Life on Earth is not possible without the Sun. Hindus pay tribute to the Sun in the form of festivals. The Sun festivals in India have been celebrated since ancient times. During these festivals, people offer prayers to God Sun as per their local culture and traditions. We are here to know about the Sun festivals in India, their importance, and their celebrations in a little more detail.
As per the Hindu cultural and religious belief, God is everywhere and in everything. Whether it is living or non-living things we worship Mother Nature in different forms. The sun is the greatest source of light and energy. The existence of life on Earth depends on Sunlight. How can we forget about the Sun? There are many famous Sun temples in India. People offer prayer to God Sun by visiting the Sun temple.
Importance of Sun Festivals in India
In India, the sun festival is of religious as well as cultural importance in India. Sun has a religious connection. As per the Hindu religious books God Sun has had great importance from ancient times. Hindus worship the Sun in the form of God. In every Hindu family, the Rising Sun is worshipped every morning in India.
There are ancient Hindu festivals dedicated to the God Sun i.e. Chhath Puja. We will talk about it later in this article. In Mahabharat, Karn, the son of Kunti, is the blessing of God Sun.
Sun festivals are also connected with the Harvest season in India. Farmers celebrate their Harvest festivals and thank Mother Nature for their abundant harvest. They worship God Sun during the Harvest festival celebration. Checkout:- Popular Harvest Festival in India
List of Sun Festivals in India
There are some popular Sun festivals celebrated in India. During the Sun festival celebration, various religious and cultural activities are performed to worship the god sun.
| S.N. | FESTIVAL NAME | STATE | MONTH |
| 1. | Chhath Puja | North India, Maharashtra | November |
| 2. | Modhera Sun Festival | Gujarat | January |
| 3. | Makar Sankranti | Bihar, Uttar Pradesh | January |
| 4. | Pongal | Tamil Nadu | January |
| 5. | Ratha Saptami | Andhra Pradesh | February |
Sun Festival Celebration in India
Indian cultural diversity gives us more opportunities to celebrate the same festival in different ways.
Chhath Puja- Sun Festival in India
Chhath Puja is Among the most popular Indian festivals and the biggest Sun festival in India. Originating from the North Indian state Bihar, nowadays people across India celebrate this festival. The festival is celebrated on the sixth day of Kartik month, shortly after the Festival of Lights – Diwali.
Chhath Puja is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to the God Sun. This is the only religious festival that offers prayers to the Rising Sun as well as Sunset. During the festival, people offer prayers to God Sun (also known as Surya) and his wife Usha, the Goddess of the Daybreak.
In accordance with a strict tradition, this is a period for the devotees to fast and abstain from drinking water, as well as to perform ablutions and stand in water for a long period of time and perform the ceremonies of worshipping the Sun rising or setting. It is noteworthy that this is one of the rare Hindu holidays in which priests are not involved at all. Know more:- Chhath Puja Celebration
Ratha Saptami (Surya Jayanti)
Ratha Saptami, also known as Surya Jayanthi is one of the famous Sun Festivals in India. The festival is celebrated by the hindu community on the seventh day (Saptami) of the bright half of the Hindu month Magha. It is the beginning of the spring season and the start of a new harvest for Indian farmers. Indian farmers celebrate this festival as the New Year
The festival celebrates the power of the Sun God who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. On this day, Lord Vishnu in the form of Surya is usually worshipped. On this day at Tirumala (Andhra Pradesh), Lord Venkateswara (Balaji) is mounted on Seven Vahanas (Celestial Vehicles) one after the other. Chakrasnanam rituals are also performed on the idols of Lord Venkateswara on the same day. This festival is quite popular in Andhra Pradesh in India.
Modhera Sun Festival – Ahmedabad
The Sun Temple in Modhera is a well-known spiritual place in Northern Gujarat. Gujarat Tourism Corporation organizes the Sun Festival at Modhera every year. Modhera Sun Festival is a local festival or event. This festival celebrates the region’s culture and spirituality of the place. The celebration attracts a large number of artists nationally and internationally. This is primarily concerned with reintroducing monuments and heritage to the general public, particularly youth.
Makar Sankranti
Makar Sankranti is one of the popular Hindu festivals. The festival is celebrated with different names across India. People celebrate this festival as per the local culture and tradition.
Makar Sankranti is a solar event making it one of the few Hindu festivals that fall on the same date on 14 or 15 January every year. It is the time when the sun transits the zodiac sign Makar (Capricorn) and moves toward the north.
People celebrate by taking a dip in the holy rivers flowing through states to cleanse themselves of sins. Popularly Known as the Til Gud Festival. People consume this day til gur and jaggery laddoo, Chikkies. Gur Rewari, Peanuts, and Popcorn are the three munchies associated with this festival. Know more:- Makar Sankranti Celebration
Pongal- Sun Festival in India
Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Pongal in South India. Pongal is a popular Harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu. It is the festival to thank the God Sun for the abundant harvest. The 4 days of the Pongal celebration give us a chance to see the beautiful South Indian culture during the Pongal celebration. Know more:- Pongal Festival Celebration
Conclusion
Most of the Indian festivals are linked with nature and the sun is considered a god in Sanatan Dharma. India celebrated the sun festival to thank for providing everything for life on earth. People in India pay tribute to Mother Nature in the form of God. and thank for everything in the form of festivals.
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