ॐ Hindu Of Universe ॐ
“God’s light is within you, It never leaves you.”
Aarti is the ceremony of lights.
The “Aarti” is one of the most important Hindu religious rituals of worship.
It is a prayerful ceremony performed to please the Divine Lord after finishing the prayers or auspicious rituals.
The aarti ceremony is said to have descended from the ancient Vedic period which means “Aart- Nivaran” means the removal of sorrows or “Aa + rati” meaning complete love towards God.
It is sung and performed with a deep sense of gratitude and love.
The holy river Ganga (giver of life, purity, bliss and liberation in Her waters) is truly a Divine Mother for millions of Indian and the Ganga Aarti /divine light ceremony which is filled with bhajans.
prayers at Varanasi is a divine ritual.
Participating in the 1000 years old Ganga aarati at Varanasi, Haridwar, and Rishikesh is a splendid experience.
Every evening thousands of Hindu devotees gathers on the bank of this holy river to participate in the aarti ceremony and to take blessings of Goddess Ganga.
Practice: In general, Aarti is performed at the end of the prayers or auspicious rituals.
It is performed to rectify any mistakes made during the whole process, to please the Celestial God, and to take divine blessings from God.
It is a hymn or a song in praise to God as well as to illuminate our mind from worldly thoughts.
The ‘ceremony of light’ or the aarti is mostly performed by sadhus (Hindu monks) and pujaris (attendants to the Deities) in the temple and by the devotees at their homes.
It involves waving 3/5/7 odd numbers of ghee-soaked lighted wicks from the head to toe of the Deity’s while chanting Vedic mantras or singing a prayer or a hymn.
Some devotees use camphor instead of wicks or a lamp.
Important factors to follow while doing the Aarti:
• Wear clean washed clothes.
Offerings of fruits, leaves, and flowers.
Blowing the conch.
Lighting the lamp and rotating with deep faith.
• Aarti should be waved in clockwise manner around the deity.
• The performer needs to sung the prayer with the emotion (bhava) that God Himself is standing in front and he/she calling out to Him faithfully.
• Bow down with reverence (total surrender).
After the Aarti is completed, the lighted wicks are passed around the congregation to move their hand over the lamp and then over their head and face to receive the blessings infused within the flames.
It is believed that the flames of the aarti purifies the gross and subtle bodies and energises for a faster spiritual evolution.
Almost all temples or Hindu shrines in India perform aarti with a joyful meditative song or a prayer with an accompaniment of musical instruments, like dhol (drums), bells, veena, table, and a conch-shell, etc.
The priest also rings a small hand-bell with his left hand while chanting the prayer and waving the wicks with his right hand.
Significance:
Waving of lighted lamps before an idol with Bhajana (Prayer) is called Aarti.
The custom of aarti acts as a total surrender to God to overcome any worldly desire or misery.
Since ages, according to the guidelines of “Sanatan Dharma“, mortals have been following many rituals like “Home“, “Yajna“, “pooja” in search of peace and wellbeing.
This is true that praising God with your deepest faith will make you have your wishes fulfilled.
So, the aarti is connected to all Hindu rituals, and it has profound spiritual sentiments underlying it.
• Aarti serves as a reminder to stay vigilant so that the worldly thoughts, achievements, and desires cannot overcome the mind.
Just as the small lighted lamp chases away the darkness of that place.
• It reminds the selfless love towards God and to every living being by chanting the mantras and praising God, the creator of the world.
• Hand movements over the flame generate a faith that the blessing of God is always with us.
• The ghee soaked lighted wicks / camphor burns itself out completely but emits a fragrance on the place of aarti.
It reminds us the idea of “offering sacrifices” for the good of others.
• The ‘Aarti’ gives opportunity to every individual to show their gratitude towards the almighty God, who is the creator and operator of this beautiful cosmos.
Hindu shrines are usually performing aarti five times a day, assuming that each aarti is related to a specific part of the Deities’ routine.
The five most common aartis are:
Mangal Aarti Before sunrise – When God wakes up, the priest/monk opens up the “Garva Gruha” for the first look of the God and for an auspicious beginning.
Shangar Aarti : Early Morning – After dressing up God and for the darshan of the visitors.
Rajbhog Aarti : Midday – After offering the midday meal which is the main meal of the day.
Sandhya Arati :
At Sunset – After Special Prayer in the evening with the devotees.
It is the most popular among all aartis.
Shayan Aarti :
Late evening – Final aarti at the end of the day to praise The God for giving a wonderful day and upcoming peaceful night.
