Evening Ganga Aarti in Varanasi

What the meaning of Aarti ?

Aarti/arathi/aarthi is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a form of puja in which light from wicks soaked in purified butter (ghee) for offered to one or more. deities. The reason is to develop the highest love for God.

"Aa" means "towards or to", and "rati" means "right or virtue" in Sanskrit. It is sometimes thought the word is from a type of cloth or as followers wore over the bodies during the ritual, or a "shiny cloth" means they wear it for a religious practice

Where and When?

Aarti for holy Ganges will be held every evening around 7 pm in Dasaswamedh Ghat.

What will happen there?

One hour more you will see the precious spiritual activity. Yes aarti is waved in circular fashion. in clockwise manner around the deity. After every circle (or second or third circle), when Aarti has reached the bottom (6-8 o' clock position), the performer waves it backwards while remaining in the bottom (4-6 o' clock position) and then continues waving it in clockwise fashion. The idea here is that aarti represents our daily activities, which revolves around God, a center of our life. Looking at God while performing aarti reminds the performer (and the attendees of the aarti) to keep God at the center of all activities and reinforces the understanding that routine worldly activities are secondary in importance

The flower represent the earth, the water and accompanying handkerchief correspond with the water element (lliquidity), the fire/lamp/candle represent of heat component the peacock fan conveys the precious quality of air (movement), and the yak-tail fan represents the subtle form of ether (space). The incense represents a purified state of mind, and one’s "intelligence" is offered through the adherence to rules of timing and order of offerings.

What you can do ?

Come, sit quietly and enjoy every moment there or if you are interested you can join the ceremony. Just come more early so you can get space in front, and join sing aarti to worship Ganga.

It’s extraordinary experience for me. Do you know why? I am not a Hindu and I do not understand at all about the ceremony, but I get some special feel like all the elements of nature come together inside my body. Winds coming from the Ganga River mingled with people prayers and incense smoke blowing.

and I just feel the happiness mind come in end :)

Now, i understand why so many people enthusiastically waiting for this ceremony. I think tomorow i will come again to this place.

To be continued..