Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama. The Rama Navami festival falls in the Shukla Paksha on the Navami, the ninth day of the month of Chaitra in the Hindu calendar. Thus it is also known as Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami, and marks the end of the nine-day Chaitra Navaratri celebrations.

At some places the festival lasts the whole nine days of the Navratras, thus the period is called 'Sri Rama Navratra' It is marked by continuous recitals, bhajans organized several days in advance to culminate on this day, with elaborate bhajan, kirtan and distribution of Prasad.

SriRama Navami is dedicated to remembering Rama, as the most supreme with resolute Bhakti (devotion). It occurs on the ninth day, or navami, beginning count from the "no moon day" or Amavasya, during the waxing moon duration called "Shukla Paksha". Sri Rama Navami generally occurs in the months of March and April. Celebrations and festivities begin with prayer to the Surya Deva early in the morning.

Some important prasadams made on this day are Panagam,Neer mor,Vadai,Payasam and Kosambri which is a usual green gram dal salad mixed with raw grated cucumber,carrots. Kosambri is a salad prepared for almost all festivals in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Ram Navmi also marks the end of the Chaitra Navratri. Lord Rama is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is known as Maryada Purushottam – an embodiment of chivalry and virtue.
In North India, Ram Navami is a nine-day festival and is the final day of Chaitra or Vasant Navaratri.

Panakam

This is a sweet water prepared with powdered jaggery and little spices.

• 4 cups of water

• 2 cups of powdered jaggery

• 1 tsp of cardamom powder

• tulsi leaves

• dry ginger powder or grated ginger

• pinch of pepper

Before adding powdered jaggery to water,remove the impurities by filtering.

Mix all the ingredients well and serve chilled after pooja and neivediyam.

Neer Mor (spiced buttermilk)

4 cups of water or quantity you desire.

• 1 cup of thick fresh yogurt

• 2 green chillies finely chopped and deseeded

• 1 tsp grated ginger

• 1/2 tsp asafoetida/hing powder.

• salt to taste

• sprigs of curry leaves crushed.

Method:

Take four cups of water or quantity you desire and add fresh yogurt after whisking it well to remove small lumps.

Add all other ingredients and whisk well.The drink should be very thin and little spicy.

Serve chilled.

Kosambri:

( Grated raw cucumber,grated raw mangoes mixed with green gram)

• 1 cup of split green gram( moong dal) cleaned and soaked in water for sometime.

• 2 green chillies deseeded.

• 1 small cucumber grated raw.

• 1 small raw mango grated .

• 3 tbsp of fresh coconut grated

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 1 tsp oil for tempering.

• salt to taste and 1 tbsp of lime juice.

Method:

Drain the water from the soaked green gram well and keep aside.

Put 1 tsp of oil and sputter the mustard seeds.Add the green chillies.

Pour this tempering on the soaked dry moong dal and add grated raw cucumber,grated raw mangoes,salt,hing powder.

Mix well and add the grated coconut and finally the lime juice.

More festival recipes here

Paruppu vadai

Ulundh vadai ( medu vadai )

Sakkarai Pongal

Paruppu vadai ( another variation )

Payasam varieties

Kesari varieties