The ninth day of Chaitra marks Rama's birth, and in Ayodhya, his birthplace, it draws the largest gathering of the year. Pilgrims bathe in the Saryu in the morning and go for darshan at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, where celebrations peak at noon, the hour of his birth, while the temples of the old town keep continuous recitation through the day.
Since the temple's consecration in 2024, the noon moment has included the Surya Tilak, in which a ray of sunlight is directed onto the forehead of the Ram Lalla murti.
A mela occupies the ground around the town for several days on either side. Accommodation is scarce and roads are managed with diversions; anyone travelling with elderly parents should arrive well before the day itself, and may find darshan far easier in the days immediately after.
