☀️ Ratha Saptami (Achala / Surya Saptami) 2027
Magha Shukla Saptami — the birthday of Surya Dev and the turning of his seven-horse chariot to the north; the dawn bath, arghya to the Sun, a vrat for health.
Ratha Saptami is celebrated on the Saptami of the Shukla Paksha of Magha month — two days after Vasant Panchami. It is also called Achala Saptami, Surya Saptami, Magha Saptami and Arogya Saptami. On this day Surya Dev is held to have appeared (Surya Jayanti) and his chariot of seven horses turns towards the north — the chariot of spring.
Women bathe before sunrise (Arunodaya), offer arghya to the Sun and keep a vrat for the family's health — especially the well-being of children and elders; in the south and Maharashtra there is the custom of a chariot rangoli in the courtyard and boiling milk and rice over. Below are this year's date, the time of the dawn bath, vidhi, samagri, katha, bhog and regional customs.
Significance — why this vrat
Surya is the god of health — 'Arogyam Bhaskaradichchhet'; the bath and arghya of Ratha Saptami are held to free one from skin diseases, eye diseases and long illnesses; the vow of seven Saptamis (from the Magha Saptami) also begins here.
The Arunodaya bath: about 48 minutes before sunrise (Arunodaya), a bath in a river/at home with seven leaves of aak (madar) and ber leaves placed on the head — destroying sins; this is the special vidhi of the festival.
It is not 'abujh' but an auspicious Saptami — excellent for charity, new work and beginning Sun mantras (Gayatri); Bhishma Pitamah left his body on Magha Shukla Ashtami, and this Saptami is its eve.
Puja vidhi (step by step)
This is the household vidhi — the Arunodaya bath, arghya to the Sun and the chariot rangoli, fast and charity in the day.
- Bathe at Arunodaya (~45 minutes before sunrise, see Brahma Muhurat above) — with seven aak leaves, ber leaves and akshat on the head; Gangajal at home if there is no river; the bath mantra 'Yadyajjanmakritam papam maya saptasu janmasu…'.
- At sunrise (time above) stand facing east and offer arghya of water, akshat, red flowers and roli from a copper lota — seven times, 'Om Ghrini Suryaya Namah' / 'Om Suryaya Namah' / the Aditya Hridaya Stotra.
- Draw a chariot with seven horses in rangoli in the courtyard/puja place (the custom of the south and Maharashtra); a Sun symbol in the centre; a lamp on the chariot.
- Surya puja: a red cloth, red flowers (hibiscus/kaner), roli, jaggery and wheat for the Sun picture/Surya yantra or copper image; incense and lamp; Surya Chalisa/Aditya Hridaya; 108 Gayatri mantras.
- Fast: fruit during the day or one meal without salt (many homes keep a 'saltless Saptami'); a meal after sunset.
- Charity: wheat, jaggery, red cloth, copper, ghee — to a Brahmin/the needy; jaggery-roti to a cow; a special prayer for any sick member of the family.
- Southern custom: boil milk and rice over in a new clay pot before the Sun (like Pongal) and offer it — 'Ratha Saptami Pongal'.
- Arghya/bow at sunset too; Surya bhajans at night; the next day is Bhishmashtami — tarpan (where customary).
Puja samagri checklist
Aak leaves and a copper lota — the special items of this festival.
- 7 aak (madar) leaves, ber leaves — for the bath; Gangajal
- Copper lota, akshat, red flowers (hibiscus/kaner/rose), roli, jaggery
- Sun picture/yantra/copper image, red cloth, wooden seat
- Rangoli colours (chariot figure), lamp, incense, camphor
- Bhog: wheat halwa/kheer, jaggery-rice, red fruit (pomegranate/apple); in the south a new clay pot, milk, rice, jaggery
- Charity: wheat, jaggery, red cloth, copper vessel, ghee, dakshina
- Aditya Hridaya/Surya Chalisa book, Gayatri rosary
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Open panchang →Vrat katha (the story)
The story of the Bhavishya Purana — the only son of King Yashovarma of Kamboja was sick and short-lived from birth. The sages said — in his previous birth he was a merchant who earned wealth but gave no charity, hence this fruit. The remedy — the Arunodaya bath, arghya to the Sun and a fast on Magha Shukla Saptami. The king had his son keep this vrat — the illness went, his life lengthened and he became a mighty king. Since then Ratha Saptami is the vrat of health and longevity.
