Devotees flock to Hyderabad temples to worship Sun God on Ratha Saptami

HYDERABAD: Temples in Hyderabad were bustling with joyous festivities on Friday as devotees celebrated Ratha Saptami, a special day dedicated to the Sun God, Surya. Devotees have flocked to temples across the city to offer prayers to Lord Surya since Friday morning.

Many devotees from Hyderabad visited Sri Surya Devalayam in Trimulgherry, Secunderabad, to offer their prayers to the Sun God at the city's only sun temple. They performed sacred rituals, offered prayers, and made special offerings of fruits, flowers, and coconuts.

Do you know the significance of Ratha Saptami?

Ratha Saptami, observed during Shukla Paksha in Magha month, is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of the sun god Surya Dev, symbolising his enlightenment of the world. Hence, it's also known as Surya Jayanti.

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On Ratha Saptami, a significant ritual involves taking a bath during Arunodaya, which is the period just before sunrise. This ritual, known as Ratha Saptami Snan, is believed to bestow health and ward off ailments and diseases. It's also referred to as Arogya Saptami due to this belief. The preferred location for this bath is in natural water bodies like rivers or canals, as it is considered more auspicious than bathing at home.

Ratha Saptami holds immense significance and is considered as auspicious as Surya Grahan for dan-punya activities. Worshipping Lord Surya and observing a fast on this day is believed to cleanse one of all types of sins. It is said that by honoring Lord Surya on Ratha Saptami, one can purify oneself from seven types of sins, whether committed knowingly or unknowingly, through words, actions, or thoughts, in both the current and previous births.

After the morning bath, the tradition on Ratha Saptami entails worshiping Lord Surya during sunrise. This worship involves offering Arghyadan, a sacred act of slowly presenting water to Lord Surya from a small Kalash while standing in Namaskar Mudra facing the Sun. Additionally, lighting a lamp with pure ghee and presenting Kapoor, Dhup, and red flowers to the Sun God form part of the ritual. These devotional practices are believed to bestow individuals with longevity, good health, and prosperity, underscoring the spiritual significance of observing these rites on this auspicious day.