Surya is the sun in Indian tradition — first as a natural phenomenon addressed in hymns, then as a deity with iconography, lineage and temples. He is one of the oldest continuously worshipped deities in any tradition that survives today. His name is mentioned in the Rigveda, the earliest of the four Vedas, dated by most scholars to between 1500 and 1200 BCE.
In the Vedas
The Rigveda contains several hymns addressed to Surya, the most famous being 1.50. The hymn describes him as rising at dawn, driving away darkness, witnessing all that happens in the world, and as a giver of life. The text also names other sun-related deities: Savitr (associated with the rising and setting sun specifically), Mitra (the sun as a friend), and Pushan (the sun as a nourisher). The boundaries between these deities are not always clean.
The Gayatri Mantra — Rigveda 3.62.10, one of the most-recited verses in the Hindu tradition — is addressed to Savitr, who is identified with the sun.
The chariot
Puranic and temple iconography depicts Surya driving a chariot. The chariot has one wheel — sometimes shown as two — and is drawn by seven horses. The seven horses are commonly interpreted as the seven colours of light or the seven days of the week. The charioteer is Aruna, whose name means "reddish" and who is associated with the dawn.
Surya himself is depicted holding a lotus in each hand. He wears boots — unusual among Indian deities — a feature that some scholars trace to Central Asian and Iranian influences during the Kushan and Gupta periods.
The children of Surya
Surya is the father of several figures who appear in major narratives. With his wife Saranyu (also called Saranya or Sanjna), he is the father of Yama (the deity of death and the underworld), Yami (his twin), the Ashvins (the twin physicians of the gods), and Manu (the progenitor of humanity in this age). With Saranyu's substitute Chhaya, he is the father of Shani (Saturn), Tapati, and Vishti.
Surya is also identified in the Mahabharata as the father of Karna, born to Kunti before her marriage through the mantra she had been given by the sage Durvasa.
The Saura tradition
One of the six classical Hindu sectarian traditions identified by the philosopher Adi Shankara (8th century CE) was the Saura sampradaya — the worship of Surya as the supreme deity. The tradition was once widespread but is now largely subsumed into general devotional practice. The Smarta tradition, which Shankara founded, retains Surya as one of the five deities of panchayatana puja alongside Vishnu, Shiva, Devi and Ganesha.
The sun temples
Two of the most prominent surviving sun temples are at Konark in Odisha and Modhera in Gujarat. The Konark Sun Temple, built around 1250 CE by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, is shaped like a giant chariot with twelve pairs of stone wheels and seven horses. The main sanctum has collapsed, but the surviving structures — the Mukhashala (audience hall), Nata Mandir (dance hall) and the chariot itself — remain among the most ambitious works of Indian temple architecture. UNESCO inscribed the Konark Sun Temple on its World Heritage List in 1984.
The Modhera Sun Temple in Gujarat, built around 1026 CE under the Solanki dynasty, is older but smaller. It contains a stepwell, an assembly hall and a sanctum aligned so that sunlight enters the central shrine at the equinoxes.
Surya Namaskar
The yoga sequence known as Surya Namaskar — "sun salutation" — is widely practised today as a flowing sequence of twelve postures. The sequence in its modern form was popularised in the early 20th century by the Raja of Aundh, Bhawanrao Pant Pratinidhi, who published a book describing it in 1928. The component postures are older, but the specific sequence as commonly taught today is recent.
Chhath Puja
Chhath Puja is a festival of Surya worship observed primarily in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. It is held in October-November, six days after Diwali. The festival involves prayers and offerings to the sun at sunrise and sunset, typically performed standing in water. It is one of the few major Indian festivals that has no central temple ritual — the worship takes place at riverbanks, ponds and household water tanks.
How the Anahat Surya design represents him
The Anahat Surya t-shirt is illustrated with the sun deity at the centre, his chariot and horses referenced in the surrounding composition. The palette draws from the golds, reds and oranges associated with him in temple sculpture and miniature painting. It is part of Anahat's Devdutt Pattanaik collection.
Wear Surya
The Sun deity, hand-illustrated on premium organic cotton. Designed in India by Anahat.
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FAQ
Where is Surya first mentioned?
In the Rigveda, the oldest of the four Vedas. Hymn 1.50 is one of the most well-known invocations.
How many horses pull Surya's chariot?
Seven. They are commonly interpreted as the seven colours of light or the seven days of the week. The charioteer is Aruna.
Who are Surya's most famous children?
Yama (deity of death), the Ashvins (twin physicians), Manu (progenitor of humanity), Shani (Saturn), and according to the Mahabharata, Karna.
What is the Konark Sun Temple?
A 13th-century temple in Odisha built in the shape of Surya's chariot. UNESCO inscribed it as a World Heritage Site in 1984.
What is Chhath Puja?
A festival of Surya worship observed primarily in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern UP. It is held six days after Diwali, with offerings made to the sun at sunrise and sunset.