Sanatan Dharma explains, 33 crores of God and Goddess come for the darshan (to see) “
The Celestial God” and to participate during the aarti.
And thus, aarti as a divine form of worship.
There are different songs for different Gods and Goddess to celebrate the ritual of aarti.
Aarti can be simple to extravagant depends on the devotees and to their tradition, but always includes flame or light.
Hindu devotees sing “Om Jai Jagdish Hare“, one of the oldest and widely sung Bhajan (prayer) during aarti is devoted to all or any gods and goddesses.
Most commonly, the Aarti is performed by waving lighted wicks (soaked in ghee) or by lighted camphor/diya/lamp before the idol (murti of God) accompanied by various musical instruments, mantra, expressive songs that praises The God.
Most Hindu shrines, big and famous temple performs aarti five times a day and almost all Hindu devotees perform aarti two times a day at their homes, in the morning and the evening.
Aarti । Why do we do Aarti?
Hindu religion gives us freedom to find Supreme Power in our own way.
In Hindu religion it is also a belief that there is a God in each and every particle.
Even we have many ways to say thank you to our god.
We sometime perform Yagya to say thanks to our God, sometimes we worship, sometimes we offer water, and sometimes Aarti.
Today we are going to talk about one of the many ways of saying thanks to God that is Aarti.
We are going discuss about Aarti and importance of Aarti in Hindu religion.
Some other questions that are going to be discussed are,
why do we do Aarti? And how do we do Aarti?
Five ways to perform Aarti?
What is Aarti?
Aarti is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a part of puja, in which light in the form of a flame in a diya is offered to God.
The flame is Aarti can be of ghee or oil or camphor.
The Light or flame of ghee (Diya/Lamp) is considered a symbol of the light of the soul.
Aartis also refers to the songs sung in praise of the deity, when the light is being offered.
Many times it is accompanied by music and dance.
It is performed during all Hindu ceremonies & is an act of humility and gratitude.
Aarti is called ‘Deep Ardhanai’ in Tamil Language.
It’s an expression of one’s complete & unconditional love towards God.
It is also performed to:
- Praise God
- Express our gratitude
- Ask forgiveness
- Request from God
Meaning of the word ‘Aarti’
Aarti is derived from the Sanskrit word आरात्रिक (ārātrika) which means something that removes darkness, i.e. ignorance, which is in the form of the flame that is waved around the deity.
Incense vapor signifies purity of mind.
Aarti is said to have descended from the Vedic concept of fire rituals.
It can be done in temples or in your own home.
Aarti represents our daily lives & symbolizes the Five elements:
- Earth is represented by a Flower
- Water
- Heat is represented by the fire in Oil lamp or diya
- Air & movement of the peacock fan.
- Space by a handkerchief
Aarti of Hindu Gods and goddess-
- Lord Ganesha(Ganesh ji ki Aarti)- Ganpati Ji Ki Seva… , Jai Dev Jai Dev…
- Lord Vishnu- Om Jay Jagdish Hare….
- Lord Shiva-Om Namah Shivaya Om Namah Shivaya…..
- Goddess Lakshmi (Lakshmi Ji Ki Aarti)- Jay Lakshmi Ramana…
- Goddes Durga- Ambe tu hai Jagdambe Kali Jay Durge….
- Goddes Saraswati – Ya kundendutu sar har dhawala….
There are five ways to perform Aarti-
- By Deepmala
- By waterfilled conch
- By Cloth
- By Mango and Peepal leaves
- By doing Sashtang Pranam.
The Aarti Platter
Platter of Aarti- Platter of Aarti is made up of metal which can often be of Brass, Copper, Silver, or Gold.
The worshipper faces the deity & the Aarti plate or waves in a circular, clockwise movement.
Aarti symbolizes a cycle of energy, with the deity in the middle.
The priest circulates the plate with lighted wicks to all those present to receive the blessings infused within the flames.
The devotees cup their down-turned hands over the flame and then raise their palms to their forehead; the blessing has now been passed to the devotee.
It’s believed that goodwill and luck can be taken through symbolic hand movements over the flame.
Just as the lighted wick provides light and chases away the darkness, the vigilance of an individual can keep away the influence of the material world & keep us grounded.
Aarti is not only limited to God.
It is also a common practice to perform Aarti to inanimate objects like new books or new vehicles as a gesture of showing respect and praying that this object would help one excel in the work one would use it for.
While performing the Aarti the devotees should be devoted to God.
