Ram Navami is observed in the
honor of the Hindu god Ram.
On the ninth day of the bright (waxing) half of the lunar
month of Chaitra (March–April), a festival is held.
Ram Navami is the birthday of the deity Rama, the god
Vishnu's seventh incarnation, and it also marks the completion of the Goddess's
spring Navaratri festival.
The Goddess festival of Navaratri, held twice a year in the
spring and autumn, culminates with a Rama celebration each time.
The rationale for this festival sequence is unclear, but it
most likely reflects societal imperatives to balance the Goddess's explosive
but uncontrollable fertile feminine force with Rama's stable and predictable
male vitality.
Ram Navami is extensively observed throughout India, but
particularly at Ayodhya, which is historically regarded as his birthplace.
Devotees (bhakta) may pray at home, fast (upavasa), attend
religious dis courses (katha), or visit temples for darshan and worship as part
of their festivals.
This event has become a day for major rallies and political
activity as Hindutva (militant, politicized Hinduism) has grown in popularity.
This is especially true in Ayodhya, where the ongoing effort
to construct the Ram Janam Bhumi temple on the site of Rama's birthplace has
given this day added significance.
Ramprasad is an abbreviation for Ramprasad (early 19th c.)
Bengali poet-saint and goddess Kali follower (bhakta), who is well-known for
the force and expressiveness of his poetry.
Little is known about his life, as it is with many religious
(bhakti) personalities.
According to legend, he worked as a clerk for a brief time
before becoming a literary patron when his generous employer saw him spending
his days writing poems to Kali.
Ramprasad's poetry honors the Goddess in a variety of forms,
including Uma, Durga, and Bhairavi, although the most of his poems are
dedicated to Kali.
Despite Kali's terrifying tendencies, Ramprasad calls her
"mother" and clings to her like a kid, despite her best efforts to
dissuade him.
As a consequence, his unwavering and unconditional devotion
to Kali eliminates all fear and leads to his liberation.
Further reading may be found in David R. Kinsley's 1975 book
The Sword and the Flute, as well as Clinton Seely and Leonard Nathan's (trans.)
1999 book Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair.
