Remedies for Marriage and Progeny on Sita Navami

Sita Navami or Janaki Navami is a sacred Hindu festival celebrated on the Navami Tithi of the Shukla Paksha in the Vaishakh month every year. It is dedicated to the birth of Goddess Sita, the avatar of Mother Earth and the divine consort of Lord Rama. In 2024, this auspicious festival will be observed on May 16.
Sita Navami is a special day for married women. Goddess Sita is highly regarded for personifying a myriad of feminine attributes—an ideal daughter, wife, and mother.Her unshakeable devotion, endurance, persistence, and strength as she confronted the most difficult circumstances are beyond question.
The Ramayana narrates the countless challenges and hardships Sita encountered while she was accompanying Lord Rama during his exile for 14 years, abduction by Ravana, and rescue from Lanka. However, despite all the difficulties she had to pass through, her indomitable dharma (ethical duty), loyalty to her husband and moral strength to support justice remained like a burning ideal for all Indian women.
Through the celebration of Goddess Sita's birth, Hindus worship these noble ideals and implore her to bestow these blessings on them so they may enjoy marital happiness, virtuous children, and the strength to take the righteous path even if it is full of difficulties. Goddess Sita's grand pujas, which include ritual bathing, fasting, prayers, and offerings, are held on this day in her name in temples and homes of devotees.
Sita Navami, therefore, reawakens the timeless ethos of the Indian culture in which the mother form of divinity is worshipped as the primordial force of creation, nourishment and spiritual evolution. It is a glorious festival that symbolises the diverse values that have inspired women across generations of Hindus.
The Auspicious Time and Importance of Sita Navami
As per the Hindu Panchang or calendar, this year, the sacred day of Sita Navami will be observed on the Navami Tithi (ninth day) of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) in the Vaishakh month. The Navami tithi begins at 6:22 AM on May 16 and ends at 8:48 AM on May 17. The precise Muhurat, or auspicious time for Sita Navami puja, will be from 10:56 AM to 01:39 PM on May 16.
Devotees celebrate Sita Navami with great devotion as it is the day Mother Earth, the incarnation of Devi Sita and the embodiment of feminine virtues, was born. On this holy occasion, Hindu families create beautiful mandapas made of Sita’s murti (idol) or painting, which is then decorated with cosmetic items like sindoor, bindi, Chandan, makeup, and jewellery.
The worship ritual is then carried out by offering fresh flowers, fragrant incense sticks, diyas (lamps) and naivedya of Goddess Sita's favourite bhogs, such as panjiri, coconut rice and sweet dishes. The divine feminine energy is activated through the mantras, shlokas and kirtans that glorify Goddess Sita's qualities of truth, devotion, sacrifice and resilience.
It is believed that by fasting on Sita Navami vrat and worshipping Goddess Sita with sincerity on this auspicious day, the blessings of Goddess Sita can be attained. Most married Hindu women practice nirjala vrat, praying for a harmonious married life for Goddess Sita with Lord Rama.
The Benefits of Celebrating Sita Navami
Various benefits are said to accrue from observing the Sita Navami festival with devotion. Women who marry, observe Sita Navami vrat (fast), and pray with wholehearted devotion are blessed with a stronger bond and better understanding with their husbands.
Couples who want children are blessed with God-like and virtuous kids by the divine benevolence of Sita Maa.
Goddess Sita’s blessings are believed to remove inauspicious doshas or obstacles in one's horoscope that don't allow marriage to take place.
Further, those who are in misery, hardship, or suffering from a prolonged illness can find comfort and relief by praying to the embodiment of motherly love.
What should you do on Sita Navami?
You can plan your day by performing the following practices on the day of Sita Navami:

Special Rituals and Remedies
For specific purposes, let us look at a few distinct rituals associated with Sita Navami.
Soma Vadhanam: On the occasion of Sita Navami, some families carry out this ritual, in which the daughter-in-law applies haldi and Kumkum to her mother-in-law's feet to seek Goddess Sita's blessings for a happy married life.
Suvarna Sita Puja: Individuals experiencing delayed marriage can perform this puja with a gold idol or coin representing Goddess Sita to remove astrological afflictions.
Graha Pravesh: On Sita Navami, a new housing can be created by inviting the divine couple Ram and Sita to a special ritual called Graha Pravesh.
Dosh Nivarana: People suffering from the malefic effects of the planets, such as Manglika, Shani dosha, etc., can perform remedial poojas to nullify the doshas.
Sumangali Prarthana: Couples without children can invoke Goddess Sita's blessings through intense prayers (Prarthana) for being blessed with children.