The Aarti devotional song is sung jointly by all worshippers as a chorus to the accompaniment of musical instruments, including drums, bells, and songs & blowing the conch shell.
The universal Aarti is that which is dedicated to all deities is Om Jai Jagdish Hare, although there are variations for different deities & in different parts of India.
The Aarti is performed 5 times/day in mandirs, denoting a specific part of the deities’ routine & performed twice a day at home, at
- Sunrise to welcome God’s positive energy through sun-light
- Sunset to quell negative energies that have appeared during the day.
The significance of AARTI in Hinduism
For a non-Hindu Aarti or waving lamps might look like an unusual and alien practice, but for a Hindu it is a way to connect to the almighty and pray.
More than just a practice its a whole process to invoke the divine and express your gratitude.
There are many factors related to Aarti in terms of its significance.
Aarti can be an expression of many things including love, benevolence, gratitude, prayer, or desire depending on the object it is done for.
For example, it can be a form of respect when performed for elders, prayers when performed for deities, or hope when performed for homes or vehicles.
It’s also believed that goodwill and luck can be taken through symbolic hand movements over the flame.
When aarti is performed, the performer faces the idol of God (or any divine element like Ganges river) and concentrates on the form of God.
The flame of the aarti lights up the idol or form of the deity so that the performer may better see and concentrate on the form.
Aarti is waved in circular fashion, in clockwise manner around the deity.
The idea here is that aarti represents our daily activities, which revolve around God, the center of our life.
Looking at God while performing aarti reminds us to keep God at the center of all activities and strengthen the understanding that all the worldly things are secondary in importance.
This understanding would give the believers strength to withstand unexpected grief and keep them humble.
Another commonly held understanding of the ritual is that aarti serves as a reminder to stay vigilant so that the forces of material pleasures and desires cannot overcome the individual.
Just as the lighted wick provides light and chases away darkness, the vigilance of an individual can keep away the influence of the material world.
Aarti is not only limited to God.
Aarti can performed not only to all forms of life, but also inanimate objects which help in the progress of the culture.
This is exemplified by the performer of aarti waving aarti to all the devotees as the aarti comes to an end – signifying that everyone has a part of God within that the performer respects and bows down to.
Significance Of Performing Aarti
The Aarti ceremony is highly significant in the Hindu faith, and it involves waving lamps to connect with the divine and offer prayers. It’s not just a simple practice; it’s a complete process of invoking and expressing gratitude to the Supreme.
Aarti can mean different things depending on the context, like love, kindness, thankfulness, prayer, or wish.
For instance, when Aarti is performed for elders, it shows respect.
When it’s done for deities, it becomes a form of prayer. Similarly, when Aarti is conducted for homes or vehicles, it symbolizes hope and a desire for their well-being.
It’s also believed that making symbolic hand movements over the flame during Aarti can bring good fortune and luck.
Origin of age-old tradition:
Hinduism is recognized as one of the oldest religions worldwide, spanning thousands of years.
The ancient Sanatan Dharma of Hinduism is believed to have existed even before the Vedic period.
The Vedas, revered as the most sacred texts in Hinduism, were composed at different times, with the Rigveda being considered the earliest.
The significance of Aarti was initially mentioned in the Skanda Purana, an ancient Hindu scripture.
The origin of Aarti can be traced back to ancient Vedic fire rituals called home.
Another theory suggests that it started centuries ago when priests would use an oil lamp to illuminate a sacred image hidden deep inside the inner sanctum of a temple resembling a cave.
To Deity devotees a glimpse of the Deity, the prie Deity’sd wave the lamp from the Deity’s head to toe while reciting Vedic mantras or singing prayers.
Over time, this practice evolved into what we now know as Aarti.
The meaning of performing Aarti:
The term ‘art’ or ‘aarti’ in Sanskrit comprises two parts.
The prefix ‘aa’ means complete, and ‘rati’ means love.
Therefore, the Aarti represents an unconditional and unwavering love for God.
It is sung and performed with respect, admiration, and a focused state of mind.
The practice of Aarti:
The Aarti often called the ‘ceremony of light’, involves sadhus (Hindu monks) and pujaris (attendants to the Deities) waving lighted wicks before the sacred images.
This action infuses the flames with the Deities’ love, energy, and blessings.
A wisp (chamar) or a white cloth is waved in certain aartis. Collectively, these elements represent the five elements of the world —
1) space (white cloth),
2) air (wisp),
3) light (flames),
4) water, and
5) earth (flowers).
