Rama Navami - First day pooja

Rama Navami celebrations are usually conducted over a period of 9 days, such that the ninth day falls on Rama Navami (which is on April 1st in 2012). Rama Navami is an apt occasion to change one's habits and to lead a more righteous life. The focus of this post is a simple ritual/pooja which anyone can perform for the betterment of their security, health, prosperity and happiness. I have split the rituals that have to be done during the 9 days of celebration , into 3 posts.

First Day (24th March 2012)
On the first day of Rama Navami celebration, make sure you finish your bath early in the morning. Then place a lamp in front of a photo of Lord Rama, and keep a new key (of any size) at the base of the lamp. Now keep 3 plates in front of the lamp. Now place few pieces of jaggery on one plate, this is meant for Lord Ganesha. Then keep some cooked rice on the second plate, this is meant for Lord Rama. In the third plate, keep few bananas, for Lord Hanuman. Now keep a bowl of ghee/honey near you. Then after all your family members are seated in front of Lord Rama's photo, light the lamp. Then together chant "om gum ganapathaye namah" 18 times. Then place the ring finger of your right hand on the rim of the plate which has jaggery. Then keep your left hand over the right hand and chant the following sloka 11 times.

om lambhodaraya ganapathaye kshipraprasadhaya mahabhala vigneshwaraya ekadantha gowriputhraya samarpiyami 

Now wash your palms with a few drops of water and then let your family members chant "hare rama hare rama rama rama hare" while you perform the following rituals. 

Take a spoon and hold it by the curved end. Now dip the handle of the spoon in honey/ghee and then hold the spoon over the rice, such that drops of honey/ghee fall over it. Then chant the following mantra 11 times as the drops of ghee/honey fall over the rice :

om ramachandraya namosthuthe om shree rama ramaya samarpiyami

Then wash your palms with a few drops of water. Now peel one side of the bananas which you have kept in the third plate, and chant the following mantra 5 times :

om ramabhakthaya vajradehaya namosthuthe om vayuputhraya samarpiyami

Then wash your palms again with water. Now end your pooja by lighting camphor and showering the photo with flowers. Then you may take the edibles on the plates and distribute it among your family members. Keep the key at the base of the lamp for sometime and then tie it in a piece of cloth and place on a plate in front of Lord Rama's photo. Thus ends the  first day's Rama Navami pooja.

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Rama Navami - Introduction
Rama Navami Pooja - 2nd to 8th day
Rama Navami - Final Day Pooja

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