Why do Hindus perform aarti?

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An aarti is a Hindu religious ritual of worship. It often takes place at temples where holy priests, also known as brahmins and pandits in India, perform this at the end of the puja — a Hindu form of worship.

Though an aarti is one of the most common forms of practice in Indian culture, yet there are specific unanswered questions amongst people.

In this post, let’s try to answer a few of the most common questions concerning a Hindu aarti.

Question 1: How is an aarti performed?

An aarti generally involves the following sequence of activities:

1. Lightening of lamps.
2. Circling the lamp in a clockwise direction while reciting prayers.

In temples, the priests offer aarti to one or more deities. The following video shows how an aarti is performed on the auspicious day of Maha Shivratri, India.

Question 2: Is aarti restricted to temples?

NO.

Undoubtedly, an aarti is an integral part of Indian culture, and we offer it to the gods, deities in the temples. However, this religious ritual is not restricted to religious purposes.

In the Indian culture, apart from offering aarti to the almighty, it is also used to welcome an honoured guest at special functions. The following are a few such situations:

1. Welcoming someone at school or college annual functions.
2. We are welcoming a newborn baby in the family.
3. We are welcoming a newly married couple in the family.

Question 3: What is the difference between the above types of aartis?

The art of performing aarti of a deity is slightly different from that of an individual.

Hindujagruti, in one of its posts, mentioned that the 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.

Ghee is used in the aarti of deity, and oil is used in the aarti of an individual.

Question 4: How is the aarti of a deity performed?

The two crucial things to perform the aarti of a deity are ghee and camphor, also known as Kapoor in India. So, what’s so special about ghee and camphor that we use them while performing aarti for deities?

Let’s try to answer this question from both scientific and spiritual perspectives.

Scientifically

1. According to our ancient scriptures, the images, shrines and statues of the old holy temples have a sacred aura surrounding them.
2. Cow ghee, obtained from cows milk, is considered one of the purest forms in the Hindu culture.
3. 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.

Spiritually

1. Camphor, when burnt, releases a refreshing odour into the atmosphere.
2. Besides, camphor also has a fantastic property of burning into the environment without leaving any trace. This property also symbolizes that one must let go of one’s ego for the betterment of society.
3. The vibrations emitted from the ghee lamp tend to attract higher sattvik waves present in the atmosphere. Such waves are essential to evoke calm and an enlightened state of mind.

Question 5: Why is an oil used in the aarti of an individual?

Human beings also have an aura. The problem is that this aura gets affected by jealousy and negative thoughts that others might have for you.

The motto of this form of aarti is to rid someone from negativity.

Some of the oils used to ward of negativity are mustard oil, linseed oil and sesame oil.

Online References:

The Indian Mirror, Wordzz.com & Forest Essentials India

Reference Books:

Hinduism — Ritual, Reason and Beyond & Hindu Rites and Rituals