Ram Dayal Rakesh

Mithila is a lovely and legendary land enriched and endowed with many fairs and festivals. There is an uninterrupted and everlasting flow of interrelated festivals throughout the whole year. It has become literally a way of life for the people of Mithila. These fairs and festivals express their joys, pleasures, merriment ,happiness as well as their displeasures, despairs , disappointment and dissatisfaction . They also express their fears, hopes and frustrations, dreams and sorrows time and again.
They also mark the colours of changing seasons, they have become a colourful calendar, providing continuity and meaningful significance to their monotonous and dry life. They also strengthen the vital bonds between individual members of the community.

Fanfare
Ramanavami is one of them which herald the advent of the sweetest season of the year. It is still celebrated with big fanfare every year on the auspicious occasion of the birth day of Lord Rama. That falls on the ninth day of the bright lunar fortnight in the month of April every year and on the ninth day of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Chaitra.
It is believed that Lord Rama was the seventh Avatar of Lord Vishnu.
"Rama-Navami, the birthday of Rama, is observed on the 9th of the light half of the month of Chait and is kept by some as a strict fast. The temples of Rama are illuminated and his image is adorned; the Ramayana is read in the temples and there are nautches at night.
C. H. Buck: Faiths, Fairs and Festivals of India: P. 82.
It is believed that a very famous and benevolent king named Dashrath ruled the fabulous and wealthy city of Ayodhya in Northern India now it falls in the state of U. P of Indian Republic.
He had three beautiful and dutiful queens but he had no issues at all. He was very much worried about having no issues. Once it so happened that Lord Vishnu appeared before him and asked him to perform a Yagna to please and seek the blessings of the gods. So he performed a Yagna. Lord Vishnu having heard his earnest prayer gave him a bowl of Kheer (rice pudding).
There is also another version of this mythology. According to it the god of fire Agni appeared from the yagna and presented a bowl of Kheer to the king. King Dashrath went to the palace as soon as he got the bowl of kheer. First of all he went to queen Kaushilya’s chamber and gave her half of the bowl of kheer.
Then he gave one half of what remained to Sumitra, his second queen. Kaikeyi, the third queen, got half of what was left. He gave the remainder of the kheer to Sumitra. After some time, Queen Kaushlya conceived and gave birth to the eldest son Rama. Then queen Kaikey gave birth to Bharat. Lakshman and Shatrughan were born to Sumitra after eating the delicious kheer twice which was distributed by the king himself.
During this festival ardent devotees observe fast and perform worship of Lord Rama. They chant the name of Rama and also recite Ramcharit Manas written by great poet Tulasi Das inTerai Madhesh and Bhanubhakta Ramayan in the Kathmanu valley and in the hills. Thus they remember the very name of God Rama whole day and night and pay homage going to Rama Mandir (temple) which is situated in almost all villages and towns.
Several prominent poets have penned the life story of Rama in several languages of the world. Valmiki is the first and foremost poet who composed the Valmiki Ramayan in Sanskrit language. He has described his whole life story in seven episodes such as Balkand (childhood story), Ayodhya Kand (Ayodhya story),Arnya Kand( forest story), Kishkindha Kand , Sundar Kand, Yudha Kand( the story of War) and Uttarkand.
The great poet of Nepali literature has imitated the pattern of Valmiki. The great poet of Hindi literature Tulasi Das has also written his whole life story in seven episodes such as Balkand, Ayodhya Kand, Arnya Kand, Sundar Kand, Lanka Kand, Uttar Kand, and Lava Kush Kand. They all have shown their own poetic talent in describing and highlighting the whole life story of Rama in their own way. The great poet of Maithili Language and literature Chanda Jha has also composed the life story of Rama in his own way.

Ramayan's Popularity
Angkor Watt is the living example. The several episodes of Ramayan have been engraved on its wall with pictures describing the life history of Rama. Likewise in Laos and Burma (Myanmar) also have its own Ramayan. In Indonesia Rama Lila is staged every year especially in the Bali Island on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Lord Rama. In Malaysia also Ramayan is getting popularity day by day.
The whole Ramayan story has been depicted with pictures on the walls of Batu Cave here. Poet Naresh Kumar Das has written Janaki Haran Kavya (kidnapping of Janaki, wife of Rama) in the sixth century. Besides, every year the world Ramayan summit is being organized which is also highlighting the importance of the Ramayan in South Asia as well as in the whole world.
Ayodhya in U. P. of India and Janakpur become the center of attraction on the auspicious occasion of Ramanavami but In AYODHYA, the birth place of Rama,he devout devotees of Rama take bath early in the morning and visit Rama Temple and also Janaki temple for having Darshan. Janakpur witnesses countless devotees of Rama from Nepal and neighbouring country India. Now the Ramayan Circuit has also attracted several devotees in this pious city of Janakpur.
A grand procession is held in which sages, saints and government officials take part happily. They chant the name of Rama cheerfully and get spiritual satisfaction. From early morning to evening Janakpur is resounding with devotional songs. The lady devotees sing devotional Maithili folk songs to express their devotion towards Lord Rama.
Rama was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and Sita was incarnation of Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth. He was the most obedient son of King Dashrath. His strength, courage, purity of heart, compassion, sweetness of speech, serenity and wisdom are appreciated today and will be appreciated in the days to come. Every Hindu child listens to his life story very attentively from his very childhood and gets inspiration. It has become a part of his life.
Mary M. Anderson: The Festivals of Nepal P. 211.
I would like to quote here Shova Narayan:
“The festival of Sri Ram Navami, however, doesn’t dwell on Ram’s conflicts or struggles. It is, like most Indian holidays, a joyous occasion for celebration and the culmination of nine days of festivals and fasts.’’Belief net. com
Among all the Hindu gods and goddesses, Lord Ram is one God who cuts across these regional barriers and is universally worshipped. And Ram Navami, which celebrates Lord Ram's birthday, is one of the most popular Hindu festivals in India falling normally in the month of Chaitra.
Shova Narayan: Lord Ram.
Thus ends Ramanavami festival every year with great pomp and show in Mithila which inspires every Hindu devotee. Lord Rama was always on spirirual path. He never left spiritual practices neither in his palace nor in forest. So he became role model of spirituality. I would like to quote here:
“The spiritual path is Rama, but the spiritual culture is Sita. Rama must win and save Sita or he cannot fulfill his destiny. ”
Arise Arjun: David Franley: Value of Hindu Culture for the world
RAMA: Symbol of Cultural Integration:
Rama in his whole life tried his level best to integrate all the cultures of his time such as Aryans, Nishad, Bhils, Vaanar and Rakshas. A great poet Valmiki has described in his Ramayana that Rama was humane rather he was superhuman. Rama himself says,
‘I am a man and son of Dashrath”

Rama's Weaknesses
Rama as a human possessed human weaknesses, defects and faults like any other human being. He cried in pain and felt disheartened when he was disappointed. He criticised others. He also became angry like us. He was afraid of a bad reputation among people. So he banished his beloved spouse in forest when he heard a washerman criticized him for the character of Sita though it was not true. He spent an exemplary family life as an ideal person. I would like to quote here:
“We do not have any greater word than Ramrajya to describe good governance, order, moral following, peace, virtue and individual progress. Valmiki Ramayana describes Ramrajya in section 128 of Yuddh Kand.
The stature of Hindu culture is personified in Rama. His life provides an ideal for all stages of life. The Hindu culture is truly reflected in the character of Rama. The human race will find itself worthy only if this Indian ideal becomes a universal ideal. Rama has never looked a fictional character to Indian psyche. ”

(The author is a culture expert)