The nine grahas · Surya to Ketu
Navagraha
The Navagraha are the nine grahas: the Sun, the Moon, the five planets seen by eye, and the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu. Recite their stotram, learn each one’s day, colour, grain and gem, and visit their nine temples round Kumbakonam.
- Their days
- Sunday to Saturday
- Next: Today
- Next Navagraha day
- Amavasya
- In 8 days · Mon 9 Nov
Surya · Suryanar Kovil
Suryanar Kovil
The only one of the nine kept for the graha himself: here Surya is the presiding deity, and each of the other eight has a shrine of its own round him. It stands near Aduthurai, north-east of Kumbakonam.
Their temples →Chandra · Thingalur
Kailasanathar Temple
A temple of Lord Shiva as Kailasanathar, the lord of Kailash, where Chandra, the Moon, has his shrine: the farthest west of the nine, towards Thanjavur.
Mangala · Vaitheeswaran Koil
Vaitheeswaran Koil
The temple of Lord Shiva as Vaidyanatha, the lord who heals, between Mayiladuthurai and Sirkazhi. Mangala, here called Angaraka, has his shrine in it, and pilgrims bathe in its tank and pray for health.
Budha · Thiruvenkadu
Swetharanyeswarar Temple
A temple of Lord Shiva as Swetharanyeswarar, the lord of the white forest, near the coast. Budha, the son of the Moon, has his shrine here.
Guru · Alangudi
Apatsahayesvarar Temple
A temple of Lord Shiva as Apatsahayesvarar, the lord who helps in danger, 17 or 18 km south of Kumbakonam: the only one of the nine to the south. Guru has his shrine here.
Shukra · Kanjanur
Agniswarar Temple
A temple of Lord Shiva as Agniswarar, the lord of fire, a few kilometres from Suryanar Kovil, north-east of Kumbakonam. Shukra, the teacher of the asuras, has his shrine here.
Shani · Thirunallar
Dharbaranyeswarar Temple
A temple of Lord Shiva as Dharbaranyeswarar near Karaikal, in Puducherry, and the best known of Shani Dev’s shrines among the nine. Here King Nala is said to have been freed from his hard years, and pilgrims bathe in the Nala Theertham.
Rahu · Thirunageswaram
Naganathar Temple
A temple of Lord Shiva as Naganathar, the lord of serpents, about 6 km from Kumbakonam: the nearest of the nine to the town. Rahu has his shrine here.
Ketu · Keezhperumpallam
Naganathaswamy Temple
A temple of Lord Shiva as Naganathaswamy near Poompuhar, where the Kaveri meets the sea. Ketu, the last of the nine, has his shrine here.
Tap a graha, or its name, to read about its temple. Suryanar Kovil, Surya’s own, is lit first; Kumbakonam is marked by the temple tower. The temples are drawn in a picture rather than a map, roughly where they stand in the Kaveri delta. Each but Suryanar Kovil is a temple of Lord Shiva with the graha’s shrine in it.
Their days, in your city
Dates and puja times for the city you pick
For New Delhi
The new moon, when the Sun and the Moon stand together: above all Shanishchari Amavasya, a new moon on a Saturday.
- Each day of the week
- Sun 1 NovTheir days of the week
- Makar Sankranti
- Fri 15 Jan7:15 am to 9:00 am
- Shani Jayanti
- Fri 4 June
Recite the Navagraha Stotram
जपाकुसुमसंकाशं काश्यपेयं महाद्युतिम्।
तमोऽरिं सर्वपापघ्नं प्रणतोऽस्मि दिवाकरम्॥
Japakusuma sankasham Kashyapeyam mahadyutim,
Tamorim sarvapapaghnam pranatosmi Divakaram.
Red as the hibiscus flower, the son of Kashyapa, of great splendour; the foe of darkness, who destroys every sin: to Divakara, the maker of the day, I bow.
जो जपा (गुड़हल) के फूल जैसे लाल हैं, कश्यप के पुत्र हैं और महान तेज वाले हैं, जो अंधकार के शत्रु हैं और सब पापों का नाश करते हैं, उन दिवाकर को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
Ascribed to the sage Vyasa, it gives a verse to each of the nine in turn, from Surya to Ketu, and is recited at a graha shanti and in daily prayer. All nine verses are below, after Who is Navagraha.
