Ram Navami celebrates the birth of Ram, the hero of the epic Ramayana and one of the most popular Gods of Hindus. Ram is considered to be a reincarnation of Vishnu, the preserver.
It is widely celebrated in Ayodhya, Ram's legendary birthplace. In Ayodhya, thousands of pilgrims throng at the Kanaka Bhawan Temple. Colourful processions are held, which comprise brilliant tableaus of Ram, his wife Sita, Ram's loyal brother Lakshmana and Hanuman, Ram's monkey-general depicting stories from their lives. Plays based on the Ramayana are also enacted. As the sun rises, a coconut is placed in a cradle and at midday (when Ram is said to have been born) and a priest announces his birth. People fast on the day and ask god for blessings.

Where: a minor festival in the South, it is an important occasion in the North.