According to the Hindu calendar, this year Rath Saptami is on Friday, 16 February. This is the day of sun worship. Pleased with the devotional worship on this day, Sun God blesses his devotees with prosperity, wealth and health.
According to Bhavishya Purana, Lord Surya appeared on Saptami Tithi. Lord Surya illuminated the entire world with his light on this day. He got his wife Sangya Uttarkuru and children also on Saptami Tithi, hence Saptami Tithi is very dear to Lord Surya.
According to religious belief, by worshiping Lord Surya on this day, people get eternal fruits. Pleased with the worship done with full devotion and emotion, Lord Bhaskar blesses his devotees with happiness, prosperity and good health.
On this day, wake up early in the morning and take bath with fresh water in a reservoir, river or at home and wear red, pink or saffron colored clothes. Take holy water in a copper pot, add Ashtagandha, red flowers and Akshat in the water and offer Arghya to the rising Sun with this simple mantra "Om Suryay Namah".
On this day, needful items should be given to the handicapped, poor and Brahmins as per their capacity. On this day, there is a rule for those who worship the Sun to eat salt-free food or fruits at one time. The fasting person should not wear blue clothes, otherwise the worship becomes futile.
On this day, if a person offers water to the Sun and donates a lamp to Lord Sun, he gets a lot of virtue.