Aarti
March 30, 2007
An integral part of every puja or yagya is the burning of camphor while a few mantras are chanted. This process is called aarti and is a very flexible and enjoyable part of a puja or yagya, or can even be performed alone. In the photo below, the priest is performing aarti at the end of a Rudra abishekam. The camphor is burned in a small tray and is rotated in front of the deity in a circular, clockwise motion. Camphor is made from the sap of the camphor tree and it burns very cleanly, with a relatively cool flame. There is no residue or ash left over so it is an appropriate symbol for the process of the ego gradually being dissolved and merging with the light of the divine.
At the end of the aarti, you pass your hands over the flame to receive a blessing and then pass them over your own head. When you visit a temple in India, the most simple form of puja that is performed is aarti. It generally takes about 5 minutes or so.