Mitrotsavam (Mitrolsavam, Mitra Ulsavam) is a Hindu festival worshipping the Sun god

Surya Surya ( ; , ) is the Sun#Dalal, Dalal, p. 399 as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchaya ...

, whose orderly traversal of the sky is ensured by

Mitra ''Mitra'' (Proto-Indo-Iranian language, Proto-Indo-Iranian: wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-Iranian/mitrás, ''*mitrás'') is the name of an Indo-Iranians#Religion, Indo-Iranian divinity that predates the Rigveda, Rigvedic Mitra (Hindu god), Mitrá ...

Varuna Varuna (; , ) is a Hindu god. He is one of the earliest deities in pantheon, whose role underwent a significant transformation from the Vedic to the Puranic periods. In the early Vedic era, Varuna is seen as the god-sovereign, ruling the sky ...

, the guardians of cosmic order () in

Rig Veda The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' (, , from wikt:ऋच्, ऋच्, "praise" and wikt:वेद, वेद, "knowledge") is an ancient Indian Miscellany, collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canoni ...

8.25.8 and elsewhere.THE CALL OF THE VEDAS by A C Bose, Bombay, Bhavan's Book University, 1970. 3rd edition. On Mitrotsavam, devotees worship the Sun for prosperity, health and courage.

is glorified in Vedic mantras as the expeller of darkness and evil. The most sacred

Gayatri Gayatri (Sanskrit: गायत्री, IAST: Gāyatrī) is the personified form of the Gayatri Mantra, a popular hymn from Vedic texts. She is also known as Savitri, and holds the title of ''Vedamata'' ('mother of the Vedas'). Gayatri is the ...

mantra, composed by Sage

Vishvamitra Vishvamitra (, ) is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient India. Vishvamitra is one of the seven Brahmarshi. According to Hindu tradition, he is stated to have written most of the Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gay ...

, worships the Sun as Savita. Additionally, the Sun is honored by recitation of the

Aditya Hridayam Aditya may refer to: * Ādityas, a group of Hindu deities * An alternative name for Surya, the Sun in later Hinduism * Aditya (name) ** Aditya (actor) (born 1978), Indian film producer and actor * ''Aditya'' (boat), solar-powered ferry * Aditya ( ...

— according to a legend in the

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

, Lord

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

was initiated into the worship of Surya with that hymn, which then gave him strength and the power to vanquish evil. Devotees also perform the

Surya Namaskara Sun Salutation, also called Surya Namaskar or Salute to the Sun (, ), is a practice in yoga as exercise incorporating a flow sequence of some twelve linked asanas. The asana sequence was first recorded as yoga in the early 20th century, though s ...

, recite 108 names of Surya, and pray for help to ward off evil, infirmity and disease. At the same time, devotees extoll Mitra (Vedic Mitra-Varuna) as the '' Pratyaksha devata'', the '-minded, far-sighted, thousand-eyed light and fire of the Sun, worship of whom is considered especially beneficial for ailments of the eye and mind. In 2008 Mitrotsavam fell on Thursday, December 25.

References

Hindu festivals Vedic period Religious festivals in India Mitra {{reli-festival-stub