Sita Navami: A day to worship virtues of purity and sincerity

By Rajendra Diwe

Sita Navami will be celebrated on May 2 in different temples including Sri Poddareshwar Ram Mandir in a simple manner

■ ‘CHAITRA Shuddha Navami’ means theninth dayinthe waxing phase of moon (lunar month)is celebratedacross the world as ‘Ram Navami’. Chaitra is considered as the firstmonth asperHinducalendar.The second month as per Hindu calendar is Vaishakh. Vaishakh ShuklaNavamithatisninthday in the waxing phase of moon in Vaishakh month is also celebrated in many places in the country as ‘Sita Navami’ the Avtaran Diwas of Ayodhya queen Devi Sita, the daughter ofMithilakingJanakaandqueen Sunayna.Thisdayisalsoknown as Janaki Navami. It is believed that Devi Sita was born during PushyaNakshatra.Asperthelegends, Lord Rama was also born on the same Nakshatra in the ‘Chaitra’ month and the celebrations of Ram Navami take place a month in advance of Sita Navami. According to senior social worker, Pandit Umesh Sharma, “This day is celebrated every year in Sri Poddareshwar Ram Mandir premises.

ThisyearSitaNamavi falls on May 2. Entire state and country is reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. The temple therefore, will celebrate Sita Navami in a simple manner.” Sita Navami is an important festival for married Hindu women.TheyworshipGoddess Sita on this day and seek her blessings for long life and success of their husbands. Asperancientscriptures,“Sita Navami holds great religious significanceforHindudevotees asSitaisconsideredasanavatar of Goddess Lakshmi. She is known to be the mother of all mortals and other living creatures.

Devi Sita was an adopted daughter of King Janak and was also popularly called as ‘Janaki’. Lord Rama married Goddess Sita in a ‘Swayamvar’ that was organized by Maharaja Janak in his kingdom,Mithila.GoddessSita was always recognized for per patience and dedication towardsherhusband,SriRama. Married women pray to Devi Sita on this auspicious day to bebestowed withHer virtuesof purity and sincerity. They seek the blessings of Goddess Sita to remain a ‘Sumangali’ that is, dying before their husbands.”

There are many religious events in Sita Navami in Sir Poddareshwar Ram Mandir each year. “Especially married women worship Devi Sita along with Lord Rama and Lakshmana. A small puja mandap is set and decorated with colourful flowers.TheidolsofLordRama,Devi SitaalongwithLakshmana,King Janaka and Mata Sunayana are placed in this mandap. As Goddess Sita emerged from a ploughed land, Goddess Earth is also worshipped on this day. Worshipping Sita and Lord Rama together brings happiness and peace in marriage. Devotees perform the puja by making various offerings in the form of til (sesame seeds), rice, barley andfruits. Special‘Bhog’ ispreparedfortheoccasionthat is distributed as Prasad after completion of Aarti,” Pandit Sharma said.