Ram Navami preparations: 1,000 roses for Lord Ram with recitation of Sahastra naam

As Chaitra Navratri rituals began at various temples on Tuesday, the preparations for Ram Navami – marking Lord Ram’s birth — which will be celebrated on April 17, also began in various temples of Lucknow. While the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be the centre of attraction, the temples in Lucknow are also getting ready for the festivities.
On Ram Navmi, rituals at Hanuman Setu temple will begin from early morning once the temple gate is thrown open for devotees at 5 am. After the Mangal Aarti, the alloy idol of Ram and his three brothers will be bathed with holy water after which they will be decked up with flowers and new clothes. Special Hawan will be performed and holy scriptures will be recited. There will be special bhandara for all devotees, said Acharya Chandrakant Dwivedi of the temple.
Diwakar Tripathi, secretary of Hanuman Setu trust said, “Sahastra naam (1000 name) of the Lord Ram will be chanted and with every name, rose will be offered to the deity. The entire idol gets covered with roses that makes for a beautiful sight for all devotees. A grand Abhishek of Lord Rama is one of the added attractions at the temple, he said.
Likewise, at Hanuman Mahavirji Mandir in Aliganj, the temple will open for devotees at 6 am amidst recitation of Mantras, Kirtan and Bhajans. A special Havan will be performed in which devotees are likely to take part in large numbers, said Rajesh Pandey, secretary of the trust, while sharing details of all the preparations lined up for the day.
At the 161-year-old Kali Bari Mandir, the occasion holds a great significance as thousands of devotees from across the city gather to offer prayers to the deity. On Ram Navami, devotees may offer Pushpanjali at 8:30 am, Bali (fruit sacrifice) at 11 am, special Havan at 11:30 am, evening aarti at 6:45 pm followed by Prasad distribution every day after evening Aarti, said Gautam Bhattacharya, president, managing committee.
The temple has also hired private guards and installed CCTV cameras along the route for the safety of devotees.
Thousands of devotees gathered at Kali Bari temple, Ghasyari Mandi on the first day of Navratri where Goddess Kali was worshipped. On day one of Navratri, ‘Shailaputri’ form of the goddess was worshipped among the nine forms of Maa Durga. The name Shailaputri literally means daughter (putri) of the mountain (Shaila). Sati Bhavani, Parvati or Hemavati is known as the daughter of Himavat, king of the Himalayas. An embodiment of the power of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, she rides a bull and holds a trident and a lotus in both her hands.
On all the nine days, temples across the city will hold recitations of Ram Katha or Ramcharitmanas, said a member of Kali Bari temple.