Sita Navami, also known as Janaki Navami or Sita Jayanti, marks Goddess Sita’s birth anniversary. The day holds a special place in the Hindu calendar as devotees worldwide celebrate it wholeheartedly. Hindus observe Sita Navami on the Shukla Paksha Navami, the ninth day of the waxing lunar fortnight in the Vaisakha (April 21-May 21, 2025) month. We are all well-versed with Ram Navami and Lord Rama’s birth story, right? But do you know the eventful story behind Goddess Sita’s birth? Here’s why we celebrate Sita Navami 2025.

Significance of Sita Navami 2025

The story of Goddess Sita’s birth is divine and miraculous. According to Hindu scriptures, she didn’t take birth in a mother’s womb; she was found in a field. King Janaka of Mithila was ploughing in the field to prepare for a yagya. When he was doing so, he found an infant in a furrow. He couldn’t contain his happiness at the sight of the baby, as he had been longing for a child for a long time. So, he took the baby girl to his wife, Queen Sunayana, and they happily adopted her. They named her Sita, using the Sanskrit word seet, which means furrow, relating to her birthplace. Devotees regard Goddess Sita by several names, attaching multiple meanings to them.

She is known as Janaki, Janaknandani, Janakatmaja, as King Janaka adopted her. Because he ruled the state of Mithila (present-day Bihar), her worshippers ardently call her Mythili. Several Hindus recognise her as Bhoomiputri or Bhoomija, as she was found in Mother Earth’s lap. Goddess Sita’s folklore of love, sacrifice, loyalty, resilience, and courage from Ramayana and beyond inspires Hindus even today. People also see her as an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. That’s why they celebrate her birth anniversary with utmost devotion and pray for wealth and prosperity. Do you know what people do on Sita Navami?

Rituals observed on Sita Navami 2025

Several devotees in India, particularly in Bihar and Ayodhya, indulge in large-scale celebrations on Sita Navami. People in parts of Nepal also celebrate the festival, as Mithila was once a part of the country. On Sita Navami, people bathe the idols of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita with panchamrit, a sacred mixture of milk, honey, sugar, curd and ghee. Married women observe a fast to maintain marital bliss. They offer shringar items including adornments, sindoor, and cosmetics to Goddess Sita. Unmarried women also observe a fast on this day to seek an ideal life partner.

People visit nearby Hindu temples of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita to chant hymns and listen to the Ramayana. Women also listen to Sita Navami vrat katha before breaking their fast. Some parts of India carry out religious processions, singing devotional songs to celebrate the festival in its traditional style. Devotees distribute sattvik prasad to the deities Lord Rama and Goddess Sita and fellow worshippers. They prepare the food using barley, rice, and organic fruits. Are you celebrating Sita Navami in 2025?

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