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Aarti
Aarti is a form of prayer, usually performed three times a day.
In the mandir, aarti is usually performed three or four times a day: at sunrise, during the morning, at lunchtime and at sundown. At home, aarti may be performed each time there is worship. During aarti, light from wicks soaked in gHee (clarified butter) is offered to the gods and goddesses.
The essence of the aarti ceremony is that all day long God offers us light – the light of the sun, the light of life, the light of blessings. Aarti is a time to say “thank you,” by offering light and devotion to the gods and goddesses.
The pujari lights a three or five-wick lamp and waves it in front of the murti. He then offers the lamp to each worshipper in turn. Worshippers place their hands over the flames, then pass their hands in front of their face and over their head. In this way, they are sharing the blessing of light with the gods.
H In this photo a priest is offering the aarti lamp to worshippers in a mandir. Sometimes, a worshipper passes around the aarti lamp instead. You can see that the boy in the middle is placing his hands near the flame. The priest on the left is saying a prayer before he shares the flame.
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