Overview
- Drik Panchang sets the Navami tithi from 11:48 am Thursday to 10:06 am Friday, leading many to mark the festival on March 26 while major Ayodhya rituals run on March 27.
- Ayodhya will hold the principal ceremonies on Friday, with the Surya Tilak planned near noon and Doordarshan broadcasting the day’s worship live for viewers in India and abroad.
- The Uttar Pradesh government added Friday as a public holiday, and the Reserve Bank of India listed state‑wise bank shutdowns on Thursday and Friday for Ram Navami.
- Engineers tested the four‑minute Surya Tilak—an optical setup of mirrors and lenses that directs a sunbeam onto the Ram Lalla idol—while Mumbai prepared large processions and a 2,000‑drone show.
- Political messaging accompanied the festivities as Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a greeting that invoked a self‑reliant India and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari led a Ram Navami rally in Bhabanipur.