Ram Navami 2026 and 2027: date, muhurat and meaning
Quick answer
Ram Navami 2027 falls on Thursday, 15 April 2027 (Delhi). Ram Navami celebrates the birth of Lord Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami, with fasting, a midday birth puja, devotional singing and readings from the Ramayana in homes and temples.
Key takeaways
- 2026: Thursday, 26 March 2026
- 2027: Thursday, 15 April 2027
- Each year's section explains which rule gave the date and how the muhurat was cut to the tithi.
- All times are for Delhi; abroad the tithi follows local time, so the date can differ by a day.
What is Ram Navami?
Ram Navami falls on the ninth day (navami) of the bright half of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu lunar year in much of India. It celebrates the birth of Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, to King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya in Ayodhya. It is also the last day of Chaitra Navratri, the spring Navratri, so many homes close nine days of devotion to the goddess on this day.
Rama is called maryada purushottam, the ideal person who honours every duty. As a son, brother, husband and king, he is held up as a model of integrity and restraint, and his story, the Ramayana, is woven into family life across South and Southeast Asia. Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas describes his birth in verses still sung in homes, and on Ram Navami families relive that moment of joy.
How Ram Navami is observed
Many devotees fast on fruit and milk, and elderly, pregnant or unwell people often keep a lighter fast. The home shrine is decorated with flowers, and an image of baby Rama is placed in a small cradle. At midday, the hour of his birth, the family blows a conch, rings bells and sings the hymn Bhaye Pragat Kripala, then rocks the cradle. Offerings include panjiri (a roasted-flour sweet with coriander seeds), panchamrit, fruit and kheer.
Ayodhya draws huge crowds for a dip in the Sarayu river and special temple celebrations, and processions with tableaux of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman wind through many towns. In the South, people share panakam, a jaggery and black-pepper drink, and neer mor, spiced buttermilk, and some temples celebrate Sita Rama Kalyanam, the divine wedding. Temples in the diaspora hold continuous Ramayana readings, bhajan evenings and children's Ramlila plays.
Ram Navami 2026: date and muhurat (Delhi)
Thursday, 26 March 2026
On this day Navami (Shukla Paksha) covers more of madhyahna (the middle fifth of daylight).
- Tithi
- 26 Mar, 11:49 AM – 27 Mar, 10:07 AM
- Madhyahna puja (within Navami)
- 11:49 AM – 1:40 PM
- Madhyahna moment
- 12:27 PM
- Sunrise / sunset
- 6:18 AM / 6:36 PM
- Rahu kaal (this day)
- 1:59 PM – 3:31 PM
Full period (before cutting to the tithi): 11:13 AM – 1:41 PM
Midday is the heart of Ram Navami. Tradition holds that Rama was born at madhyahna, the middle part of the day, so the festival is kept on the day when navami tithi covers that midday period. The birth puja, aarti and cradle ceremony are timed to it, and many temples open the curtain before the deity at that moment. Morning preparations and evening bhajans add to the day, but the midday puja remains the focus. Delhi's madhyahna window (within Navami) is given in the muhurat section of this page.
Ram Navami 2027: date and muhurat (Delhi)
Thursday, 15 April 2027
On this day Navami (Shukla Paksha) covers more of madhyahna (the middle fifth of daylight).
Central government holiday (Delhi/New Delhi, DoPT): Ram Navami, Thursday 15 April 2027.
- Tithi
- 14 Apr, 3:24 PM – 15 Apr, 1:21 PM
- Madhyahna puja (within Navami)
- 11:04 AM – 1:21 PM
- Madhyahna moment
- 12:22 PM
- Sunrise / sunset
- 5:56 AM / 6:47 PM
- Rahu kaal (this day)
- 1:58 PM – 3:34 PM
Full period (before cutting to the tithi): 11:04 AM – 1:39 PM
Ram Navami wishes
May Shri Ram bless your home with truth, kindness and quiet strength. Jai Shri Ram! Wishing you a joyful Ram Navami.Send this on WhatsApp
More wishes will be added here soon.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is Ram Navami puja done at midday?
According to the Ramayana and the Ramcharitmanas, Rama was born around midday on Chaitra Shukla Navami, so his birth is celebrated at the same hour. In temples the curtain is drawn back, conches sound and the first aarti of baby Rama is performed. At home, families time their puja and main offering to this window, and many eat only after it is done.
How do you keep the Ram Navami fast?
Take a vow after your morning bath. Through the day eat fruit, milk, nuts or fasting dishes, and avoid grains, onion and garlic. At midday perform the birth puja and read from the Bal Kand of the Ramcharitmanas or the Ram Raksha Stotra. Some break the fast after the puja, others the next morning. Elderly, pregnant or unwell people often keep a lighter fast, which is widely accepted.
What food is offered on Ram Navami?
In North India, dhaniya panjiri, panchamrit, kheer, fruit and halwa-puri are common offerings. In the South, homes and temples prepare panakam, a cooling jaggery and pepper drink, neer mor, spiced buttermilk, and kosambari, a salad of soaked moong dal. Since the festival comes as summer begins, many offerings are light and cooling. Whatever is offered with devotion becomes prasad.
Is Ram Navami the last day of Chaitra Navratri?
Yes. Chaitra Navratri runs from Chaitra Shukla Pratipada to Navami, and its ninth day is Ram Navami. Many families complete Navratri with kanya pujan, honouring young girls as forms of the goddess, and a havan, then celebrate Rama's birth at midday. Some households hold kanya pujan on Ashtami instead. Both customs are widely followed and depend on family tradition.
How is Ram Navami celebrated in Ayodhya?
Ayodhya treats Ram Navami as its greatest festival. Pilgrims bathe in the Sarayu from early morning, and temples including the Ram Janmabhoomi temple and Kanak Bhawan celebrate the birth at midday with songs of congratulation and prasad. Processions move through the town and bhajans continue late into the evening. The crowds are enormous, so visitors usually plan their trip well ahead.
Can I celebrate Ram Navami at home outside India?
Absolutely. Many families abroad set up a small cradle for baby Rama, sing a bhajan together and read a simple Ramayana story with the children. Most large cities in the US, UK, Canada and Australia have temples holding readings, bhajans and Ramlila. Just remember to time the puja to midday in your own city; the timings on this page are for Delhi.