They symbolize the offerinDeitythe entire creation to the Deity during the arti ceremony.
What are the rules for performing Aarti?
Performing Aarti is not only just some simple step but also a way of showing great respect towards the deities.
There are several rules for doing Aarti to ensure following correct rituals, and let us discuss into step-by-step.
- Prepare yourself by washing your hands, face, and feet, and wear clean clothes.
- SDeity is the Aarti area before the deity or sacred object, placing the idol or picture in a prominent position.
- Gather the necessary items like a plate, bell, flowers, incense sticks, camphor, a small towel or cloth, and a container with water.
- Aarti can only be performed by chanting prayers or mantras or singing Bhajan KirtaDeityinvoke the presence of the deity.
- Hold the plate in your hands and make a Deitylar motion in front of the deity, offering flowers, incense, and other items as a symbol of respect and devotion.
- Light the lamp and hold it in your right hand, moving itDeityircular motions before the deity while singing Aarti songs or reciting mantras.
- Use your left hand to ring the bell, creating a pleasant sound that helps ward off negative energies.
- Towards the end of the Aarti, light a piece of camphor on the lamp. Hold it in your right hand and make clockwDeityircular motions before the deity.
- After completing the Aarti, distribute the offerings as Prasad to those present, and take a few drops of water in your right hand to sip as a form of purification.
- In the last segment, Conclude the Aarti by offering a final prayer, expressing some gratitude, Deityseeking blessings from the deity. Place the lamp back in its original position.
Significance of performing Aarti:
Devotees believe that the Aarti holds deep spiritual significance.
They see the burning wicks as a symbol of selfless service to the Deities and pray that they, too, can offer themselves wholeheartedly in service to God.
In the same way that the wicks eventually burn out, devotees also pray for the dissolution of their ego through such dedicated service and humble worship.
Moreover, the light emitted by the wicks is seen as a metaphor for the illuminating power of proper knowledge about God and the guru.
This knowledge alone can dispel ignorance and false understanding.
What is Aarti?
Aarti is one of the most important and popular rituals of the Hindu faith.
Aarti has been performed since the Vedic period. It is a ceremony performed in greeting and thanksgiving of the deities, where devotees are reminded of God’s presence.
In Sanskrit, the word ‘arti’ is composed of ‘aa’, meaning complete, and ‘rati’, meaning love.
The Aarti is an expression of one’s complete love towards God. It is sung and performed with a deep sense of adoration, and meditative awareness.
Aarti is a part of worship in which fire is lit or diya or using camphor pieces.
Circling the lamp in a clockwise direction while reciting prayer. This is offered to the deities that are worshiped.
It is also believed that Aarti was performed in the past to illuminate a deity in a sanctum so that devotees could have a darshan (viewing) of their god.
According to our ancient scriptures, the images, shrines and statues of the old holy temples have a sacred aura surrounding them.
Agni Puran advises the use of ghee or clarified butter in the Aarti of a deity.
On the other hand, we perform the Aarti of individuals using oil.
Cow ghee, obtained from cows milk, is considered one of the purest forms in the Hindu culture.
When we burn ghee, it emits positive vibrations into the atmosphere.
These vibrations help magnify the aura of such holy temples.
The enhanced aura results in enhancing the positivity in the surroundings, and as a result, the devotees present in these temples experience and attain peace and calmness in their thoughts and actions.
At the end of the Aarti, we place our hands over the flame and then touch our eyes and the top of the head.
It means, ‘may the light that illuminated the deity light up my vision;
may my vision be divine and my thoughts noble and beautiful’.
The Tradition of Aarti in Hinduism
Aarti is an important tradition and ceremony in Hinduism.
It is performed during worship and is both a greeting and thanksgiving to the deities who are being worshipped.
The tradition of Aarti is believed to have originated in the ancient Vedic fire rituals called Homa.
Some believe that it arose from the ancient practice of illuminating a murti (idol) placed deep within the dark recess of a mandir’s inner sanctum, which resembled a cave.
To enable devotees to get a glimpse of the deity, the priest would wave an oil lamp from the deity’s head to toe as he chanted Vedic Mantras or sang a prayer.
Slowly, this practice evolved into the tradition of Aarti.
In Sanskrit, the word ‘aarti’ or ‘aarati’ has a prefix ‘aa’, meaning complete, and ‘rati’, which means ‘love’.
Thus, it represents an expression of one’s complete devotion and love toward God.
