Ratha Saptami - Surya Jayanthi

Ratha Saptami:

This festival is dedicated to Surya, the Sun God. The festival comes on the seventh day i.e. Saptami of Magha Masam (January - February). Sun symmetrical events falls during Pushya, Magha Masam & Dhanurmasam, starting from Vaikunta Ekadasi and ending with Ratha Sapthami. Worshipping Sun God during this period is considered to be very sacred. People believe that the sun god will bless with success for all their endeavors.

Cultural Beliefs:

• This festival is celebrated as birthday of sun god (Surya Jayanthi) is born to the couple Kashyapa (sage) and Aditi.
• The King Yashovarma has no children. So he performed prayer to Sun god and was blessed with a son. His son was very ill. A saint visited the king and advised the king to perform the Ratha Saptami pooja to destroy his past sins. The King’s son performed the pooja and his health was cured rule to his kingdom.
• It is believed that sage Bhisma breathed his last breath a day after the Ratha saptami day.
• As per mythology Lord Sri Rama worshipped sun god before going to battle with Ravana. King Satragit worshipped the sun god for the gem Samanthakamani (cause of prosperity) which is later given to Lord Krishna and Satyabhama marriage.
• Surya Namaskaram even once a year on the Ratha sapthami day will give you good health for the whole year. 

 Ratha Saptami Pooja Procedure:

• Fast on saptami night and take bath early in the morning at the time of sunrise especially at the sacred rivers facing towards east. People believe that they will get rid of sins committed from their previous seven births, health problems can be cured. 
• Take bath using Arka(ray of light)/Yekka (Jilledu-plant related to sun god) Leaves by keeping One leaf is kept on the head with few rice grains over it, 2 leaves on the shoulders, 2 on knees and 2 on foot while having bath. The bath is very sacred.

 Chant the below mantra while taking bath:

• If not possible at the river place a block of wood in the bathroom and seat yourself facing east. Place the seven Arka leaves (seven births) on your head and have bath with mind fixed on God.
• Water has to be held in the palms and offer to the sun god to receive mercy. After bath perform Soorya Namaskar and read Sri Agasthiar's Aditya Hrudayam.
• God Vishnu in the form of sun god is worshipped on this day. Recite and perform Japa such as Surya Sahasramnamam, Aditya hridayam, Suryashtakam, Gayathri, surya gayatri and offer puja to sun god.
• Women have to draw rangoli (pattern of surya or riding a chariot-Ratham) at the entrance of their houses to welcome the pleasant rays of sun.
• Fasting can be done to attain knowledge.
• People do Charity to yield good benefits. According to the Magha Masa rules Thila danam, Salagrama Dana, donating clothes, Blankets, Umbrella, Amla to the people in need are very sacred 
• The food grain for Sun god is wheat so prepare payasam/Kheer, “Sweet Pongal (chakra pongali)” (sweet prepared with broken rice and Jaggery) and offer as naivedyam to Sun God.

 Significance:

• In The festival Ratha Saptami Ratha means chariot and sapthami is the thiti.Saptami is the thithi allotted to sun god at the time of constellations divisions.
• The chariot of the Sun God is diverted towards the north by his charioteer Aruna. The Sun God rides on his chariot drawn by seven horses and move towards the north east direction bringing the entry of the spring season. The Sun’s chariot has only one wheel, representing the Kalachakra and the seven horses represent seven colors of light (VIBGYOR). The seven horses represent seven days in the week starting from Sunday the day dedicated to Sun God. The entire kala-chakra (wheel of time) is established on the wheel of the sun-god's chariot (Samvatsara). Sun is the lord of Leo in the Zodiac. He stays one month in each Raasi and takes 365 days or 12 months to complete a round of 12 Rasis.

Important Facts:

• Hindus consider sun as an important god. Sun worship is needed for the physical and mental well-being of an individual.
• Many Mandatory daily routines like surya namaskara, Sandhya vandana, and Gayathri japa are incorporated in the Nitya Vidhis.
• Ratha saptami is powerful like amavasya.so some people offer tarpanam to ancestors.
• Grand Celebrations are performed in the temples located at Konark (Orissa), Arasavelli (Srikakulam dt.Andhra Pradesh), tirumala and srirangam.One day Brahmotsavam is celebrated at tirumala.
• The thoughts that arise in the human mind are like the horses that pull the mind in different directions. The mind is to make progress towards the spirituality; the horses should pulled in the right direction. Change in the mind and putting it on the path to God is the philosophy.

 Scientific Reasons:

• As per the science all the planets revolve around the sun. When the earth rotates and revolves around sun day and night comes. Our lives start with sunlight. The sun is very far from earth and the sunlight takes 8.3 minutes to reach the earth. The ultra violet rays from the sun have antiseptic properties, kills germs and bacteria (unseen to x-rays and scanners). Plants prepare food. Sunlight is the rich source of Vitamin-D. 
• When the sun is in Capricorn constellation, it moves northward. It not only turns around, but ensures some important events to happen during the six months period of the movement. The six months will be Month of Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer. The power of Sun rays can be physically and practically seen.
•  Arka Leaves has many medicinal benefits. It is used to cure skin diseases, digestion problem, join paints, abdominal pain, tooth aches etc. Chemicals present on these leaves will strengthen root of hair and cools scalp. The skins of its roots are used to cure cough and asthma. All kinds of diseases and illness can be cured so the bath is very sacred. It is called as a healing herb like Sun God as a healer. 
• According to astrology, the Sun gains more power (excalation) in Mesha, loose power in Libra (debilation) and own house is Leo. If the Sun is in Libra means Karthika masam (cold weather) i.e. sun rays will be weak. Without sun bacteria & virus raises so karthika Masam rituals came to protect ourselves from the weather. If the Sun is in Aries (Mesha) starts in April (gains full power) that means hot weather.  On the day of Ratha Saptami Sun’s northerly movement (north-easterly direction.) sun starts gaining power (beginning of hot weather). If the Sun is in Leo (own house) then Mix of Cool breezes and hot summer (august).Again in September bacteria and virus will start to take birth.so vinaya chavithi festival comes up to perform special puja only with variety leaves (patri) and especially Arka(jilledu) leaves.