Ganga Aarti in Haridwar - Uttarakhand, India
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denben
N 29° 57.379 E 078° 10.247
44R E 226952 N 3317313
The Ganga Aarti ceremony is performed at sunrise and sunset at Har ki Pauri Ghat on the banks of the river Ganges at Haridwar in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Aarti is not only a holy ritual but also has become a major tourist attraction.
Waymark Code: WMQ98F
Location: India
Date Posted: 01/14/2016
Views: 1
An aarti is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a part of puja, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities. Along the Ganges, the offering is made to the Goddess Ganga, also affectionately referred to as Maa Ganga, goddess of the most holy river in India. Aartis also refer to the songs sung in praise of the deity, when lamps are being offered.
The aarti takes place facing the river. Big diyas are lit and circled around by the pandits (Hindu priests) in a clockwise direction, accompanied by songs in praise of Mother Ganga. The idea is that the lamps acquire the power of the deity. After the ritual is complete, devotees will cup their hands over the flame and raise their palms to their forehead in order to get the Goddess's purification and blessing. They also will light a small diya that is floated down the river as offerings to the Ganga.
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