Ratha Saptami is a seventh day of the bright half of the month of Magh. This day holds special spiritual significance in Hinduism as it marks the birth of Sun God. On Ratha Saptami, it is customary to offer kheer made with cow's milk or a sweet dish made with jaggery as an offering to please the Sun God. Ratha Saptami will be celebrated on Sunday, January 25th. This date is based on the Saptami Tithi (seventh day) of the Magha month in the Hindu lunar calendar. Knowing the precise timings for this festival is important for performing religious ceremonies at the most favorable times.
In many cultures, milk is traditionally boiled in earthen pots in sunlit courtyards and offered as prasad. Following Ratha Saptami, cooling foods like kheer become popular. This sattvic dish, made with rice, milk, and jaggery or sugar, represents the moon's coolness and the sun's radiance. Offering kheer as prasad to the Sun God is believed to bestow happiness, prosperity, and good health.
How to Make Kheer for Nevidya?
To make this kheer, you will need 1 liter of full-fat cow's milk, half a cup of broken basmati rice (washed and dried), three-quarters of a cup of sugar or organic jaggery, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder, chopped dry fruits, and 1 tablespoon of clarified butter (ghee).
Easy recipe for making milk kheer:
First, heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and lightly sauté the rice. Then add the milk and let it simmer over low heat. While the milk is reducing, the rice should also cook thoroughly. Stir the milk occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
When the milk thickens and the rice is fully cooked, add the sugar or jaggery. If using jaggery, turn off the gas and wait for a while before adding it, so that the milk does not curdle. Finally, you can add cardamom powder and finely chopped dry fruits of your choice. If you have saffron at home, add it on top and offer the hot kheer to the Sun God as an offering.