🌞 Ratha Saptami Puja – Worship of Surya Dev (Sun God)

Ratha Saptami is a highly auspicious Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Surya (the Sun God). It marks the symbolic birth of Surya Deva and his northward movement (Uttarayana) on a seven-horsed chariot, signifying the change of season and start of the harvest period.

📅 When is Ratha Saptami Celebrated?

  • Celebrated on the seventh day (Saptami) of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) in the month of Magha (January–February).
  • It usually falls one week after Basant Panchami and is observed a day before or after Bhishma Ashtami, depending on the lunar calendar.

🌞 Significance of Ratha Saptami

  • It commemorates Surya’s chariot ride toward the northern hemisphere, symbolizing the awakening of cosmic energy.
  • It is believed to purify sins, cure diseases, and bestow health, vitality, and prosperity.
  • Ratha Saptami is also known as:
    • Surya Jayanti (Birthday of Sun God)
    • Magha Saptami
    • Achala Saptami

🛕 Ratha Saptami Puja Rituals

🌅 1. Pre-Dawn Bath (Arunodaya Snan)

  • Devotees wake up before sunrise and take a ritual bath facing the east, often placing 7 arka (sunflower or crown flower) leaves on the head, shoulders, chest, and knees.
  • This is believed to wash away past sins and promote good health.

🙏 2. Surya Puja

  • Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) and chanting of Surya Gayatri Mantra:

“Om Bhaskaraya Vidmahe, Mahatejaya Dheemahi, Tanno Aditya Prachodayat”

  • Offerings include:
    • Water (Arghya) offered to Surya facing the rising sun.
    • Red flowers, red sandal paste, jaggery, rice, ghee lamps, and fruits.

🐎 3. Chariot Symbolism

  • A symbolic drawing or arrangement of a chariot with 7 horses and 12 wheels is made to represent the Sun’s celestial chariot.
  • In some places, kolam or rangoli designs depict this chariot.

📜 Mantras and Slokas for Surya Worship

  • Aditya Hridayam Stotra – Highly sacred hymn from Ramayana.
  • Surya Ashtakam – Devotional 8-verse prayer.
  • Gayatri Mantra and Surya Kavacham are recited for protection and clarity.

🌿 Special Foods and Offerings

  • Sweet pongal, puris, churma, khichdi, and other dishes made with jaggery, wheat, and ghee are prepared.
  • In Andhra Pradesh, a sweet dish called Sakkarai Pongal is offered.

🪔 Spiritual Meaning

  • Ratha Saptami signifies the Sun’s power as a source of life, time, energy, and knowledge.
  • Just as the Sun removes darkness, worshiping Surya is believed to remove ignorance and bring enlightenment.

📍 Regional Celebrations

  • Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka: Major celebrations in Tirumala Tirupati Temple, where the deity is taken in a Ratha (chariot) procession.
  • Tamil Nadu: Celebrated in Surya temples, and homes are decorated with beautiful kolams.
  • Maharashtra & Odisha: Ritual baths and sun worship are key parts of the observance.