Surya Jayanti — the appearance of Aditya (the Sun) as the son of sage Kashyapa and Aditi is placed on Magha Shukla Saptami; from this day the Sun's chariot (seven horses = seven days/seven colours, one wheel = the year, twelve spokes = twelve months, charioteer Aruna) turns towards the north — hence 'Ratha' Saptami.
The Bhishma story — lying on the bed of arrows Bhishma waited for Uttarayan and left his body on Magha Shukla Ashtami (the day after Ratha Saptami); so this Saptami-Ashtami is also linked with the ancestors and longevity.
Surya's bhog — wheat-jaggery and a saltless meal
The Sun loves wheat, jaggery and red things; in many homes the Ratha Saptami fast is saltless (alona). In the south, milk and rice boiled over before the Sun.
- Bhog: wheat-flour halwa or kheer (with jaggery), jaggery-rice, pomegranate-apple, red fruit
- Fasting meal: without salt — kheer, fruit, milk, sweet daliya; or fruit only
- South (Ratha Saptami Pongal): milk-rice-jaggery boiled over in a new clay pot for the Sun; sakkarai pongal
- Maharashtra: gulpoli/kheer, milk boiled over beside the chariot rangoli in the courtyard
- Charity: a bundle of wheat and jaggery, a copper lota
Regional customs
Ratha Saptami is big in the south and west, a household Sun-vrat in the north; the Ratha Saptami festival at Tirumala.
A custom, tale, song or dish heard from your grandmother — 2-4 lines; after reading we add it on this page with your region's name (the phone is never shown — only to ask you back).
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✅ Do
- Bathe at Arunodaya with aak and ber leaves on the head — the special vidhi of the festival
- Seven arghyas at sunrise, facing east; Aditya Hridaya/Gayatri
- A prayer for the health of any sick member — that is the purpose of the vrat
- Charity of wheat, jaggery, copper and red cloth
- The chariot rangoli and boiling milk over (where customary)
❌ Don't
- Do not look at the Sun's reflection in the water while offering arghya — and do not stare at the Sun directly
- No salt in the fast (for those keeping it saltless), no tamasic food
- Aak sap must not touch the eyes or mouth — handle the leaves with care (poisonous)
- No arghya with Sun mantras after sunset — only in the morning
- Charity wheat and jaggery never spoilt
Frequently asked questions
When is Ratha Saptami in 2027?
The date at the top is this year's Magha Shukla Saptami — from panchang calculations; the Delhi times for the Arunodaya bath (Brahma Muhurat) and sunrise (arghya) are shown too. The day on which the Saptami is present at sunrise/Arunodaya is the day.
What is the Arunodaya bath?
The time about 48 minutes (4 ghatis) before sunrise is Arunodaya — a bath at that time with seven aak (madar) leaves and ber leaves on the head; a rite for destroying sins and for health; also valid at home with Gangajal.
How to offer arghya to the Sun?
Stand facing east with water, akshat, red flowers and roli in a copper lota; raise both hands and release the water in a thin stream while reciting the Sun mantra, seven times; do not look at the Sun's reflection in the water, do not stare at it directly.
What is the difference between Ratha Saptami and Makar Sankranti?
Both are Sun festivals — the Sankranti is the Sun's entry into Capricorn (solar, around 14 January); Ratha Saptami is Magha Shukla Saptami (a lunar tithi, around February) — Surya Jayanti and the turning of the chariot to the north; in the south milk is boiled over on both.
What is the vow of seven Saptamis?
Beginning with Ratha Saptami, a Surya vrat (arghya, saltless meal) on the Shukla Saptami of seven consecutive months — for health and the welfare of children; or for seven years from the Magha Saptami.
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⚠️ This description follows traditional vidhi and folk belief; your own family custom comes first. Aak (madar) is poisonous — handle the leaves with care; treat illness with a doctor.
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