Surya facts for kids

Quick facts for kidsSurya
	The Sun; God of Light and Day
	Surya (c. 1940)
Other names	Adithya, Bhaskara, Divakara, Surya Narayanan, Shiva Surya
Affiliation	Deva, Navagraha, Adityas, Saguna Brahman (Panchayatana puja)
Abode	Suryaloka
Planet	Sun
Weapon	Wand
Day	Sunday
Mount	Chariot drawn by seven horses; Charioteer: Aruṇa
Personal information
Consort	Ushas/Saranyu, Chhaya, and Ratri
Children	Shraddhadeva Manu, Yama, Yami, Ashwins, Shani, Tapati , Bhadra Sugriva and Karna
Parents	Kashyapa (father); Aditi (mother);
Greek equivalent	Helios
Roman equivalent	Apollo / Sol

Surya is a Sanskrit word that means the Sun. Synonyms of Surya in ancient Indian literature include Aaditya, Arka, Bhanu, Savitr, Pushan, Ravi, Martanda, Mitra, Bhaskara and Vivasvan.

Surya also connotes the solar deity in Hinduism, particularly in the Saura tradition found in states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha. Surya is one of the five deities considered as equivalent aspects and means to realizing Brahman in the Smarta Tradition. Surya's iconography is often depicted riding a chariot harnessed by horses, often seven in number which represent the seven colours of visible light, and seven days in a week. In medieval Hinduism, Surya is also an epithet for the major Hindu gods Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. In some ancient texts and arts, Surya is presented syncretically with Indra, Ganesha or others. Surya as a deity is also found in the arts and literature of Buddhism and Jainism.

Surya is depicted with a Chakra which is also interpreted as Dharmachakra. Surya is one of the nine heavenly houses (Navagraha) in the zodiac system of Hindu astrology. Surya or Ravi is the basis of Ravivara, or Sunday, in the Hindu calendar. Major festivals and pilgrimages in reverence of Surya include Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Ratha Sapthami, Chath puja and Kumbh Mela.

Having survived as a primary deity in Hinduism arguably better and longer than any other of the original Vedic deities apart from Vishnu, the worship of Surya declined greatly around the 13th century, perhaps as a result of the Muslim conquest of north India. New Surya temples virtually ceased to be built, and some were later converted to a different dedication, generally Shiva. A number of important Surya temples remain, but many are no longer in worship. In various respects, Surya has tended to be merged into Shiva, or seen as subsidiary to him.

Major Hindu temples dedicated to the Sun god in India

Świątynia Surji w Konarak
Świątynia Słońca w Modhera
Dakshinaarka , Gaya, Bihar
Bhramanya Dev , Unao , Madhya Pradesh
Surya Pahar , Asam
Suryanaar , w pobliżu Kumbhakonam , Tamilnadu
Suryanarayanaswamy , Arasavilli , Andhra Pradesh

Images for kids

Surya sculpture
Surya in the Buddhist Bodh Gaya relief (right, middle).
Surya iconography typically shows him holding lotus flower and riding in a horse-drawn chariot.
Sun Temple, Modhera
Deo Surya Mandir
Sanxingdui in China - Golden Sun with birds. According to Chung Tan, this is akin to Surya.
A 10th century basalt statue of Surya from Bihar, Indian Museum
Sculpture depicting 12 asana's of Surya Namaskara A in Terminal T3 at IGIA Airport, New Delhi, India, created by Nikhil Bhandari.
8th century ceiling carving of Surya at Pattadakal Virupaksha Hindu temple.
Surya statue
Surya with consorts Saranyu and Chhaya
Pongal in Tamil Nadu
Surya festival Makar Sankranti
Surya Narayana