Birth of a perfect man

Lord Ram is commonly perceived as purushottama or the perfect man. He's seen as the God who could never go wrong

On the ninth day of the shuklapaksh moon, in the month of Baishakh (March-April), after years of yearning for an heir, King Dashrath of Ayodhya hears the good news that he's been blessed with a son.
The entire city rejoices. Here is no ordinary mortal, but Lord Vishnu himself, come to rid the world of Ravan, the King of Lanka and scourge of the gods. The child grows to follow the path of virtue and righteousness, and fulfils his destiny with such perfection that he comes to be known as Purushottam Ram , or Ram, the perfect among men.
Each year, his birth is celebrated all over India, with great devotion and religious festivity. The story of his greatness, his nobility and his sacrifices are told and retold by all, from old g r a n d - mothers at home to priests in temples.

The Celebration of His Birth

Devout Hindus celebrate this auspicious occasion in different ways but generally it involves the following rituals:

Fasting:

People observing a fast on Ram Navami usually restrict themselves to eating saatvic food free from: onion, turmeric, ginger, garlic and other such tamsic or rajasic food items. A diet of milk, water, fruits and curd is supposed to purify the mind and body.

Singing Bhajans:

It is a general practice to sing bhajans , usually in the bhakti tradition, eulogising the Lord, his brother Lakshman and his wife Sita.

The Temple is Readied:

The temple in each house is decorated and readied for special puja and offerings for the Lord. Idols of Ram, Sita and Lakshman are decorated with flowers and the customary thali made of kansa , an alloy of copper, is filled with unbroken rice grains, water, flowers and aipun.
Arti and Distribution of Prasada:
All the members of the family sing an arti to Ram, after which prasad is distributed among all the gathered devotees.

In Temples Outside:

In temples outside the home, the celebration is a re-enactment of the wedding of Lord Ram and Sita. This ritual wedding ends with the distribution of prasad consisting of soaked lentil or vada pappu and panakam a kind of sweet drink made by adding gur, pepper and cardamom to water.
Importance of Fasting on Ram Navami
The Kalika Purana has references that instruct a Ram devotee to keep a strict fast on Ram Navami. This is because the Ram Navami vrata was considered one of the five most important vratas in the ancient times. According to the religious texts Ramachandrika and Vratarka it is imperative for every devotee to observe the Ram Navami vrat, as it is the only easy mean of gaining happiness in the material world and achieving salvation at the same time.

Navratri Special..