Ratha Saptami Tamil version follows this Surya - the Sun god with consorts Saranyu and Chhaya Also called Surya Jayanti, Magha Saptami Ratha Saptami or Rathasapthami (Sanskrit: रथसꥍतमी or Magha Saptami) is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day (Saptami) in the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month Maagha. It marks the seventh day following the Sun’s northerly movement (Uttarayana) of vernal equinox starting from Capricorn (Makara). It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses (representing seven colours) towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction. It also marks the birth of Surya and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti (the Sun-god’s birthday). Ratha Saptami is symbolic of the change of season to spring and the start of the harvesting season. For most Indian farmers, it is an auspicious beginning of the New Year. The festival is observed by all Hindus in their houses and in innumerable temples dedicated to Surya, across India. Surya's chariot Sun worship is deep rooted in the Vedas of the Hindu religion and its antiquity also relates to several mythologies of the world such as that of China, Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Gayatri Mantra jap – the sacred Vedic chants to Savitr (Sun god) – is recited by the Hindus every day with great reverence. As the puranic Hinduism evolved around the early Christian era, the worship of Sun, linked to the equinoxes, was established. In the Rig Veda Mandala 10/Hymn 85, the sun god's bride seated on a chariot pulled by two steeds is mentioned. This symbolism is therefore common to both Norse mythology and Vedic history. The relevant verses (translated from Sanskrit by Ralph Griffith) are as follows: 10. Her spirit was the bridal car; the covering thereof was heaven: Bright were both Steeds that drew it when Surya approached her husband's, home. 11. Thy Steeds were steady, kept in place by holy verse and Sama-hymn: All cars were thy two chariot wheels: thy path was tremulous in the sky, 12. Clean, as thou wentest, were thy wheels wind, was the axle fastened there. Surya, proceeding to his Lord, mounted a spirit-fashionied car. Religious significance Ratha Saptami marks the seventh day following the Sun’s northerly movement (Uttarayana) of vernal equinox starting from Capricorn (Makara). It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses, with Aruna as the charioteer, towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction. The symbolic significance of the ratha and the seven horses reigned to it is that it represents the seven colours of the rainbow. The seven horses are also said to represent the seven days of a week starting with Sunday, the day of Sun god Surya. The chariot has 12 wheels, which represents the 12 signs (each of 30 degrees) of the Zodiac (360 degrees) and constituting a full year, named Samvatsara. The Sun’s own house is Leo (Simha) and he moves from one house to the next every month and the total cycle takes 365 days to complete. The Ratha Saptami festival seeks the benevolent cosmic spread of energy and light from the Sun God.[3] Ratha Saptami also marks the gradual increase in temperature across South India and awaits the arrival of spring, which is later heralded by the festival of Ugadi or the Hindu lunar New Year day in the month of Chaitra. Ratha Saptami also marks the birth of Surya to sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti (the Sun-god’s birthday). A legend is narrated by the Kamboj empire’s King Yashovarma, a noble king who had no heir to rule his kingdom. On his special prayers to God, he was blessed with a son. The king’s vows did not end with this, as his son was terminally ill. A saint who visited the king advised that his son should perform the Ratha Saptami pooja (worship) with reverence to rid of his past sins. Once the King’s son performed this, his health was restored and he ruled his kingdom well.[citation needed] It is also said that sage Bhisma breathed his last breath a day after the Rathasaptahmi day. Sun Temples in India Surya idol at Konarak temple Sun Temple, Modhera There are Surya temples all across India where Ratha Sapthami is fervently celebrated. However, the most famous one is the World Heritage Site of the Konarak Sun Temple, in Konark, Orissa. Besides Konark, there is another sun temple in Orissa, the Biranchi Narayan Temple (Biranchi khetra) in Buguda, Ganjam District. There are sun temples in Modhera, Gujarat, created by king Bhimdev of the Solanki dynasty, in Arasavalli, Andhra Pradesh and in clusters of Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu and Assam. The Sun Temple at Martand (Jammu and Kashmir) and Sun Temple of Multan are temples, which were destroyed during Muslim conflicts in the past. Details of few temples are elaborated. Konarak Wheel of Konark Sun Temple The Konark Sun Temple is a World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of India, as compiled by the Times of India in 2007.