A deep sense of adoration, reverence, and meditative awareness accompanies the singing and the performance of Aarti. ‘Aarti’ may also have come from the Sanskrit term ‘Aratrika’” meaning ‘the process of offering light to deities’.
Aarti is also referred to as the ‘ceremony of light’.
When performing Aarti, one waves lighted wicks before the idols of the deity so that the flames are infused with the deities’ energy, love, and blessings.
The light from camphor is also used along with the flames from the wicks soaked in ghee.
Water, incense, and flowers are some of the other auspicious articles offered during the ceremony.
In some Aartis, people also wave a chamar (fan) or white cloth.
All these represent the five elements of the world – space (white cloth), air (fan), light (flames), water, and earth (flowers).
Together, they signify the offering of Creation in its entirety to the deity during the ceremony.
‘Aarti’ has another meaning as well. It is the prayer that is sung in praise of the deity while waving the wicks.
The prayer is often sung to the accompaniment of musical instruments, like drums, bells, gongs, and a conch shell.
The ceremony is often begun and concluded by blowing a conch shell.
The priest or devotee may also ring a small hand bell during the Aarti ritual.
After the prayer, the priest passes the lighted wicks around the congregation so that those present can receive the blessings infused within the flames.
People cup their downturned hands over the flame and then touch them to their eyes and head with reverence.
With this gesture, the purificatory blessing conveyed from the deities to the flame passes on to the devotee.
The Five Kinds of Aarti
Aarti is performed five times a day at large, spired temples, where each Aarti relates to a specific part of the deities’ daily routine. The five common Aartis are Mangala Aarti at dawn (when the deities offer their first darshan to devotees); Shingar Aarti in the early morning (when the deities are clothed and adorned); Rajbhog Aarti at midday (after the deities have had their midday meal); Sandhya Aarti at dusk (when the deities offer evening darshan), and Shayan Aarti (when the deities are preparing to retire for the night).
At smaller temples and in households, Aarti takes place twice daily, in the morning and at dusk.
Aarti is also a part of other, more elaborate Hindu religious rituals and can also be the concluding prayer in religious assemblies and festivals.
Significance of Aarti
Like the wicks that burn in the service of the deities, devotees wish to selflessly offer themselves in the service of God. The wicks eventually burn out completely; similarly, the ego of the devotee is burned away through surrender to and service to God. Also, the wicks provide light and remove darkness. In the same way, true knowledge of God and the Guru removes evil, ignorance, and false understanding.
The lamp is a symbol of the human soul that seeks spiritual awakening and enlightenment. The Aarti’s circular motion and the waving of incense represent life’s cyclical nature and the cosmic dance.
A Multisensory Experience
The ritual of Aarti engages the senses of sight, sound, and smell. The lamp’s soft glow, the rhythmic chants, and the pleasant aroma of incense have a serene and uplifting effect on the mind. It deepens our connection with the divine.
The Mantras and bhajans are not mere sounds; they have profound meaning and arouse devotion within the worshipper’s heart, and bring them solace and strength.
Aarti at Festivals
The tradition of Aarti is also a part of various festivals. During Diwali, most parts of the country are lit up by millions of lamps to symbolize the victory of good over evil. During the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the vibrant Aarti, when devotees send off Ganesha with grand processions and outpourings of love and devotion, is unforgettable.
Aarti as a Part of Daily Life
Families perform Aarti during special occasions, like welcoming guests or seeking blessings for their dear ones. It creates a sense of togetherness and helps instill reverence and faith in the younger generation.
Igniting Self-awareness
Aarti is a profound inner experience. During Aarti, we are impelled to look within ourselves and ignite the flame of self-awareness. It reminds us to fan the flame of devotion and reverence in our hearts constantly so that we become more spiritual, compassionate, and kind.
What does Arti mean?
Arti (also spelled arati and aarti) is a Hindu ritual performed to express love and gratitude to a god.
The term is derived from the Sanskrit word, aratrika, which refers to the light that removes ratri, or “darkness.”
Arti is a small flame from a wick or a camphor, which is placed on a plate and waved before the deity in circular motion.
This ritual can be used by yoga practitioners who engage in a spiritual practice and can be especially important for practitioners of Bhakti yoga, which is the yoga of devotion to a god.
Explains Arti
It is believed that arti has been performed since the Vedic period. It is usually performed at the end of apuja (ritual) in South India and after bhajan (devotional song) in North India.
It is also believed that arti was performed in the past to illuminate a deity in a sanctum so that devotees could have a darshan (viewing) of their god.
