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Aarti, Arti, arathi, or Arati is a Hindu ritual in which light from wicks
soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities.
Aarti is performed and sung to develop the highest love for God. "Aa" means
"towards", and "rati" means "the highest love for God" in Sanskrit. Aarti is
generally performed twice or three times daily - usually, in the morning and in
the evening, and at the end of a puja or bhajan session.
Light symbolizes knowledge and darkness, ignorance. The light is worshipped
as lord himself. The lamps are lit and the tray is rotated in a circular motion
in front of the deity or the person to be welcomed. At the end of arti, we place
our hands over flame and then gently touch our eyes and the top of the head. The
purpose of performing arati is to ward off evil effects and the malefic
influence of the ‘evil eye’.
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