The ninth and closing day of Chaitra Navratri, marking the birth of Rama — prince of Ayodhya and hero of the Ramayana — to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya at noon. Temples hold readings of the Ramcharitmanas and a cradle ceremony for the infant Rama.
चैत्र शुक्ल नवमी
Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi temple holds its largest annual gathering on this day, with the exact traditional moment of Rama's birth marked by a special noon aarti.
Many households keep a day-long fast broken only after the noon ritual. Recitations of the Ramcharitmanas or Valmiki Ramayana often run for days beforehand, culminating on Navami itself.