The priest in the temple would wave the arti plate in front of the deity to help devotees enjoy a full darshan.
While doing so, mantras were usually recited or songs were sung.
According to Bhagavad Gita, the material world is made of five physical elements (earth, air, fire, water and ether) and three more mental elements (mind, intelligence and ego.)
The offerings made during arti represent these elements as follows:
- Earth: flower
- Water: water
- Fire: ghee lamp
- Air: chamar or yak-tail fan
- Ether: chiming bell
- Mind: emotional involvement
- Intelligence: focus
- Ego: obeisance
Performing arti has spiritual significance. Just as the camphor burns itself out and illuminates the place, the devotee wills to sacrifice him/herself in the service of their god.
Like the wick that dispels darkness, true knowledge of one’s guru dispels ignorance.
Arti ritual and performing puja are part of Bhakti yoga, which is a spiritual path that leads to enlightenment though devotion to a god. Some yoga centers perform an arti ritual toward the end of a yoga session.
What is Aarti/Harati in Hinduism?
Introduction
Aarthi/Harati is a part of Hindu puja and the ritual is performed at the end of worship.
The practice of waving lamp in front of one or more deities exists since the Vedic period.
Aarti means the lamp of fire pursued with the hands along with ringing the bell.
The ritual is performed both in temples and houses.
The importance of Aarti and related ceremonies are explained in detail in this article.
Desperate the article ensures the ritual and its existence since the ancient period.
What is the Aarti ceremony?
In general, Aarti is performed along with singing hymns and songs praising the deity of worship.
The ceremony occurs at the end of worship or puja.
Camphor, incense sticks are used to wave in front of gods also lamp filled with ghee or oil used for the same purpose.
Conducting Aarti declares the end of worship or puja.
The Aarti plate is made of metal either silver, copper, or bronze on which is placed the lamp made of the same metal or mud.
The cotton wicks are used to light fire and oil or ghee helps the lamp withstand for hours.
What does the name Aarti mean?
Aarti is the female name that represents the brightness of the light in other senses. Generally, the person is so creative and determined also bold enough. Throughout India, the baby girl is given the name Aarti followed by the surname.
What is the difference between puja and Aarti?
Puja is the worship of God and is carried away in the houses and temples of the Hindu religion. Home-based puja is carried simply still the ritual is carried something differentiating also lasts for hours.
Here there are few points to highlight the major difference between Aarti and puja.
Puja
The worship of god done with homas, yagnas, singing hymns, chanting mantras, etc. The priest will perform the puja and related rituals. Flowers, food, lamps are used in the puja ceremony and offered to the god.
Devotees and priests will accept the offerings at the end of puja and numbers of Vedic texts are read while the puja is conducting.
Aarti
This is performed at the end of the puja. The ceremony denotes the end of the session and the lamp is waved in front of the deity rotated in the clockwise direction. This is done twice or thrice and the Aarti is brought in front of the devotee who participates in puja then converges their hands downwards and accepts the lamp of fire.
Once the Aarti is accepted, it is believed that deity blesses the devotees.
How many times can you do Aarti?
Many have been told about Aarti and the conditions applied to perform the ritual. Puja Aarti may be simply designed or complicated depends on the length of the worship.
One to five times more often and at the end of the puja is alone the Aarti given to the deity.
In South India, Aarti symbolizes the end of worship but in the case of North India, it is done amidst of Bajan session.
A person with spiritual importance is given Aarti apart from the deity statue.
The lamp of fire is rotated in the clockwise direction one to five times in front of the deity.
Devotees get immersed in the faith of God and attain the spiritual motivation along with gratitude.
Where does Ganga Aarti happen in Varanasi?
Ganga Aarti is the most familiar and well known spiritual performance that is held in three important cities of India like Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Varanasi.
The spiritual performance is held every dusk as an offering to mother Ganga as a remembrance she descends from heaven earth.
Just like other cities, Ganga Aarti in Varanasi takes place dramatically with uniformly dressed young priests assembled in order at the banks of River Ganga.
The priests undertake the rituals along with circling of lamps and incense along with clanging of bells.
The ritual is carried in front of River Ganga as a tribute.
Unlike the other two cities, Ganga Aarti in Varanasi is a very much bigger event held at Dashashwamedh ghat.
At the end of the Aarti ceremony, devotees cup down their hands over the flames and raise the palms to the forehead symbolizing the blessing of the deity or River Ganga.
Why do we ring the bell/Ghanta while doing Aarti?
What does ringing the bell symbolize?
