What is the difference between pooja and aarti

Important factors to follow while doing the Aarti :. After the Aarti is completed, the lighted wicks are passed around the congregation to move their hand over the lamp and then over their head and face to receive the blessings infused within the flames. It is believed that the flames of the aarti purifies the gross and subtle bodies and energises for a faster spiritual evolution.

Almost all temples or Hindu shrines in India perform aarti with a joyful meditative song or a prayer with an accompaniment of musical instruments, like dhol drums , bells, veena, table, and a conch-shell, etc. The priest also rings a small hand-bell with his left hand while chanting the prayer and waving the wicks with his right hand.

Significance: Waving of lighted lamps before an idol with Bhajana Prayer is called Aarti. The custom of aarti acts as a total surrender to God to overcome any worldly desire or misery. This is true that praising God with your deepest faith will make you have your wishes fulfilled. This is also the reason why we worship books, vehicles and instruments once a year on Saraswathi Pooja or Ayudha Pooja day, dedicated to the Goddess of Learning.

In fact, each day before starting our studies, we pray : "Saraswati namasthuhhyam Varade kaama roopini Vidyaarambham karishyaami Sidhirhhavatu me sadaa" O Goddess Saraswati, the giver of Boons and fulfiller of wishes, I prostrate to you before Starting my studies.

May You always fulfill me. Children are also strongly discouraged from touching people with their feet. Even if this happens accidentally, we touch the person and bring the fingers to our eyes as a mark of apology. Even when elders touch a younger person inadvertently with their feet, they immediately apologize.

To touch another with the feet is considered an act of misdemeanor. Why is this so? Man is regarded as the most beautiful, living, breathing temple of the Lord!

Therefore touching another with the feet is akin to disrespecting the divinity within or her. This calls for an immediate apology, which is offered with reverence and humility. Thus, many of our customs are designed to be simple but powerful reminders or pointers of profound philosophical truths. This is one of the factors that has kept Indian culture alive across centuries. Why do we apply the holy ash? The ash of any burnt object is not regarded as holy ash. Bhasma the holy ash is the ash from the homa sacrificial fire where special wood along with ghee and other herbs is offered as worship of the lord.

Or the deity is worshipped by pouring ash as abhisheka and is then distributed as bhasma. Bhasma is generally applied on the forehead Some apply it on certain parts of the body like the upper arms, chest etc. Some ascetics rub it all over the body. Many consume a pinch of it each time they receive it. Why do we do use bhasma? The application of bhasma therefore signifies destruction of the evil and remembrance of the divine. Homa offering of oblations into the fire with sacred chants signifies the offering or surrender of the ego and egocentric desire into the flame of knowledge or a noble and selfless cause.

The consequent ash signifies the purity of the mind, which results from such actions. Also the fire of knowledge burns the oblation and wood signifying ignorance and inertia respectively. The ash we apply indicates that we should burn false identification with the body and become free of the limitations of birth and death. The application of ash reminds us that the body is perishable and shall one day be reduced to ashes.

We should therefore not get too attached to it. Death can come at any moment and this awareness must increase our drive to make the best use of times. This is not to be misconstrued as a morose reminder of death but as a powerful pointer towards the fact that time and tide wait for none. Bhasma is specially associated with Lord Shiva who applies it all over His body. When applied with a red spot in the centre, the mark symbolizes Shiv — Shakti the unity of energy and matter that creates the entire seen and unseen universe.

Ash is what remains when all the wood is burnt away and it does not decay. Similarly, the Lord is the imperishable Truth that remains when the entire creation of innumerable names and forms is dissolved. Bhasma has medicinal value and is used in many ayurvedic medicines. It absorbs excess moisture from the body and prevents colds and headaches.

The Upanishads say that the famous Mrityunjaya mantra should be chanted whilst applying ash on the forehead. May He free us from the shackles of sorrow, change and death-effortlessly, like the fall of a ripe brinjal from its stem.

Why do we offer food to the Lord before eating it? In western tradition food is partaken after a thanksgiving prayer — grace. Indians make an offering of it to the lord and later partake of it as prasaada a holy gift from the lord In temples and in many homes, the cooked food is first offered to the lord each day.

