aarti

Aarti, also spelled arati or aarati, is a Hindu ritual that offers light to a deity. Performed in temples and homes, it typically accompanies darshan and prayer. Aarti ceremonies are held across many Hindu traditions and are especially common during daily worship, festivals, and processions.

The central feature is a lamp or lamps, usually a circular brass or copper tray holding a wick soaked in ghee or oil. The lamp may be accompanied by camphor, incense, and flowers. The devotee or priest lights the lamp and then waves it in a circular motion in front of the image or idol.

Aarti is often sung or accompanied by devotional songs called aarti bhajans. Bells, conch shells, and rhythmic clapping may accompany the performance. After the lamp is circled, the deity is shown the light, and the worshippers offer reverence, bowing or folding their hands in prayer. The prasad is later shared.

Variations exist by region and tradition. In North India, aarti is typically performed at dawn and dusk and may accompany other rituals; in South India, aarti may be linked to temple processions or festival rituals. Some households perform a small aarti to family deities or during major celebrations like Diwali or Navaratri.

Symbolically, the light of the lamp represents knowledge, auspiciousness, and the dispelling of darkness. Aarti serves to honor the deity, focus attention during worship, and foster communal participation in devotional life.