[6] It takes the form of the chariot of Surya (Arka), the Sun god, and is heavily decorated with stone carving. The entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely decorated wheels. It was constructed from oxidizing and weathered ferruginous sandstone by King Narasimhadeva I (1236–1264) of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. At the entrance of the temple is the Nata mandir, where the temple dancers used to perform dances in homage to the Sun god. All around the temple, there are various floral and geometric patterns and human, divine and semi-divine figures in sensual poses. Ratha Saptami is celebrated with a holy dip on Chandrabhaga beach at Konark, though this rite has nothing to do with the temple, which is abandoned and has no religious significance in present-day Hinduism. Ratha Saptami 2013 Saptami Tithi is dedicated to Lord Surya. Shukla Paksha Saptami in Magha month is known as Ratha Saptami or Magha Saptami. It is believed that Lord Surya Dev started enlightening the whole world on Ratha Saptami day which was considered as birth day of God Surya. Hence this day is also known as Surya Jayanti. Ratha Saptami is highly auspicious day and it is considered as auspicious as Surya Grahan for Dan-Punya activities. By worshipping Lord Surya and observing fast on this day one can get rid of all type of sins. It is believed that seven types of sins done, knowingly, unknowingly, by words, by body, by mind, in current birth and in previous births are purged by worshipping Lord Surya on this day. On Ratha Saptami one should take bath during Arunodaya. Ratha Saptami Snan is one of the important rituals and is suggested during Arunodaya only. Arunodaya period prevails for four Ghatis (approx. one and half hour for Indian locations if we consider one Ghati duration as 24 minutes) before sunrise. Taking bath before sunrise during Arunodaya keeps one healthy and free from all types of ailments and diseases. Because of this belief Ratha Saptami is also known as Arogya Saptami. Taking bath in water body like river, canal is preferred over taking bath at home. DrikPanchang.com lists Arunodaya period and sunrise time for most cities across the globe. After taking bath one should worship Lord Surya during sunrise by offering Ardhyadan (अर्ध्यदान) to Him. Ardhyadan is performed by slowly offering water to Lord Surya from small Kalash with folded hand in Namaskar Mudra while facing Lord Sun in standing position. After this one should light Deepak of pure Ghee and worship Sun God with Kapoor, Dhup, and red flowers. By doing morning Snan, Dan-Punya and Ardhyadan to Suryadev one is bestowed with long life, good health and prosperity. This day is also known as Achala Saptami. Ratha Saptami falls on the Magha Sukla Paksha Saptami i.e on the seventh day of the waxing phase of the moon in the month of Magha. This year Ratha Saptami is celebrated on Sunday, 17th February, 2013. The rituals to be followed during Ratha Saptami 1) Should get up before sunrise and take head bath by placing Arka or Jilledu or Ekka leaves on seven different part of the body head, two shoulders, two thighs,one on the chest and one on the back. 2) The above process of bathing has to be done thrice repeating the Mantra “Sapta Sapta Maha Sapta, Sapta Dweepa Vasundhra , Sapta Arka Parnamaadaya, Saptami Ratha Saptami”. 3) After finishing the bath, all family members should pray to the sun God while milk is being boiled. When the milk overflows while boiling it should be thought of as offering to the sun God and should do a Namaskara to the overflowing milk. 4) This should be repeated for the three times. 5) Paramannam (A recipe made of Rice, Jaggery and Milk) should be prepared using the above milk. 6) On this day, rangoli is drawn as Rath. Ratha Saptami Rituals in Tamil Nadu Ratha saptami is observed with great fervour by Hindus. Special bathing rituals are observed in some regions on this day. An important ritual on the day is taking bath using Erukku leaves. This is followed mainly in Tamilnadu. On this day people take a purification bath in the early morning and it is suggested during Arunodaya only.