerings.

Happy Ram Navami, folks!