Surya
Ratha Saptami
Surya's own day — his seven-horse chariot turns fully toward spring.
Tithi: Magha Shukla Saptami
In the simplest words
The sun's own festival — the day Surya turned his chariot of seven horses northward. A winter goodbye, a spring hello, said with morning water.
The story & purpose
Ratha Saptami is kept as Surya Jayanti — the day the sun-god's radiance first poured upon the world. His chariot, drawn by seven horses that are the seven metres of the Veda and the seven colours of light, is imagined wheeling north toward the warm half of the year.
The day's signature is the snan with arka (crown flower) leaves placed on the shoulders and head — the sun's own plant, carrying away illness with the old season.
What is done
Arka-snan
Bathe at sunrise with arka leaves touching the body — the day's defining purification.
Surya arghya
Water offered to the risen sun from a copper vessel, with red flowers and akshata.
Rangoli of the chariot
A seven-horse chariot drawn in the courtyard; a lamp set at its centre.
Aditya jaap
The twelve names of Surya, or Surya Gayatri, facing the morning sun.
Best timings
Everything belongs to sunrise — snan and arghya in the arunodaya moments are the merit of the day.
Exact muhurat varies by city and tradition — for the precise hour, consult a local panchang for your location.
Worth knowing
At Tirumala, the deity processes on all seven vahanas in a single day on Ratha Saptami.
Bhishma Ashtami — the day Bhishma left his body in Uttarayana — follows on the very next tithi.
Farmers read the day as the true turn of the agricultural year toward summer crops.
Mantras of this festival
ॐ सूर्याय नमः
Surya — dispeller of darkness (Surya name 3 of 12)
Begin jaap →ॐ आदित्याय नमः
Aditya — son of Aditi (Surya name 9 of 12)
Begin jaap →ॐ ह्रां ह्रीं ह्रौं सः सूर्याय नमः
Surya — the Sun
Begin jaap →ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्
Gayatri mantra
Begin jaap →