Ram Navami Fast

The Ram Navami vrata is Nitya or compulsory for the followers of Rama and voluntary for others. It is one of the highly acclaimed vratas in the calendar which can wash away one’s sins and also confer even Mukti or liberation.

The vrata starts from the previous night itself with fasting. On the Navami day also the follower has to continue fasting, perform worship and homa to Rama in an image installed in a specially prepared shrine, do Japa of Rama mantra and keep watch in the night. After the completion of the vrata he donates the image to an acharya along with other gifts made sufficiently.

There are three different types of fasts that can be held on this day:

• Fasting until noon
• Eating only once during the day
• Fasting till midnight
• Fasting for nine days beginning on the first day of Chaitra

When eating a single meal during the fast, it may comprise of fruits and fruit extracts. Alternatively, if eating a full meal, it can include potatoes made in any form without Haldi (turmeric), garlic, ginger or onion, fruits and any type vegetables. Curd, tea, coffee, milk, and water are also allowed. Ram Navami Vrat

The followers of Lord Rama would observe a whole-day fast on the festival of Ram Navami. The fast is also called vrat. Although it is not compulsory to keep a waterless fast (nirahar vrat), many people observe a tough fast, when they would not drink a drop of water until midnight, when they break the fast.

On the other hand, those who prefer to follow a particular diet for the fast, are advised to eat certain foodstuffs including potatoes made in any form without haldi (turmeric), garlic, ginger or onion. Sendha namak (rock salt) is used for the preparation of food for Rama Navami fast. While on a fast, the person can also eat curd, milk, tea, coffee, fruits and root vegetables.

Like most of the Hindu festivals, fasting holds special significance in the celebrations of Ram Navami too. It is said that when a devotee keeps fast on Ram Navami, with sincerity and extreme devotion, he/she is blessed with health, wealth and prosperity for the year ahead. Therefore, it has been a tradition since a long time to keep fast on the festival. This idea has been supported by the ancient religious texts of Hinduism, according to which, fasting is the only mean of gaining happiness it the material world and achieving salvation at the same time. Moreover, Ram Navami vrat is considered as the five of the most important fasts in the ancient times.