Ram Navami 2018: PM Modi, President Kovind greet India, people throng to temples
Devotees across India have started reaching temples to celebrate the auspicious festival of Ram Navami, being celebrated today. This festival is celebrated to commemorate Lord Ram's birthday, who is also known to be the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu. The day also marks the end of Navratras, the nine-day long festival where people observe fast to worship Hindu deities.
It is the part of Chaitra Navratri and falls on the ninth day of the Shukhla Paksha (bright half) in the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra. Devotees celebrate this day by observing a fast and seek blessings from Lord Ram.
Lord Ram is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and devotees celebrate his birthday on the 9th day of the Chaitra month. Lord Ram is said to be incarnated on earth in order to kill Ravana. On this day, many Vaishnava Hindus visit temples and other worship at home, where miniature idols of Lord Ram are bathed and clothed.
Here is a glimpse of festivities across India:
07:50 am: PM Modi wishes India a Happy Ramnavami:
07:15 am: Amritsar: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited the Golden Temple
07:00 am: Greetings and good wishes to fellow citizens on Ram Navami. Lord Rama’s life is a message in itself. Let us follow his message of adhering to the values of righteousness, treading the path of truth and building fraternity in our society: President Kovind
06:29 am:
06:10 am: People pray at Varanasi's Maa Ashtbuji Temple on the ninth day of Navratri 2018
06:04 am: Devotees in Ayodhya take holy dip in river Sarayu on the ninth day of Navratri 2018.
05:58 am: Navratri 2018: People throng at Delhi's Kalkaji Temple to offer early morning prayers.
05:34 am: People pray at Delhi's Jhandewalan Temple on the ninth day of Navratri