Ringing the bells amidst of puja ceremony is considered auspicious in Hinduism.
In Hindu temples and homes, puja is carried to worship the deity and at the end of the ceremony, the Ghanta bells are ringing along with the Aarti ceremony.
This symbolizes the devotees immerse themselves also dispels the evil away from the area.
Still, Ghanta bells hung in the temple been rang by the devotees.
The bells hung in the sanctum area used to rang by the devotees as they enter the temple.
Devotees ring the Ghanta bells while entering the sanctum just as a sign of intimating his/her arrival.
Ringing the bells is considered an auspicious sign or signal.
The dome-shaped or curved body represents the Ananta but the tongue represents the goddess Saraswati. The handle of the bell symbolizes the supreme power or the divine strength.
Which metal is used in temple bells?
The temple bells are not just a bell alone and not made of a single metal.
A huge scientific phenomenon resides behind the temple bells.
Very natural the temple bells are made of a mixed combination of many metals like copper, tin, bronze, etc.
A significant reason lies with the metal combination that illustrates the frequency of the ringing sound.
The huge bell made of will produce the dense sound with a small frequency.
However, the bells used by the priest within the sanctum are made of silver metal that produces more sharp and cute sound than any other metal bells.
Hence, the bells are used in the temple and used at the time of the puja and Aarti ceremony. Even so, the bells are rung to inform the arrival of the devotee.
Top 7 Different Types Of Aarti Performed in Hinduism
In Hinduism, various types of aartis are performed to worship a deity.
It’s an important religious ritual of worship that you can see being performed daily in any temple in India.
Aartis often take place at the end of a puja and are usually performed by the brahmins (holy priests) and pandits of the temple.
Despite the fact, that most people associate aarti with temples, it is not limited to temple only.
Being an integral part of Indian culture, aartis are also used to welcome honored guests at special functions or ceremonies.
Such as when welcoming someone at school or college at annual functions or to welcome a newborn baby into the family.
It’s one of the predominant methods of worship, which is often accompanied by the signing of a mantra, chalisa, or hymn in praise of the deity.
Aarti is a Sanskrit word and is derived from the root word “aartika”, which literally means “to remove darkness“.
The Mangal Aarti is the first aarti that is performed before the presiding deity of a temple.
The aarti begins every day in the early morning hours, between 4:00 and 4:30 am.
This period of roughly 1 to 2 hours prior to sunrise is considered to be very auspicious and great for the spiritual uplifting of a person.
That’s why it’s called brahma-muhurta.
It’s believed that any spiritual rituals performed during this time bring more positive results than those done at other times in the day.
Mangal aarti means an auspicious beginning to your day, which you start by seeing and praying to the deity.
Mangal aarti begins so early in the morning because it is clearly stated in many spiritual texts that whoever wants to advance in life must wake up before sunrise.
Mangal aarti thus acts as a daily ritual to build that habit among the devotees.
Dhoop aarti is the second aarti of the morning, which is performed after the bath of the presiding deity of a temple.
This aarti uses scented incense, therefore the name “dhoop aarti“.
The aarti usually takes place after the mangal aarti.
During the aarti, the idol of the deity is bathed and adorned with clothes and flower garlands.
Many people who are unable to wake up at the brahma-muhurta to perform the mangal aarti at home could perform this dhoop aarti.
Although the aarti is performed by burning coconut peel, dhuna, among other things, it is incense sticks that are the dominant part of the aarti.
Shringar Aarti is a type of aarti that takes place between 7:00 and 7:30 in the morning.
Before performing Shringar Aarti, the deity is fully decorated with precious ornaments and beautiful garlands of flowers. So, that devotees could admire the adorned beauty of their deity.
This type of aarti mostly happens in temples only, where the presiding deity of the temple is prepared daily in the morning before 7am.
Shringar Aarti is a beautiful reflection of how people dress up to meet others in the street.
Similarly, gods also prepare themselves before meeting with their devotees.
This aarti usually takes place after the mangal aarti in the early morning.
Bhog aarti is only performed at large temples, where the main meal of the day is served to the presiding deity and then to the devotees visiting the temple.
The Bhog aarti is usually held between 11:00 and 12:00 p.m.
After the aarti, the door to the presiding deity is shut for the afternoon.
This is the third aarti of the day, which a temple performs every day.
The served meals are made with sattvic recipes without using any non-veg products.
Many temples don’t even use salt, oil, and other restricted veggies according to the temple rituals.
Puja Aarti (पूजा आरती)
There are hundreds of ways to worship a deity in Hinduism.
