Sri Ram Navratri or Sri Rama Navami Navaratri celebrations are held during bright half of Chaitra month (March – April). Ram Navratri is also known as Vasant Navratri or Chaitra Navratri. In 2010, Ram Navaratri puja begins March 16 and ends on March 24, 2010, with Sri Ram Navami. Ram Navami 2010 date is March 24^th. Rama Navami is the festival to celebrate Sri Rama Jayanti.

Ram Navaratri starts on Chaitra Shukla Padyami and ends on Chaitra Shukla Navami day. On Chaitra Shukla Dasami, Sri Rama Pattabhishekam is held.

In Bhadrachalam Sri Sita Ramachadraswamy Temple, Ayodhya Sri Ram Mandir, and Rameshwaram temple, Sri Rama Navami Puja is observed with utmost fervor. Sri Sitarama Kalyanam is the major event during Ram Navami festival in Bhadrachalam temple.

Sri Rama Navami is the biggest festival celebrated at Bhadrachalam Sri Sita Ramachandra swamy temple in Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh. Sri Rama Navaratri is celebrated for more than 9 days in which Rama Pattabhishekam and Sita Rama Kalyanam are the main rituals. In 2010, Sri Rama Navami date is March 24^th. Ram Navami utsavam is also celebrated as Sri Rama Brahmotsavam at Bhadrachalam.

Sri Rama Navaratri celebrations start on Chaitra Shudda Padyami (first day of Chaitra masam) or Ugadi day and last for ten days. Along with Lord Sri Rama and Goddess Sita Devi, Lakshmana, Anjaneyaswamy and Bharata are worshipped during the festive days. Ram Navami is celebrated on the day during which Punarvasu nakshatram falls. Punarvasu nakshatram is the Janma nakshatram (birth star) of Ramachandra. The rituals are observed in Telugu and Dravidan style of puja.

Theppotsavam is the major attraction on concluding day of Sri Rama Brahmotsavalu. Millions of devotees throng Bhadrachalam Sita Ramachandra swamy temple to watch the Navaratri utsavams.

Sri Rama Navami or Sri Rama Jayanti, the birthday of Lord Sri Ram, is observed on Chaitra Shukla Navami, the ninth day in Shukla Paksha during Chaitra month. Sri Rama Navami 2010 date is March 24, 2010. Sri Rama Navami marks the culmination of Sri Rama Navratri. Rama Navratras, the nine-day worship dedicated to Lord Sri Ram, starts on Chaitra Shukla Prathami or Padyami and ends on Chaitra Shukla Navami (Ram Navami).

Sri Ram Navami or Sri Rama Navratras is a grand event in three Sri Ram Temples in India – Ayodhya Sri Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh, Bhadrachalam Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh, and Rameshwaram Temple in Tamil Nadu. Sree Sitarama Kalyanam or the ceremonial wedding celebrations of divine couple Sri Ram and Seeta Devi in Bhadrachalam temple attracts a large number of devotees.

Sri Rama Navaratri utsavam also coincides with Vasant Navratri or Chaitra Navratri dedicated to Goddess Shakti or Durga.

Mata Basanti Puja, or Vasant Durga Puja, is observed during the Chaitra Navratri festival. According to the ancient Hindu scriptures and sacred texts, worship of Goddess Durga or Durga Pooja was significantly performed during the Vasant rithu (Basant rithu) or Spring Season.

It is believed that Lord Shri Rama changed the periof of Durga Devi Puja (Durga Navratri). During the time of Ram – Ravan Yudh (the war between Lord Ram and the demon Ravana), Rama was unable to stop Ravana and wanted to seek blessings of Goddess Durga Mata. To demolish Ravana, Lord Sri Rama invoked Goddess Durga Mata during the Hindu month Ashwayuja or Ashwin (period between September or October and November).

When is Basanti Mata Puja or Vasant Durga Pooja observed?
Goddess Basanti Mata Pooja is observed during the last four days of Vasant Navratri or Chaitra Navratri festival. In 2009, the celebrations of Goddess Basanti Mata Puja or Vasant Durga Puja will start on April 1, Wednesday and will conclude on April 3, Friday, Sri Rama Navami.

Rituals and Customs of Vasant Durga Pooja – Traditions during Basanti Pooja:
Vasant Durga Puja or Basanti Mata Puja is Chaitra Navratri is not considered as a major festival as Durga Navratri that is celebrated in Ashwayuja or Ashwin month. Hence, all the ritual, customs and traditions that are observed during the Ashwayuja Durga Navratri are may not be performed during the Basanti Mata Puja.

Some traditional rituals are similar as Ashwin month’s Durga Navratri such as observance of fast, procedure of Goddess’s worship (Durga Puja procedure),  Ghatsthapana or Kalasha Sthapana (installation of sacred pot) and Kanya Puja (Kumari Puja) – worship of young girl.

Hindu Myhtology describes the observance of Durga Navratri in Ashwin month as Akal Bodhan or untimely invocation of Goddess Durga, as Lord Sri Rama worshipped the Goddess in untraditional Hindu month of Ashwayuja masam.

Other Important Festivals in Chaitra month – Auspicious Days of Chaitra Masam

Significance and Observance of Chaitra Navratri or Basant Navratri

Vasant Navratras or Chaitra Navratri, also called as Sri Ram Navratri, is dedicated to Goddess Durga Devi, Maha Lakshmi Devi and Maa Saraswati Devi. The celebrations of nine nights in Hinduism are considered as very significant and spiritually important. Vasant Navratras or Ram Navratri is also referred as Chaitra Navratras ( occurs in Chaitra maas) or Spring Navratri (falls in Spring season) or Basant Navratri. Vasant Navratri got the name of Ram Navratri also because it coincides with Sri Rama Navami festival.

When is Vasant Navratri or Ram Navratri Observed?
Vasant Navratras is observed in the Hindu month of Chaitra (March – April). According to Puranas, Goddess Durga Devi was worshipped (Durga Puja) in the Chaitra month and was also called as Basanti Puja. The period of Durga Puja was changed by Lord Sri Ram.

At the beginning of the war with demon Ravana, Lord Sri Ram wanted to be blessed by Goddess Durga. Hence, he worshipped Goddess Durga during the Hindu month of Ashwin or Aswayuja (October – November). Therefore the Durga Puja during the period ( referred as Dura Puja in present days) is referred as Akal Bodhon or untimely invocation.

In 2010, Ram Navaratri (Vasant Navratri) begins on 16th March, 2010, and ends on March 24, 2010.

Vasant Navaratri Celebrations:
Vasanta Navratri is observed with utmost fervor in North India, significantly in Jammu Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and in Utter Pradesh. Temples of Durga Devi are decorated in almost all places in India. During Vasanta Navaratri the same rituals are performed as Durga Navaratri.

Kanya Puja – A Ritual During Vasant Navratri:
Kanya Puja, worshipping little and young girls, is a traditional ritual during Vasant Navratri. It is believed that the little girls represent the Mother Goddess, Durga Mata. Kanya Pooja, aslo known as Kanjak Pooja, usually observed on the eighth day (Ashtami) of the celebrations.