Shri Rama navami is celebrated throughout India on Chaitra Shukla navami. There have been many research works on Rama's date of birth. Popular among them in South India is the work done by Prof K. Srinivasa Raghavan, popularly known as shri K. S. Ragahavan,who was a professor of Maths and Geography in Vivekanada College.He had a deep insight into astronomical studies and later joined the International society for the investigation of Ancient Civilizations. With all his calculations and comparing with details given by Valmiki, he concludes that Rama was born on 10th January 4439 B. C. The evidences he suggests Are; 1. Dasaratha states that he foresees his death on a particular day on junction of planets that is on 9153rd day from Rama's birth. This is 25 years and 22 days to be exact. 2. Rama started on exile on chaitra Shukla sapthami Day with pushya nakshatra. and he should be back on the same shukla sapthami after 14 years, otherwise Bharath would end his life thro Agni Pravesh.But when he returned it was the last day of the tropical year,the next day was pushyam and the next day was sapthami.Rama knew all these calculations and he suspected that bharata might end his life on the first day itself. That is why Rama urgently sends Hanuman to inform of his arrival on panchami itself soon on reaching Bharatwaja ashrama. 3.The birth nakshatra of Rama is stated to be Punarpoosam, shukla navami. As for other children , thithi is not stated but Bharata was born on Pushyam & Lakshmana & shatrugna were born on Aslesham. Rama was born about noon, Bharata the same day night and the twins were born the next day-but all the 4 were born on navami. 4.According to valmiki Rama landed in Srilanka on Phalguna krishna Prathama , Ravana was killed on Phalguna amavasya and Rama's pattabhishekam takes place on Shukla sapthami day., 4400 B. c. 5.Valmiki uses the word " dasa varsha saharsha' that is Rama lived happily with Sita for 10 years and on 11th year she was sent to the forest.and 11 years thereafter he performed aswamedha yaga and soon after reached his heavenly abode. 6. Further according to historical records there were only 100 kings in solar dynasty spread over 5500 years and the last king was Brihadbala who died in Mahabharat war which took place in 3067 B. C. Rama was the 71st king.So Rama must have lived somewhere near 4500 B. C. Based on the life of Krishna, it is estimated that Rama would have lived 1300 years earlier to Krishna. Taking all these into account and studying the astronomical calculations given in Valmiki Ramayana , the date of Rama's birth has been fixed as 10th Jan 4439 B. C., wednesday, shukla navami. by Prof K. S. Raghavan However recently Shri Pushkar Bhatnagar with a new computer planetarium software has determined the date scientifically as 10th Jan 5114 B. C, nearly 675 years years earlier to what shri Raghavan has determined. Surprisingly the date is Jan 10 in both the cases. both have done thorough research in the field and quoted Valmiki for their conclusions. [h=4]If Rama was born on 10[SUP]th[/SUP] January in 5114 BCE or 4439 we may wonder as to why we usually celebrate Rama Navami around March end- April mid.[/h] [h=4]The reason for this is the concept of precision of equinox where 1 day is to adjusted for every 72 years. Thus over a 7000 year period, it may work out to nearly 90 to 100 days 100 days. [SUP]That is why we celebrate SriRama Navami in Apr.Perhaps after 1500 years Ramanavami may be celebrated in May.[/SUP][/h] Jayasala42
