Wednesday, the 17th of April 2024 is the auspicious day of Rama Navami. It was probably about the year 1864 that one great Vaishnava devotee (Babaji), Jatadhari by name, came to Dakshineshwar. He was a wandering monk and a devotee of Sri Rama. Ramlala or the “Child Rama” was his favourite Deity. By long meditation and worship, Jatadhari had been blessed with a wonderful vision of the effulgent form of Ramlala, which then became a living presence to him. Jatadhari was engaged day and night in the service of the image and was in a state of constant bliss. Sri Ramakrishna could see the actions of Ramlala and used to spend the whole day with the Babaji to watch him. Over time Ramlala became more and more intimate with Sri Ramakrishna and followed him to his room. Sri Ramakrishna later remarked, “I saw Ramlala as vividly as I see you all—now dancing gracefully before me, now springing on my back, or insisting on being taken up in my arms. Sometimes I would hold him on my lap. He would not remain there but would run to the fields in the sun, pluck flowers from thorny bushes, or jump into the Ganga. All these things actually happened.” One day Jatadhari came to Sri Ramakrishna and said, “Ramlala out of his infinite grace has revealed himself to me in the form I prefer, but he has told me that he will not go leaving you behind. I shall gladly leave him with you and go my way. It gladdens my heart to think that he is happy in your company.” With these words, Jatadhari left Ramlala with Sri Ramakrishna and bade adieu to Dakshineshwar.