Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Meaning of Arti



Some people have asked me if my name has something to do with art! Actually, no. Arti is a word derived from Sanskrit. Only it is spelled "aarti" usually. (however, my parents thought "Arti" was better spelling!)

In Sanskrit, the term aarti can be broken up into two words - "aa' meaning "towards" and "rati" meaning the "highest love for God."

The Hindu ritual of aarti accrues from the ancient Vedic concept of fire ceremony or the 'homa'. Generally, one or more wicks made of cotton, or thin cloth strip, is soaked in ghee or camphor, lighted and offered to the deity.



this is a picture of the holy town of Haridwar where mass aarti is being performed for river Ganga or The Ganges, considered a deity in India.

I have taken them from a site http://travel.paintedstork.com/blog/2006/03/ganga-aarti-at-rishikesh_09.html for anyone who wishes to know more about India....




3 comments:

  1. So interesting....great photo you chose...

    I find your posts fascinating, just what I like in a blog about India, newsy and informative and I learn something.

    I tell my husband quite often, I think the Indian people are some of the most beautiful on the planet and the women particularly and their names so poetic or spiritual.

    well from the little I've seen or learned anyway....

    I swear I had a past life there at one time, because I'm so drawn to everything "India".

    I remember my first movie I watched years and years ago when it first came out, City of Joy. oops did I already mention that...
    can't remember.

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  2. Hi Sandy
    thanks for spending time here with me!I always appreciate your comments. I will keep posting interesting facts and photos of India ..keep watching!
    cheers

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  3. oh, I will keep watching, for sure..I love blogroll because it's easy to keep up with the new posts and saves time from clicking on sites when there isn't an update.

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