KATHMANDU:- The Ram Nawami festival is being celebrated today by worshipping Lord Shri Ramchandra at various shrines across the country.

Shri Ramchandra is believed to have been born on the day of Chaitra Shukla Nawami as the son of King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya Devi of Ayodhya in the Treta Yuga. He is revered as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu by Hindus.

Theologian and Chairperson of the Nepal Calendar Determination and Development Committee, Prof Dr Ramchandra Gautam, says that one of the importance of celebrating the Ram Nawami festival is an inspiration for a dignified, disciplined and controlled state ruler like Ram.

On this occasion, Ramlila is performed in Janakpur, Nepal and Ayodhya, India. Today, men and women from Nepal and India flock to the Ram Janaki temple in Janakpur to celebrate a grand fair organised to mark the occasion.

There is also a tradition of fasting, bathing in holy rivers, lakes and ponds, reciting the Ramayana and worshipping Lord Rama and singing bhajans all night long.

On the occasion, President Ramchandra Paudel has extended best wishes to all Nepalis living at home and abroad on the occasion of Ram Nawami.

In a message issued on Friday,  President Paudel said that Ram Nawami, the sacred festival marking the birth anniversary of Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ramchandra, is being observed today across Nepal with devotion and enthusiasm.

He stated that the festival is celebrated with devotion through worship, fasting and religious rituals and is believed to bring divine blessings and fulfil the wishes of devotees.

The President stressed that such traditional festivals, practised for centuries, play an important role in preserving Nepal’s ancient civilisation, religion and cultural heritage.

He further said that the festival symbolises not only the birth of Lord Ram but also the victory of righteousness over evil.

The President also noted that grand celebrations and fairs are organised across the country, particularly at the Ram Janaki Temple in Janakpur, drawing large numbers of devotees.

Stressing the importance of cultural harmony, he expressed the belief that festivals like Ram Nawami strengthen mutual trust, goodwill, tolerance, and cooperation among people of diverse communities, thereby reinforcing national unity.

The President called for the preservation and promotion of Nepal’s rich cultural traditions and expressed confidence that the festival would inspire greater understanding, lasting peace, and brotherhood among all Nepalis.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav also extended his greetings to all Nepalis on the occasion.

“Ram Nawami is not merely a religious festival; it is also an opportunity to internalise the life ideals of Lord Ram, the embodiment of truth, righteousness, and virtue,” he said.

Vice President Yadav said Lord Ram’s life continually inspires us to uphold integrity, righteousness, discipline, and ethical conduct as the foundation of our lives.

The character of Lord Shri Ram teaches us respect for parents, dedication to duty, and the courage to face hardships with determination, he added. He wished that this festival might also serve as a clarion call to free Nepali society from despair and immorality.