Festivals of India - Sri Rama Navami

Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Rama to King Dasaratha and Queen Kausalya of Ayodhya. Rama is the 7th incarnation of the Dashavatara of Vishnu. Sri Rama Navami falls on April 12th, this year.

I have fond memories of all the different festivals celebrated in India growing up as a child. I distinctly remember a dance drama troupe from the north coming to the Sai Baba temple in Mylapore to perform the Ram Leela Katha. I was only 8 years old and it was the highlight of all our activities during that week. I lived in a very contained South Indian Brahmin community in Mylapore, and seeing so many North Indians who couldn't even speak Tamil itself was so bizarre and a different experience for me. Each evening, I couldnt wait to get back from school, have some tiffin, wear good clothes and off to watch the dance drama troupe perform. It was beautiful to see in live action, over the course of the week, the entire Ramayana, from the time of Rama's birth to Rama coming back to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile and finally completing it with Rama Pattabishekam. We had no TV in those days and entertainment was a totally different form. Each year on Rama Navami, these wonderful memories come clouding back and never fails to bring a smile and a sense of happiness.

At home, Amma made specific dishes for each occasion or festival. The cooling effects of drinking glasses and glasses of Neer More and Panakam and eating Chundal, is something I always associated with Rama Navami. Recipi can be found below.

Panakam, Neer More & Chundal

PANAKAM (in Sanskrit means sweet drink).

Ingredients:
2-3 cups of water
½ tsp ginger powder or 1tbsp grated fresh ginger
2-3 tbsp grated jaggery
½ tsp crushed peppercorns & 1 crushed cardamom

Preparation:
Dissolve the grated jaggery in water and add fresh chopped ginger or dry ginger powder to it. I prefer fresh ginger to the dry powder as it gives more fresh taste and zing to the drink. Boil the mixture and filter it. Add crushed cardamom and peppercorns to it. Now its ready for Neivedyam.

NEER MORE (or Sambharam, as Appa calls it:)

Ingredients:
Curd - 2 table spoons Drinking water - 2 cups
2 green chillies & Curry leaves finely chopped
A pinch of salt, hing

Preparation:
Beat the curd well adding all ingredients.

PAYATHAM PARUPU CHUNDAL

Ingredients:
1 cup moong dal
2-3 tbsp grated coconut
1-2 chopped green chillies
1tbsp lemon juice (optional)
Salt to taste.

Preparation:
Fresh chopped cilantro to garnish. Preparation The moong dal should be soaked in warm water for about half an hour and drained. To this, add all the other ingredients and mix well. This dal is eaten raw and uncooked.