arthi

Arthi, also spelled aarti or aarati, is a Hindu devotional ritual in which light from a lamp or lamps is offered to one or more deities. The practice is a ritual expression of bhakti (devotion) and is commonly performed during temple worship as well as in home rituals. The term is used in transliteration variations, reflecting different regional pronunciations.

In a typical arthi ceremony, a priest or devotee lights a lamp filled with ghee or oil and waves it in a circular, usually clockwise, motion before the image or symbol of the deity. The accompanying prayers, hymns, or bhajans are sung, and the ritual may be accompanied by bells, incense, and the ringing of bells. After the lamp has been circulated, blessings are often distributed as prasad, and participants may receive the glow of the flame on their hands or foreheads as a sign of divine grace.

Aarti is a central component of daily puja and temple worship in many Hindu communities. It is commonly performed twice a day in temples—mangal aarti in the morning and sandhya aarti in the evening—with many households also observing an arthi as part of personal worship. Regional variations exist in the style of performance, the songs used, and the deities honored.

The ritual may include an aarti plate with flowers, incense, and a larger lamp for processions. Overall, arthi serves to invite the deity’s presence, invite communal participation, and symbolize the offering of light as a gesture of reverence. See also Puja, Bhajan, Prasad.