Puja aarti, on the other hand, is a type of worship that can be found in almost any sacred ritual or rite.
It takes place at the ending of a religious ceremony or ritual.
It’s believed that if Puja Aarti is not performed correctly at the end of a worship, the worship remains incomplete.
Usually, a song, hymn, or mantra associated with the deity is sung during the Aarti.
According to Hindu traditions, it’s said that whatever error or deficiency remains in the worship, performing Puja Aarti at the end fulfills all of those.
Sandhya Aarti (संध्या आरती)
The Sandhya Aarti is the most popular of all the aartis.
It is performed daily in every temple in the evening between 6:30 and 7:00.
Most people visit their nearest temples during this time to attain the sandhya aarti.
At home, this is also the most prominent aarti for many.
During the sandhya aarti, the presiding deity is worshiped by offering incense-scented smoke.
This aarti is also known as sandhya-dhoop aarti, Sandhya Puja, and so on.
It’s believed that the time when sandhya aarti is being performed is the time of reconciliation of the gods with their devotees.
Sandhya aarti can be done by anyone at home.
It is not necessary to have a brahman or pandit do it on your behalf.
Shayan Aarti (शयन आरती)
Shayan aarti is the final aarti of the day for any temple.
The presiding deity gets changed into sleeping clothes.
This aarti lasts only a few minutes, and no conch shell is ever blown during it.
During the Shayan aarti, no other instruments are played, including the conch.
Actually, Sandhya aarti is thought to be the last aarti of the day, but devotees want to perform another aarti as a request to the deity to sleep.
The temple doors are opened again the next day, with the daily ritual of performing the mangal aarti.
Why do we do aarti four deities as per hindu culture
The Aarti is performed towards the end of every ritualistic worship of God or when a revered guest or saint is welcomed.
It is accompanied by ringing the bell and singing hymns, playing musical instruments and clapping.
It comprises of one of the sixteen steps of the pooja ritual called the Shodashaupachara.
It refers to the auspicious light ‘Manglaniraajanam.’
The lighted lamp is held in the right hand is encircled in a clockwise movement to light the entire form of the deity.
In the process the entire form, along with each part, of God is revealed.
While waving the lamp, chanting of prayers is done in a loud or mute tone in the mind.
After the Aarti is performed, we place our hands over the flame and touch the eyes and top of the head gently.
Why is Aarti done?
1. The beauty and glory of God is seen while performing the abhishek, decorating the image and even offering fruits and delicacies to the deity. The lamp tends to light up each and every limb of God. It is a kind of silent open-eyed meditation on the beauty of the Almighty. The joy and auspiciousness is denoted through singing, clapping and ringing the bell which accompanies the vision of God.
2. Aarti is generally performed using Camphor or ‘kapoor’ as this holds a telling spiritual significance. Camphor is used because it burns itself out completely without leaving any trace, which signifies our inherent tendencies (Vaasanas). The fire of knowledge lights and illumines truth, thereby burning our ego which creates a sense of individuality, keeping us separate from God.
3. Even when camphor sacrifices itself, it leaves behind a pleasant fragrance to reveal the glory of God. This signifies that on our spiritual path, we should sacrifice ourselves while serving the Guru and the society and spread the perfume of love to one and all. The illumined God can be seen when the Aarti is lit; however, our eyes tend to close automatically to look within while performing the Aarti. This proves that we all are a temple of God.
4. The Aarti flame clearly reveals the form of God and even the divinity of knowledge within us, the light of spiritual knowledge. At the end of the Aarti, the devotee places his hands over the flame and touches both eyes and the top of the head so that his thoughts and actions are always noble and beautiful.
5. If we see the philosophical meaning of the word Aarti, it means turning our attention to all the natural sources of all light viz the sun, moon, stars, lightning and fire. Since God is the source of this entire universe and everything in it, the flame of Aarti symbolizes knowledge and life which extends to every form of life on earth.
Aarti Symbolism – Symbolic Meaning of Aarti During Hindu Puja
The main symbolism of aarti is that it represents light and knowledge which dispels darkness of ignorance, which stands in the way of attaining moksha.
The light of aarti guides us to the realization that Supreme Truth is present in all animate and inanimate.
It is believed that cosmic power and divine primordial energy is infused in the aarti.
As per scholars, originally aarti was performed to ward off the evil eye of people and spirits.
Generally today people perform aarti to attain material gains.
Many people perform if for good luck, peace, wealth, prosperity and for wish fulfillment.