Their prayers
- Navagraha StotramVyasa’s nine verses, given whole on this pageSoon
- Aditya HridayamThe hymn to the Sun that Agastya taught RamaRead
- Shani ChalisaForty verses to Shani Dev, in Awadhi HindiRead
- Jai Jai Shri Shani DevThe aarti of Shani DevRead
A Navagraha puja, in outline
A full graha shanti is a priest’s rite, with a fire offering to each of the nine, and its form differs from family to family and from priest to priest. At home many keep a short puja to the nine. This is an outline only, and it promises no result; follow your family’s way, or your priest’s.
- Clean the place of worship, spread a fresh cloth and begin with a prayer to Lord Ganesha.
- Set out nine small heaps of grain, one for each graha, in a square: Surya in the middle and east at the top, as the Matsya Purana gives it.
- Place a kalasha of water beside them and light a ghee lamp.
- Offer flowers, sandal paste and dhoop to each in turn, from Surya to Ketu.
- Recite the Navagraha Stotram, a verse for each, or the nine in one verse.
- Offer food as naivedyam, wave the lamp in aarti and share the prasad.
- End with a gift to people in need, as the Matsya Purana’s graha shanti does.
What you need
- A clean cloth and a small tray
- The navadhanya, nine grains
- A kalasha of water
- A ghee lamp
- Flowers, sandal paste and dhoop
- Food or sweets for naivedyam
Prayers for the puja
- Aditya HridayamRead
- Shani ChalisaRead
Who are the Navagraha
The Navagraha are the nine grahas of Hindu tradition: Surya, the Sun; Chandra, the Moon; Mangala, Mars; Budha, Mercury; Guru, Jupiter; Shukra, Venus; Lord Shani, Saturn; and the two shadow planets, Rahu and Ketu, the points where the paths of the Sun and the Moon cross. In traditional astrology, jyotisha, each holds sway over part of a person’s life.
Seven of them give their names to the days of the week, from Sunday, the Sun’s, to Saturday, Lord Shani’s. Each has its colour, its grain and its gem, and families keep a graha’s day with them. On the altar of the graha shanti, and in the Navagraha shrines of many temples, the nine stand together with Surya in the middle.
Their great hymn is the Navagraha Stotram, ascribed to the sage Vyasa, a verse for each. In the Kaveri delta round Kumbakonam, nine temples each keep a shrine of one of the nine, and pilgrims make a round of them all. Shani Dev, the seventh, has a hub of his own.
- Nava Graha the same name written apart: nava, nine, and graha
- The nine planets as they are called in English, though the Sun, the Moon and the two nodes are not planets
- Adityadi Navagraha the nine beginning with Aditya, the Sun
- Rahu and Ketu the two shadow planets, chhaya grahas, among them
आदित्याय च सोमाय मङ्गलाय बुधाय च। गुरु शुक्र शनिभ्यश्च राहवे केतवे नमः॥
Adityaya cha Somaya Mangalaya Budhaya cha, Guru Shukra Shanibhyashcha Rahave Ketave namah.
Salutations to Aditya, the Sun, and to Soma, the Moon, to Mangala and to Budha, to Guru, Shukra and Shani, and to Rahu and Ketu: all nine in one verse.
सूर्य और चंद्रमा को, मंगल और बुध को, गुरु, शुक्र और शनि को, और राहु तथा केतु को नमस्कार: एक ही श्लोक में नौ ग्रह।
जपाकुसुमसंकाशं काश्यपेयं महाद्युतिम्।
तमोऽरिं सर्वपापघ्नं प्रणतोऽस्मि दिवाकरम्॥
Japakusuma sankasham Kashyapeyam mahadyutim,
Tamorim sarvapapaghnam pranatosmi Divakaram.
Red as the hibiscus flower, the son of Kashyapa, of great splendour; the foe of darkness, who destroys every sin: to Divakara, the maker of the day, I bow.
जो जपा (गुड़हल) के फूल जैसे लाल हैं, कश्यप के पुत्र हैं और महान तेज वाले हैं, जो अंधकार के शत्रु हैं और सब पापों का नाश करते हैं, उन दिवाकर को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
Their great days
When devotees worship the nine
Makar Sankranti
On 14 or 15 January the Sun enters Makara, the sign of Lord Shani, and turns north. The day is told as Surya visiting his son, and sesame, Shani’s grain, is given with jaggery.
