Ramdas Navami is celebrated every year on Krishna Paksha Navami in Magh maas of Marathi calendar to celebrate the death anniversary of poet-saint Samarth Ramdas. He was also known as Saint Samarth Ramdas whose original name was Narayan Suryajipant Kulkarni Thosar. He was a renowned poet of the 17th century. He is said to be an ardent devotee of Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman. He was also greatly influenced by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Saint Ramdas is known for many incredible works and one of them is Dasbodh a guide to organize one’s spiritual and worldly livelihood. He is also remembered for popularising the chant of ‘Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama’. His work inspired and motivated his generation to rise against foreign oppressors and also made them inclined towards self-realization. His life, poems and other works kept inspiring Marathis and others who had read his immortal literary works. Other literary works of Saint Ramdas includes Manache Shlok, Karunashtakas, and Ramayana.

Ramdas was born to a Marathi couple Suryaji Panth and Renuka Bai in Jamb, Maharashtra on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. Ramdas was greatly influenced by his elder brother during his young age which led him to be curious about the Hindu scriptures. This helped him understand the tenets. It is said that once he was in a deep state of meditation when his mother observed him and asked him about the same. Much to his mother’s surprise, he told her that he was praying for the sufferings of all the people across the world. After this incident, his mother started encouraging him for meditation. It is said that he attained enlightenment at the age of 24 and after this, also adopted the name Ramdas. He took his last breath in 1682 at Sajjangad, near Satara.