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Ratha Saptami is a spiritually and religiously significant festival that honours Lord Surya. This is the best opportunity for us to express our gratitude to the God who gifts the world its vitality, wisdom and effulgence. It is believed that Lord Surya was born on the highly auspicious day of Ratha Saptami. In other words, the whole world started receiving his loving warmth and purifying light on this day. In this article, we have covered the spiritual importance, important date, timings, rituals and everything you need to know about this great festival. Read on.

Spiritual Significance of Ratha Saptami
Also known as Surya Jayanti, Magh Jayanti or Magha Saptami, this festival represents the sacred movement of Bhagwan Surya to the Northern region. This Uttarayan journey of the Lord on a holy chariot that is made up of 7 horses marks the shift in climate or the beginning of summer. For farmers in Southern parts of our country, this is the time period for starting their harvest.

The festival falls on Saptami or the 7th day of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu spiritual month of Magha. Devotees believe that offering puja to Bhagwan Surya and engaging in charity during this period can destroy the past sins and karmic weightage of an individual. This is the reason why Ratha Saptami is celebrated as a divine opportunity for inner purification, more than a celestial festival. Additionally, Lord Surya’s divine grace can manifest in our lives in the form of overall well-being and vitality. Hence, the day is also called Arogya Saptami.

Ratha Saptami 2026: Important Date and Timings
The festival will be celebrated on 25th January 2026 (Sunday).

Beginning of Saptami Tithi: 12:39 AM (25th January 2026)

Ending of Saptami Tithi: 11:10 PM (25th January 2026)

Muhurat for Holy Bath or San: 05:26 AM - 07:13 AM

Time of Dawn is 06:48 AM and Time of Sunrise is 07:13 AM

Rituals for Ratha Saptami
1. Holy Snan


2. Offer Arghya to Lord Surya
After the bath, we have to offer Arghyadan to Surya Dev. Take a tiny vessel. Stand in the direction of Lord Surya and pour water towards the lord in the Kalash or vessel. Maintain Namaskar mudra that represents gratitude for the God’s divine grace.

3. Ritual
Once the Arghya offering rite is over, we can present a Deepak or lamp to Bhagwan. Remember to light it with pure or desi ghee. Then, we have to offer red flowers, Dhup or incense and Kapoor or camphor. These are elements loved by Surya Dev.

4. Charity
Any kinds of charity activities are considered highly auspicious on this day. We can decide to support education of the impoverished, gift food to the homeless or even engage in nature conservation activities. Any and all of these activities will result in the blessings of Lord Surya.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What to eat on Ratha Saptami?
On Ratha Saptami, our diets should be focused on pure vegetarian sattvic food items often featuring wheat-based dishes, jaggery, and coconut.

What do 7 horses of sun represent?
In Hindu mythology, the seven horses drawing the chariot of the Sun God primarily represent the seven colours of visible light or VIBGYOR and the seven days of the week.

Which temple to go on Ratha Saptami?
For Ratha Saptami, the best destination is the Arasavalli Sun Temple in Andhra Pradesh. In this temple over 2 lakh devotees gather for special Surya Narayana Swamy worship.