Delhi celebrates Ram Navami

NEW DELHI - Delhiites Wednesday celebrated Ram Navami, the birth of Lord Rama, with ritualistic fasting and special prayers at noon when the Hindu god is believed to have been born.

The festival is celebrated on the last day of the nine-day long Navaratri festivities.

“On each day of Navaratri, we observe fasts and there are special prayer ceremonies organised in every home and in the temples where devotional songs are sung. On Ram Navami too, we observe fasts and offer special prayers to Lord Rama at noon when he was born,” Aarti Bhatia, a home maker said.

“We also have small idols of Rama in a cradle, symbolising the significance of the day, and pray to them,” she added.

Rachika Srivastava, another Delhi resident, said: “Besides fasting, it’s also a ritual to perform the marriage celebration of the small idols of Rama and Sita during the day. We also have special kind of food on all the nine days, which is pure vegetarian and sans the normal table salt.”

In many places, processions with Rama’s idol are also taken out on Ram Navami. It is a much fun-filled and colourful affair.