The offered food is mixed with the rest of the food and then served as prasaada. In our daily ritualistic worship pooja too we offer naivedyam food to the Lord. Why do we do so? Why do we offer neivedya?

The Lord is omnipotent and omniscient. Man is a part, while the Lord is the totality. All that we do is by His strength and knowledge alone. Hence what we receive in life as a result of our actions is really His alone. We acknowledge this through the act of offering food to him.

Thereafter it is akin to his gift to us, graced by His divine touch. Knowing this, our entire attitude to food and the act of eating changes. The food offered will naturally be pure and the best. We share what we get with others before consuming it.

We do not demand, complain or criticize the quality of the food we get. We do not waste or reject it. We eat it with cheerful acceptance prasaada buddhi.

When we become established in this attitude, it goes beyond the purview of food and pervades our entire. We are then able to cheerfully accept all we get in life as His prasaada. Before we partake of our daily meals we first sprinkle water around the plate as an act of purification. Thereafter the Lord, the life force, who is also within us as the five life-giving physiological functions, is offered the food.

This is done with the chant — praanaaya swaahaa, apaanaaya swaahaa, vyaanaaya swaahaa, udaanaaya swaahaa, samaanaaya swahaa, brahmane swaahaa referring to the five physiological functions — respiratory praana , excretory apaana , circulatory vyaana , digestive samaana and reversal udaana systems. After offering the food thus, it is eaten as prasaada - blessed food. To remember this concept, many chant the following verse of the Geeta. Why do we do pradakshins? When we visit a temple, after offering prayers, we circumambulate the sanctum sanctorum.

This is called pradakshina. We cannot draw a circle without a centre point The Lord is the centre, source and essence of our lives. Recognizing Him as the focal point in our lives, we go about doing our daily chores. This is the significance of pradakshina, Also every point on the circumference of a circle is equidistant from the centre. This means that wherever or whoever we may be, we are equally close to the lord. His grace flows towards us without partiality. Why is pradakshina done only in a clockwise manner?

The reason is not, as a person said, to avoid a traffic jam! As we do pradakshina, the Lord is always on our right In India the right side symbolizes auspiciousness. Indian scriptures enjoin — matrudevo bhava, pitrudevo bhava, acharyadevo bhava. May you consider your parents and teachers as you would the Lord With this in mind we also do pradakshina around our parents and divine personages.

The story of lord Ganesha circumambulating his parents is a well-known one. After the completion of traditional worship pooja , we customarily do pradakshina around our-selves.

In this way we recognize and remember the supreme divinity within us, which alone is idolized in the form of the Lord that we worship outside. As we circumambulate, we chant: "Yaani kaani cha paapaani Janmaantara krtaani cha Taani taani vinashyanti Pradakshina pade pade. Why do we regard trees and plants as sacred? From ancient times, Indians have worshipped plants and trees and regarded all flora and fauna as sacred.

This is not an old fashioned or uncivilized practice. It reveals the sensitivity, foresight and refinement of Indian culture. The Lord the life in us, pervades all living beings, be they plants or animals Hence, they are all regarded as sacred.

Human life on earth depends on plants and trees. They give us the vital factors that make life possible on earth: food, oxygen, clothing, shelter, medicines etc. They lend beauty to our surroundings. They serve man without expectation and sacrifice themselves to sustain us. They epitomize sacrifice if a stone is thrown on a fruit-laden tree; the tree in turn gives fruit! We protect only what we value Hence in India, we are taught to regard trees and plants as sacred Naturally, we will then protect them.

Indian scriptures tell us to plant trees if, for any reason, we have to cut one. We are advised to use parts of trees and plants only as much as is needed for food, fuel, shelter etc. We are also urged to apologies to a plant or tree before cutting it to avoid incurring a specific sin named soona. In our childhood, we are told stories of the sacrifice and service done by plants and trees and about our duty to plant and nourish them.

Certain trees and plants like tulasi, peepal etc. It is believed that divine beings manifest as trees and plants, and many people worship them to fulfill their desires or to please the Lord.

Why do we fast? Most devout Indians fast regularly or on special occasions like festivals. On such days they do not eat at all, eat once or make do with fruits or a special diet of simple food.

Some undertake rigorous fasts when they do not even drink water the whole day! Fasting is done foe many reasons — to please the Lord, to discipline oneself and even to protest. Gandhiji fasted to protest against the British rule.