Ratha Saptami
Magha Shukla Saptami, in January or February: Surya Jayanti, the Sun’s birthday, when his chariot is said to turn to the north. Many bathe at sunrise with arka leaves and recite the Aditya Hridayam.
Shani Jayanti
The birthday of Shani Dev, on the new moon of Jyeshtha, in May or June, kept with a lamp of sesame oil, sesame given in charity and his Chalisa.
Shanishchari Amavasya
A new moon that falls on a Saturday, Lord Shani’s own day. Every new moon is kept for Shani Dev, and this one above all, at his temples and under the peepal tree.
The nine, day by day
Each one's day, colour, grain and gem
| Graha | Day | Colour | Grain | Gem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surya The Sun | Sunday | Red or copper | Wheat | Ruby |
| Chandra The Moon | Monday | White | Rice | Pearl |
| Mangala Mars | Tuesday | Red | Chickpea, or toor dal | Red coral |
| Budha Mercury | Wednesday | Green | Green gram (moong) | Emerald |
| Guru Jupiter | Thursday | Yellow | Bengal gram (chana) | Yellow sapphire |
| Shukra Venus | Friday | White | White beans | Diamond |
| Shani Saturn | Saturday | Black or dark blue | Black sesame | Blue sapphire |
| Rahu The north node of the Moon | None of his own | Smoky or dark blue | Black gram (urad) | Hessonite |
| Ketu The south node of the Moon | None of his own | Smoky grey, or many colours | Horse gram (kulthi) | Cat’s eye |
Their days are the same in every list. The colours, grains and gems are the ones most often printed, but the lists differ: some give Mangala toor dal, Shukra rajma, and swap the grains of Lord Shani and Rahu; the Matsya Purana sees Budha in yellow, not green; and Ketu’s colour is given as smoky grey, brown or many colours.
The Navagraha Stotram
A verse for each of the nine
Nine verses ascribed to the sage Vyasa, one to each graha in turn, from Surya to Ketu. Its closing verses say that whoever recites it with a steady mind, by day or by night, will find obstacles calmed.
जपाकुसुमसंकाशं काश्यपेयं महाद्युतिम्।
तमोऽरिं सर्वपापघ्नं प्रणतोऽस्मि दिवाकरम्॥
Japakusuma sankasham Kashyapeyam mahadyutim,
Tamorim sarvapapaghnam pranatosmi Divakaram.
Red as the hibiscus flower, the son of Kashyapa, of great splendour; the foe of darkness, who destroys every sin: to Divakara, the maker of the day, I bow.
जो जपा (गुड़हल) के फूल जैसे लाल हैं, कश्यप के पुत्र हैं और महान तेज वाले हैं, जो अंधकार के शत्रु हैं और सब पापों का नाश करते हैं, उन दिवाकर को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
दधिशङ्खतुषाराभं क्षीरोदार्णवसंभवम्।
नमामि शशिनं सोमं शम्भोर्मुकुटभूषणम्॥
Dadhishankha tusharabham Kshirodarnava sambhavam,
Namami Shashinam Somam Shambhor mukuta bhushanam.
White as curd, the conch and frost, born from the ocean of milk: I bow to Soma, the Moon, the jewel on the crown of Shambhu.
जो दही, शंख और हिम जैसे श्वेत हैं, क्षीरसागर से उत्पन्न हुए हैं और शिव के मुकुट के आभूषण हैं, उन सोम (चंद्रमा) को मैं नमन करता हूँ।
धरणीगर्भसंभूतं विद्युत्कान्तिसमप्रभम्।
कुमारं शक्तिहस्तं तं मङ्गलं प्रणमाम्यहम्॥
Dharanigarbha sambhutam vidyutkanti samaprabham,
Kumaram shaktihastam tam Mangalam pranamamyaham.
Born of the womb of the Earth, bright as a flash of lightning, the youth with a spear in his hand: to him, Mangala, I bow.
जो पृथ्वी के गर्भ से जन्मे हैं, बिजली की चमक जैसी आभा वाले हैं, जो कुमार हैं और हाथ में शक्ति (भाला) लिए हैं, उन मंगल को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
प्रियङ्गुकलिकाश्यामं रूपेणाप्रतिमं बुधम्।
सौम्यं सौम्यगुणोपेतं तं बुधं प्रणमाम्यहम्॥
Priyangu kalika shyamam rupenapratimam Budham,
Saumyam saumya gunopetam tam Budham pranamamyaham.
