Sri Rama Navami

Sri Rama Navami marks the auspicious appearance day of Lord Sri Ramachandra. Lord Sri Ramachandra incarnated during the month of Chaitra (March–April), on the ninth day of the waxing moon (Chaitra Masa, Shukla Paksha, Navami Tithi), and this day is celebrated annually as Sri Rama Navami.

Sri Ramachandra was born as the son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya, who belonged to the illustrious Ikshvaku dynasty (also known as the Raghu vamsha). King Dasharatha had three queens: Kaushalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra, but he was initially childless. Following the counsel of Maharishi Vashishtha, the king performed a Putra Kameshti Yajna, after which his three queens became pregnant. Kaushalya gave birth to Lord Rama, Kaikeyi to Bharata, and Sumitra to the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

The life and deeds of Sri Rama are comprehensively described by the great sage Valmiki in the epic Ramayana. A condensed version of the Ramayana, as narrated by Shukadeva Goswami to Maharaja Parikshit, can be found in the ninth canto of the Shrimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana).