Ratha sapthami is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day (Saptami) in the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month Maagha Maas. It marks the seventh day following the Sun's northerly movement (Uttarayana) of vernal equinox starting from Capricorn (Makara). It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses (representing seven colours) towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction. It also marks the birth of Surya and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti (the Sun-god's birthday).Ratha Saptami is symbolic of the change of season to spring and the start of the harvesting season. For most Indian farmers, it is an auspicious beginning of the New Year.
Tracing back to history once a King called Yashovarma was ruling the Kamboj Empire. He was extremely religious and his people were living happily and were praising his ruling. But he had no children to look the country after him. He had become old. He worshipped God to give him a son. Hearing his prayers, God given him a son, who was very sick. The king was unhappy due to his son's sickness.
A Saint, Vinit came to the king and told him that his sickness is because of his sins he had done in his previous birth. As the remedy to the king's sickness he advised the king to make his son to observe vow of Ratha Saptami and also advised to worship sun god for removal of bad karmic deed. King's son performed the puja on Ratha Saptami and became healthy to rule his people without any sufferings.
There is an another story which tells that Samb had got leprosy because of the curse of Lord Krishna, and it got cured after he worshipped the Sun.
Benefits of worshipping God surya:-
In this world many Gods are worshiped and we are praying to them since our birth. Sun is considered as the visible God, the Pratyaksha Devatha. All Vedas regard Surya as the witness ("Karma Saakshi") of all actions and also considered as the life-giver (Prannadata) of the entire universe. Elaborating on the meaning of Surya, the scriptures say: Surya is Su(supreme) + rya (inspiring). Thus Surya means 'the supreme one that inspires'. The Surya is also known as ''Atmakaraka''. Being a Sanskrit word, ''Atma'' means ''soul'' and ''Karaka'' means ''indicator''. The Sun is the ''indicator of the soul''. For spirited, he is soul and taking care of all the creatures on this earth. We cannot even imagine the life without the Sun. The Sun is the symbol of the Self-god. As the Self-god illuminates the mind, the intellect and the body, the Sun illuminates the world.
Sun God, the illustrious lord of all victories who is the king of all the planets and by worshiping Sun, all other planets remains calm and shower their blessings. Grah Shanti Surya Puja or Sun worship is recommended to those, having malefic surya or wrongly placed sun as per the horoscope. Surya Puja is a divine boon for those who face problems, hurdles and misfortune in their lives. Worship of Sun is beneficial when people get stuck, no matter how hard working, honest and intelligent they are good luck seems to ignore them. People who aspire for sound health, prosperity, good eyesight, strength and courage, success, cure of chronic diseases like leprosy, heart ailment, nervous weakness, asthma etc. should worship the Sun. This planet is known for his Power, strength and glory.
In the Vedas it said:
Surya jyotir jyotir Surya
The sunlight and the sun god cannot be separated. As God the Creator and God the creation cannot be separated, so the sun god and sunlight cannot be separated. "The sun god is Light, Light is the sun god."
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Aano bhadra krtavo yantu vishwatah.(- RIG VEDA)
"Let noble thoughts come to me from all directions"
REGARDS
Miss.Shaija Vallikatri Bhaskaran 
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