Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Maharishi Valmiki on the full moon day, in the Hindu month of Ashwin.
Here are some important things to know about Valmiki Jayanti.
- Maharishi Valmiki was the first Sanskrit poet and according to sources, drafted the first Sanskrit shloka.
- In childhood, Valmiki was a dacoit named Ratnakar who would rob and kill people.
- He was the author of the Ramayana that has 24000 shlokas.
- According to the myth, when Rama banished Sita on purity, Valmiki saved her and gave shelter to her.
- Valmiki Jayanti is also called Pragat Diwas and many Valmiki temples celebrate it.
- On Valmiki Jayanti, people pay respects to Maharishi Valmiki by carrying out parades with his portraits.
- The procession is called Shobha Yatra and especially in Jalandhar, a huge number of devotees take part in this procession on the Valmiki Jayanti eve.