Ram Navami Long Weekend Alert: 7 Places to Unwind and Experience the Best of the Festivities
Nothing beats the feeling of the long weekend. But what adds to it more is the festivals around it. Long weekends are likely if a festival falls on those dates, so holidays are granted to students and workers. Most festivals are spent at home with families and friends, where you do not really want to leave your house. But there are so many festivals that do not require us to be at home to celebrate them. And also, India has so many festivals that many rituals are not followed to celebrate them. But the good thing is, holidays are still available during these festivals.
One such festival is Ram Navami, where major rituals are not followed to celebrate in every household. And this time, Ram Navami is leading to a long weekend holiday. Since it is the birthdate of Lord Rama, people pray to Lord Rama in their own homes or visit the temple. Apart from this, no major celebrations or rituals are followed in most parts of the country.
But there are many places in the country where this festival is celebrated with great zeal. So, since it is the long weekend, it is a great way to escape from the business of daily life and experience the grandeur of this festival. Let’s see some of the most amazing places that you can take a trip to in India during Ram Navami.
P.S. – Ram Navami is on Thursday, so it’s not an actual guaranteed long weekend, but there is always an option for a leave on Friday, if you make decisions earlier. Well, we are here for multiple ideas like these.
- Ayodhya
Obviously, starting with the birthplace of Lord Rama. There is absolutely no place in India that celebrates Ram Navami like Ayodhya does. Mainly, after the inauguration of the new Ram Mandir, this place has become one of the major religious tourist attractions. Experiencing Ram Navami now in this place is a next-level feeling. Every house is decorated, people fast and visit the temple, processions are carried out, bathing in the Sarayu river, and distributing prasad are some of the many things done on this day, over here. Visiting the Ram Mandir on this day is an experience in itself.
- Sitamarhi
Sitamarhi is a small village in Bihar, but for the people who don’t know, this is also the birthplace of Goddess Sita. Of course, this town celebrates Ram Navami like no other. It is a significant place for Hindu pilgrims. In 4 days of your long weekend, you can actually explore both Ayodhya and Sitamarhi and get to know more about the Ramayana life. Janki Mandir in Sitamarhi, the main temple of Sita Mata, celebrates Ram Navami. The entire village flocks to the temple to pay their regards to Sita Mata on this day, and also a special fair is organised.
- Chitrakoot
Chitrakoot also holds a special place in the Ramayana. It is so because this was the place where Lord Rama, Lord Laxmana, and Goddess Sita spent a few years of their exile. In fact, this was the place where Lord Rama’s brother, Lord Bharat, came to visit him in exile and apologise for his mother’s behaviour. On this festival, Chitrakoot town hosts devotional gatherings, temple rituals, and spiritual functions. There is a Ram Ghat near the banks of the Chitrakoot River, where evening Aarti is arranged. The sight is extremely magical with lanterns and diyas all over the atmosphere is pure bliss.
- Rameshwaram
Another town that holds special importance in the Ramayana is Rameshwaram. It is believed to be the place where Lord Rama prayed to Lord Shiva before crossing the sea to Lanka. There is a famous temple in Rameshwaram called Ramanathaswamy Temple that celebrates this festival with great zeal. The priests do special prayers, recitations of the Ramayana, and bhajans of Lord Rama and Maa Sita. This temple is known for its beauty and architecture, and its corridors look beyond amazing on this day with all the decorations. You need to see this celebration for sure.
- Varanasi
When we talk about religious places in India, we can hardly ever miss talking about Varanasi. There is no Indian festival that is not celebrated with the highest enthusiasm and proper rituals over here. Varanasi is literally India’s spiritual capital. The city honours Lord Rama with deep reverence. There is a temple in Varanasi called Tulsi Manas Temple whose walls are etched with verses from the Ramcharitmanas. The temple organises recitations, bhajans, prayers, and whatnot on this day, and the vibe is totally out of the world. Also, a trip to Varanasi during any Indian festival is an experience of a lifetime. So, do not miss this.
- Bhadrachalam
Another very important town in terms of celebrating Ram Navami is Bhadrachalam. If we are talking about grand celebrations of Ram Navami, this city outdoes it all. The Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple is linked with their exile timeline. This festival holds Sita Rama Kalyanam, meaning the divine wedding of Lord Rama and Maa Sita. This is one of the most sacred Ram Navami traditions in India and is attended by thousands of devotees. The decoration is simply outstanding. This festival is celebrated for the whole 9 days and ends on Ram Navami.
- Shirdi
Most of you would not have been expecting this place on this list. But a lot of you don’t know that Shirdi celebrates Ram Navami with great zeal too. Three main festivals are celebrated here, which are Guru Purnima, Vijaya Dashmi, and Ram Navami. But there is a story as to why Shirdi celebrates this festival with so much importance. As per the legends and the stories, there was once a devotee of Sai Baba who was childless for many years, but when he was blessed with a child, he went to Baba to seek blessings and ask his permission to organise Urs. Baba agreed and chose the day that coincides with Ram Navami to bring the two communities together. Since then, this festival has been celebrated with higher importance here. The festival is celebrated for 3 days here.
Conclusion
These places are mostly religious or dharmik destinations, as they say. In case you are someone who doesn’t generally visit these places for holidays or vacations, now is a good time to grab this opportunity. Not only will you be going on a vacation, but you will also be visiting a religious place that you may not have otherwise visited, and you will also be experiencing one of the grandest Indian festivals in its full glory. Also, no vacation taken is a vacation wasted.
You will be coming back with loads of memories and experiences. As Indians, we need to experience different festivals in different ways. So, plan it accordingly. Choose the place that is near to your residence and have a beautiful long weekend holiday where you also celebrate Ram Navami, which you would not have otherwise.
Nothing beats the feeling of the long weekend. But what adds to it more is the festivals around it. Long weekends are likely if a festival falls on those dates, so holidays are granted to students and workers. Most festivals are spent at home with families and friends, where you do not really want to…