Is it to save food or to create an appetite to feast after the fast? Not really. Then why do we fast? Fasting in Sanskrit is called upavaasa. Upavaasa therefore means staying near the Lord , meaning he attainment of close mental proximity with the Lord.

Then what has upavaasa to do with food? A lot of our time and energy is spent in procuring food items, preparing, cooking, eating and digesting food. Certain food types make our minds dull and agitated.

Hence on certain days man decides to save time and conserve his energy by eating either simple, light food or totally abstaining from eating so that his mind becomes alert and pure.

The mind, otherwise pre-occupied by the thought of food, now entertains noble thoughts and stays with the lord. Since it is a self-imposed form of discipline it is usually adhered to with joy. Also every system needs a break and an overhaul to work at its best. Rest and a change of diet during fasting is very good for the digestive system and the entire body.

The more you indulge the senses, the more they make their demands. Fasting helps us to cultivate control over our senses, sublimate our desires and guide our minds to be poised and at peace.

Fasting should not make us weak, irritable or create an urge to indulge later. This happens when there is no noble goal behind fasting. Some fast, rather they diet, merely to reduce weight. Others fast as a vow to please the Lord or to fulfill their desires, some to develop will power, control the senses, some as a form of austerity and so on.

The Bhagavad Geeta urges us to eat appropriately — neither too less nor too much — yukta — aahaara and to eat simple, pure and healthy food a saatvik diet even when not fasting. Why do we ring the bell in a temple? In most temples there are one or more bells hung from the top, near the entrance.

The devotee rings the bell as soon as he enters, thereafter proceeding for darshan of the Lord and prayers. Children love jumping up or being carried high in order to reach the bell.

Is it to wake up the Lord? But the Lord never sleeps. Is it to let the Lord know we have come? He does not need to be told, as He is all — knowing. Is it a form of seeking permission to enter His precinct? It is a homecoming and therefore entry needs no permission. The Lord welcomes us at all times. These why do we ring the bell? The ringing of the bell produces what is regarded as an auspicious sound.

It produces the sound Om, the universal name of the Lord. The huge bell made of will produce the dense sound with a small frequency. However, the bells used by the priest within the sanctum are made of silver metal that produces more sharp and cute sound than any other metal bells.

Hence, the bells are used in the temple and used at the time of the puja and Aarti ceremony. Even so, the bells are rung to inform the arrival of the devotee.

Introduction Lord Ganesh worshipped as the beginning. Hinduism portrays him as the retorted son of Lord Shiva and Parvathi. The external appearance of Lord Ganesha seems elephant-headed with a In Hinduism, the feminine power is extremely important.

In fact, there is a distinct sect that only worships the female form of the Supreme force that governs the entire universe. It is referred to What is the Aarti ceremony? What does the name Aarti mean? What is the difference between puja and Aarti? Puja The worship of god done with homas, yagnas, singing hymns, chanting mantras, etc.

Aarti This is performed at the end of the puja. How many times can you do Aarti? Where does Ganga Aarti happen in Varanasi? Is aarti a part of puja? Puja is the act of showing reverence to a god, a spirit, or another aspect of the divine through invocations, prayers, songs, and rituals.

An essential part of puja for the Hindu devotee is making a spiritual connection with the divine. Most often that contact is facilitated through an object: an element of nature, a sculpture, a vessel, a painting, or a print. It means worship,devotion and reverence.

Puja is believed to be derived from the word 'pu-chey',or worship. The term puja is now used to include all forms of worship, ranging from the simple daily offerings of flowers, fruit, leaves, rice, sweetmeats and water to the deities in homes or temples, to the sacrifices in temples dedicated to Kali, Durga and other female deities. Traditionally the Aarti is performed during the morning and evening in a Hindu household. The Aarti consists of a small flame which burns on a wick, placed on a plate, which is rotated round the Deity.

The Ritual of the Aarti makes the light of the flame dispel darkness, the incense that is burnt gives out fragrance, a bell is rung, hands are clapped while one sings the Aarti. The Aarti reminds us of the greatness of the Lord, because the flame that we rotate is symbolic of the Cosmos Sun, Moon, Stars revolving around the Almighty paying obeisance to him.