Happy Rama Navami

Rama Nawami (Devanāgarī: राम नवमी; IAST: Rāma navamī) is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of the god Rama to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalyain Ayodhya. Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, is the oldest known god having human form. The holy day 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 (Vasanta Navaratri) celebrations. Rama navami is one of the most important Hindu festivals.

At some places the festival lasts the whole nine days of the Navaratri, thus the period is called 'Sri Rama Navaratra'. It is marked by continuous recitals,Akhand Paath, mostly of the Ramacharitamanas, organized several days in advance to culminate on this day, with elaborate bhajan, kirtan and distribution of prasad after the puja and aarti. Images of the infant Rama are placed on cradles and rocked by devotees. Community meals are also organized. Since Rama is believed to have been born at noon, temples and family shrines are elaborately decorated and traditional prayers are chanted together by the family in the morning. Also, at temples, special havans are organized, along with Vedic chanting of mantras and offerings of fruits and flowers. Many followers mark this day by vrata (fasting) through the day followed by feasting in the evening, or at the culmination of celebrations. In South India, in Bhadrachalam the day is also celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Rama and his consort Sita. Sitarama Kalyanam, the ceremonial wedding ceremony of the divine couple is held at temples throughout the south region, with great fanfare and accompanied by group chanting of name of Rama.

The important celebrations on this day take place at Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) Sita Samahit Sthal (Sitamarhi) (Bihar),Bhadrachalam (Telangana) and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), thronged by thousands of devotees. Rathayatras, the chariot processions, also known as Shobha yatras of Rama, Sita, his brother Lakshmana and Hanuman, are taken out at several places, including Ayodhya where thousands of people take a dip in the sacred river Sarayu.

Source: Wikipedia

Safety Measures on the occasion of Dol Yatra & Holi

Here are the messages from Food Safety & Standards Authority of India & Eastern Railway for your information...... Happy Dol !!!!!

Happy Dol Purnima

HAPPY DOLYATRA TO ALL !!!!

The festival of Dolyatra is celebrated with pomp and dignity in the state of West Bengal. It is essentially a festival of colours, just as Holi is but the way it is celebrated makes it different from Holi as witnessed in rest of India. 

What makes, Dolyatra so special in West Bengal is the fact that it is the last festival of Bengali Year. The festival is being celebrated since ancient times. It celebrates the legend of Radha and Krishna which says that Lord Krishna expressed his love to her beloved Radha on the day of Dolyatra.

Celebration:

Before starting with celebrations, people worship Radha and Krishna on this day. In some places special pujas and bhajans are also organsied. Once the ceremony gets over people indulge in play with colours. 

Colour powder is popularly known as 'phag' in Bengal. Shops remain closed on the day and people get all the time to drown themselves in the spirit of the festival. Following the tradition young people start the festival by applying phag on the pictures of the deceased in the family and then on the feet of the elders as a mark of respect. The elders bless them by applying colour on the faces. After this, phag is applied on anybody and everybody. 

'Dol Jatra', 'Dol Purnima' or the 'Swing Festival' as Dol Yatra is then celebrated in a dignified manner by placing the idols of Krishna and Radha on a picturesquely decorated palanquin which is then taken round the main streets of the city. The devotees take turns to swing them while women dance around the swing and sing devotional songs. All this while men keep spraying coloured water and colour powder, 'abeer' at them.

Source : www.holifestival.org