Dark as the bud of the priyangu, of beauty without equal, gentle and full of gentle virtues: to him, Budha, I bow.
जो प्रियंगु की कली जैसे श्याम हैं, रूप में अनुपम हैं, सौम्य हैं और सौम्य गुणों से युक्त हैं, उन बुध को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
Devanam cha rishinam cha gurum kanchana sannibham,
Buddhibhutam trilokesham tam namami Brihaspatim.
The teacher of the gods and of the sages, shining like gold, wisdom itself, lord of the three worlds: to him, Brihaspati, I bow.
हिमकुन्दमृणालाभं दैत्यानां परमं गुरुम्।
सर्वशास्त्रप्रवक्तारं भार्गवं प्रणमाम्यहम्॥
Himakunda mrinalabham daityanam paramam gurum,
Sarvashastra pravaktaram Bhargavam pranamamyaham.
White as snow, the jasmine and the lotus stalk, the great teacher of the daityas, who teaches every shastra: to Bhargava, Shukra, I bow.
जो हिम, कुंद के फूल और कमल-नाल जैसे श्वेत हैं, दैत्यों के परम गुरु हैं और सब शास्त्रों के उपदेशक हैं, उन भार्गव (शुक्र) को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
नीलांजनसमाभासं रविपुत्रं यमाग्रजम्।
छायामार्तण्डसंभूतं तं नमामि शनैश्चरम्॥
Nilanjana samabhasam Raviputram Yamagrajam,
Chhaya Martanda sambhutam tam namami Shanaishcharam.
He shines dark like blue collyrium, the son of the Sun and the elder brother of Yama, born of Chhaya and Martanda, the Sun: to him, Shanaishchara, I bow.
जो नीले अंजन जैसे श्याम रंग में चमकते हैं, सूर्य के पुत्र और यम के बड़े भाई हैं, छाया और मार्तंड (सूर्य) से जन्मे हैं, उन शनैश्चर को मैं नमन करता हूँ।
अर्धकायं महावीर्यं चन्द्रादित्यविमर्दनम्।
सिंहिकागर्भसंभूतं तं राहुं प्रणमाम्यहम्॥
Ardhakayam mahaviryam Chandraditya vimardanam,
Simhikagarbha sambhutam tam Rahum pranamamyaham.
With half a body and great might, who seizes the Moon and the Sun, born of the womb of Simhika: to him, Rahu, I bow.
जिनका आधा शरीर है, जो महाबली हैं, चंद्रमा और सूर्य को ग्रसते हैं और सिंहिका के गर्भ से जन्मे हैं, उन राहु को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
पलाशपुष्पसंकाशं तारकाग्रहमस्तकम्।
रौद्रं रौद्रात्मकं घोरं तं केतुं प्रणमाम्यहम्॥
Palasha pushpa sankasham tarakagraha mastakam,
Raudram raudratmakam ghoram tam Ketum pranamamyaham.
Red as the flower of the palasha, the crown of the stars and the planets, fierce, fierce by nature and dreadful: to him, Ketu, I bow.
जो पलाश के फूल जैसे लाल हैं, तारों और ग्रहों के मुकुट हैं, रौद्र हैं, रौद्र स्वभाव वाले और भयंकर हैं, उन केतु को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The Devanagari of Guru’s verse is held back: the printings we compared spell it differently, so it is given in English letters only for now.
What their symbols mean
The square of nine
On the altar of the graha shanti the nine sit in a square of three by three, as the Matsya Purana lays it out: Surya in the middle, the others in the eight directions round him.
Surya at the centre
The Sun is the heart of the nine, and in most Navagraha shrines he stands in the middle too, with the other eight round him.
Nine colours
Each graha has a colour, worn or offered on its day: red for Surya, white for Chandra, green for Budha, yellow for Guru. At Guwahati the nine lingas are dressed in nine colours.
Nine grains
The navadhanya, a grain for each graha, offered to the nine and used in many pujas: wheat for Surya, rice for Chandra, black sesame for Lord Shani.
Nine gems
Each graha has its gem, from the ruby of Surya and the pearl of Chandra to the hessonite of Rahu and the cat’s eye of Ketu.
