☀️ Ratha Saptami (Achala / Surya Saptami) 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.
How to do Ratha Saptami (Achala / Surya Saptami) — the steps
- 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
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
Rules — do's and don'ts
✅ 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
Vrat katha
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 th… Read the full katha →
Frequently asked questions
When is Ratha Saptami in {Y}?
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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