Aarti Importance in Pooja Ceremony

Aarti is a traditional Hindu religious ritual of worship. It is a part of puja, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee or oil or camphor is offered to one or more deities. While doing Aarti the songs are sung in the praise of the deity, when lamps are being offered. In this article we will explore Aarti Importance in Pooja Ceremony.

Aarti can be simple to extravagant, which involves flame or light. It is performed one to five times a day. Aarti is done usually at the end of a puja or bhajan session.

Aarti is performed during all the Hindu ceremonies and occasions or on some functions. It involves the circulating of an ‘Aarti plate’ or ‘Aarti lamp’ around a person or deity and is generally accompanied by the congregation singing songs in praise of that deva or person.

By doing so, the plate or lamp is supposed to acquire the power of the deity. The priest or the pujari circulates the plate or lamp to all those present. The people cup their down-turned hands over the flame and then raise their palms to their forehead. To seek the purificatory blessing, passed from the deva’s image to the flame, has now been passed to the devotee.

The aarti plate of metal, silver, bronze or copper is used. And the lamp made of kneaded flour, mud or metal, filled with oil or ghee and with one or more cotton wicks are put into the oil and then lighted, or camphor is burnt instead.

And the plate may also contain flowers, incense and akshata (rice). In some temples, a plate is not used and the priest holds the ghee lamp in his hand when offering it to the Deities.