I asked at least six to seven people this morning, today, that is on 27th March 2026, which is being celebrated as Ram Navami Day, the festival of Lord Rama, as to why Ram Navami is being celebrated. All the people, whom I have asked replied, it is the marriage day of Lord Rama. From the Bhadradri Rama temple, which is in Khammam district of Telangana, Bhadrachalam, the live telecast of the marriage of Lord Rama is being beamed across all the television and radio channels. Today, Purushottam Ram got married to Sita.
Assuming and believing that today is the marriage day, I may be permitted to extend my imagination and mental liberties little further. Let me assume that at the time of His marriage, Lord Rama must be around 20 years old. It could be one or two years less or more, but let us take it to be 20 years. I do hope all of you agree. He must have spent three to five years after marriage in the capital of Kosala kingdom Ayodhya. This beautiful celestial couple won the hearts of all Ayodhya citizens. King Dasharath decided that Rama should be declared as the next king, and the coronation ceremony of Rama was proposed. I would say, at that time, again a calculated guess, Rama must be around 25 years old.
Around the same time, due to the happening of many events, Rama had to go for 14 years of exile. So, by the time Rama completed his 14 years of exile, and after killing of Ravan, the triumph of good over evil, and the Agni Pravesh of Sita, and the couple together returning to Ayodhya, He must be around 40 years old.
By the time Rama’s Sita conceived children, he must be around 41–42 years old. So, can we safely say then that Rama became father when he was 42 or 43 years old? Sita was exiled again. Her character was doubted. She went into the forest. She gave birth to twins in the forest. The twins grew up. When they came to know that they are not simply the children of forest, but the children of Lord Rama, they rightfully asked for their share in the kingdom. They wanted that Lord Rama must declare them to be His successors. At that time, Rama must be around 60 years old and His children were around 15 to 17 years old.
The youngsters were so good in their warfare education that they defeated their father and forced Lord Rama to declare them as his rightful heirs to the throne. Unable to bear this humiliation and defeat, Rama decided to “end the avatar as Lord Rama.” He walked into River Sarayu, committed suicide. At the time of completing the incarnation as Lord Rama, Rama must be around 63 years old. Can this be safely said? I am open to all suggestions. But as I told you, this is a wild quest.
Having said all the things I said above, I wish to say Ram Navami is not celebrated for the marriage of Lord Rama, but for the birthday of Lord Rama! Or is it for both?
About the Author
Dr. K. Raja Gopal Reddy is a seasoned internationally qualified Insurance professional. What you are reading here, may not answer all the questions we have, but has the absolute power of asking unsettling questions which increase the interest in the strange world, and show the contradictory wonders lying just below the surface of the commonest things of life. Look at this disturbing but beautiful thought of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”. Dr. Reddy can be reached at: raja66gopal@gmail.com
