Ratha Saptami is an auspicious Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of Lord Surya. Ratha Saptami, also known as Rathasapthami, falls on the seventh day (Saptami) in the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month Magha. This year, Ratha Saptami 2024 will be celebrated on Friday, February 16, 2024. Ratha Saptami is a highly auspicious day and it is considered as auspicious as Surya Grahan for charity activities. The Saptami Tithi is dedicated to Lord Surya, and hence, Shukla Paksha Saptami in Magha month is known as Ratha Saptami or Magha Saptami. In this article, let’s know more about Ratha Saptami 2024 date, puja vidhi (rituals) and shubh muhurat (auspicious timings) and the significance of the auspicious day. Narmada Jayanti 2024 Date in India: Know Shubh Muhurat, Puja Vidhi and Significance of the Auspicious Observance on Shukla Paksha Saptami in Magha Month.

Ratha Saptami 2024 Date

Ratha Saptami will be celebrated on Friday, February 16, 2024

Ratha Saptami 2024 Shubh Muhurat and Timings

  • Snan Muhurat on Ratha Saptami will be from 05:27 AM to 07:07 AM on February 16. It will be for 1 Hour and 40 minutes.

  • The Saptami Tithi will begin at 10:12 AM on February 15 and end at 08:54 AM on February 16, 2024

Ratha Saptami Puja Rituals

  1. On Ratha Saptami day, devotees should take a bath during Arunodaya. Ratha Saptami Snan is one of the important rituals and is suggested during Arunodaya only.

  2. Arunodaya duration prevails for four Ghatis (approx. one and half hours for Indian locations if we consider one Ghati duration as 24 minutes) before sunrise.

  3. Taking a 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.

  4. On this day, taking a bath in a water body like a river is preferred over taking a bath at home.

  5. At Sunrise, offer Arghya to God Surya while chanting Surya Mantra or Ratha Saptami Stotra.

  6. Light a lamp and offer red flowers, jaggery, and kumkum while offering arghya to Surua Dev.

  7. Make some donations to the needy. It is said that devotees engaging in charity on this day have a long life, good health, and prosperity.

Ratha Saptami Significance

As per religious beliefs, it is said that Lord Surya Dev started enlightening the whole world on Ratha Saptami day which was considered as the birthday of God Surya. Hence, this day is also known as Surya Jayanti. The day is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (chariot) drawn by seven horses (representing the seven colours) towards the northern hemisphere in a north-easterly direction. It also marks the birth of Surya and is hence also celebrated as Surya Jayanti. February 2024 Holidays Calendar: List of Major Festivals and Events in the Second Month of the Year.

On this day, devotees visit Surya temples all across India, where Ratha Sapthami is fervently celebrated. The most famous one is the World Heritage Site of the Konarak Sun Temple in Konark, Odisha. Besides Konark, there is another sun temple in Odisha, the Biranchinarayan Temple, Buguda, Ganjam District. There are sun temples in Modhera, Gujarat, created by King Bhimdev of the Chaulukya dynasty, in Arasavalli, Andhra Pradesh and in clusters of Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu and Assam.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 12, 2024 12:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).