The navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu mythology. The term is derived from nava (Sanskrit: nine”) and graha (Sanskrit: planet, seizing, laying hold of, holding”). They include the sun (Surya), moon (Chandra), Mars (Mangala), Mercury (Budha), Jupiter (Brihaspati), Venus (Shukra), Saturn (Shani), Rahu (north node of the moon), and Ketu (south node of the moon).

According to the Vedas, each graha represents a particular aspect of life, and each is under the jurisdiction of a particular deity. Each of the planets is supposed to bestow a particular boon to humans. The Hindu astrology is based on an elaborate calculation of the positions of these planets at the time of one’s birth. For example, the zodiac is divided in to twelve zones (‘houses’ of 30 degrees each). The planet Sun travels in to one of these houses each month. Similarly, the other planets have their times of travel through the zodiac assigned to them. As the planets travel through these zodiac signs, their relative positions with respect to each other changes and is supposed to determine the fate of the human affairs. An astrologer can draw up a horoscope of a person based on his time of birth and calculate the relative positions of the planets relative to this horoscope.

In Hindu temple of Dayton, these are presented in a square altar topped with anthropomorphic murtis (statues) of the navagraha deities. They are arranged such that they do not face each other, with the Sun in the center of a square formed by four lines of three planets. Devotees at the temple circumambulate clockwise this navagraha altar nine times, in order, it is believed, to allay negative impact and amplify the positive impact of the navagraha deities.