They break their fast with a prasad of fruits and milk. This festival is celebrated with great pomp and glory even in Pondicherry, Rishikesh and Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama. The Ram Navami fair held at Ayodhya draws a huge crowd of dedicated devotees. In the South, this festival is celebrated for nine days as the wedding of Lord Rama and his lovely consort Sita. People sing and chant the name of the Lord.
Devotees have a highly colourful ceremony to mark the wedding celebrations.
As the legend goes, Lord Rama, eldest son of King Dashratha, was banished to the forest for 14 long years. He was dethroned due to his stepmother s plans who wanted to see her son Bharata ascend the throne in place of the elder brother Rama. Rama willingly gave away the throne and his wife Sita and brother Lakshman followed Rama to the forest, leaving the throne for Bharata. In these 14 years of banishment, Rama waged and won a war against the evil Ravana, the King of Lanka, who had kidnapped his wife Sita. He was aided by a band of monkeys, the most loyal of whom is worshipped today as Lord Hanuman.