The shadow pair
Rahu and Ketu are not lights in the sky but the two points where the paths of the Sun and the Moon cross, where eclipses fall: one asura, cut in two.
Their stories
Across India
Tamil Nadu
Round Kumbakonam, in the Kaveri delta, nine temples each keep a shrine of one graha. All but one are temples of Lord Shiva with the graha in a shrine of its own; Suryanar Kovil alone is Surya’s, with a shrine for each of the nine.
Temples of the south
Most Shiva temples keep a Navagraha shrine: the nine on a raised platform, usually with Surya in the middle. In some none of them faces another, in others all face Surya, and devotees walk round them.
Assam
On Chitrachal hill in Guwahati, a temple rebuilt by the Ahom king Rajeswar Singha keeps the nine as lingas, each dressed in cloth of its own colour, and holds a three-day yajna at the Sankranti of Magh and Phagun.
At home
Families keep each graha’s day with its colour or its grain, offer the navadhanya, the nine grains, at a graha shanti, and recite the Navagraha Stotram.
Their temples
- Suryanar KovilSuryanar Kovil, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
- Kailasanathar Temple, ThingalurThingalur, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
- Vaitheeswaran KoilVaitheeswaran Koil, Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu
- Swetharanyeswarar Temple, ThiruvenkaduThiruvenkadu, Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu
- Apatsahayesvarar Temple, AlangudiAlangudi, Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu
- Agniswarar Temple, KanjanurKanjanur, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
- Dharbaranyeswarar Temple, ThirunallarThirunallar, Karaikal, Puducherry
- Naganathar Temple, ThirunageswaramThirunageswaram, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
- Naganathaswamy Temple, KeezhperumpallamKeezhperumpallam, Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu
- Navagraha Temple, GuwahatiChitrachal hill, Guwahati, Assam
Questions
When is Makar Sankranti in 2027?
Makar Sankranti, when Surya enters Makara, is on Friday 15 January 2027 in New Delhi, with the muhurat 7:15 am to 9:00 am. Pick your city at the top of this page for its own date and muhurat.
Who are the Navagraha?
The nine grahas of Hindu tradition: Surya, the Sun; Chandra, the Moon; Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra and Lord Shani, the five planets seen by eye; and Rahu and Ketu, the two shadow planets. They are worshipped together, with Surya at the centre.
Which day belongs to which graha?
Sunday is Surya’s, Monday Chandra’s, Tuesday Mangala’s, Wednesday Budha’s, Thursday Guru’s, Friday Shukra’s and Saturday Shani’s. Rahu and Ketu have no weekday of their own in most lists.
What is the Navagraha Stotram?
A hymn of nine verses ascribed to the sage Vyasa, one to each graha in turn, beginning with Surya: Japakusuma sankasham Kashyapeyam mahadyutim. It is recited at a graha shanti and in daily prayer, and all nine verses are on this page.
What are the colour, grain and gem of each graha?
In the lists most often printed: Surya red, wheat and ruby; Chandra white, rice and pearl; Mangala red, chickpea and red coral; Budha green, green gram and emerald; Guru yellow, Bengal gram and yellow sapphire; Shukra white, white beans and diamond; Lord Shani black, black sesame and blue sapphire; Rahu smoky blue, black gram and hessonite; Ketu smoky grey, horse gram and cat’s eye. The lists differ in places.
Where are the nine Navagraha temples?
Round Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu: Suryanar Kovil for Surya, Thingalur for Chandra, Vaitheeswaran Koil for Mangala, Thiruvenkadu for Budha, Alangudi for Guru, Kanjanur for Shukra, Thirunallar for Lord Shani, Thirunageswaram for Rahu and Keezhperumpallam for Ketu.
What is a graha shanti?
A rite to the nine grahas, done by priests with a fire offering to each. The Matsya Purana gives one form: an altar with the nine in a square, Surya in the middle, offerings to each and gifts at the end. Its form differs from priest to priest, and this page gives only an outline of a short puja at home.
Why are Rahu and Ketu called shadow planets?
They are not lights in the sky but the two points where the paths of the Sun and the Moon cross, where eclipses fall. In the story they are one asura, Svarbhanu, cut in two by Lord Vishnu’s discus after he drank the nectar.
Is Lord Shani one of the Navagraha?
Yes, the seventh of the nine, and the one whose day is Saturday. Shani Dev has his own hub, with his Chalisa, his aarti, his temples and sade sati explained.