Arti Ritual for Darshan
Arti consists in circulating divas(day) before a deity to show reverence. The devotee joyously sings the glory of God/Goddess while focusing on his senses and mind on the murtis. The ritual originated many milennia ago when the murti of deity, enshrined in a mandir sanctum, was illuminated by the pujari by moving a divo from head to foot for darshan. Gradually the practice developed in to arti. In most of the temples there is a tradition if five artis: mangala, shrungar, raj bhog, sandhya and shayan. Devotees perform arti before the home mandir or in a temple. The ritual calms the mind and blesses the devotee with spiritual consciousness.
Arti is ritual offering of deep devotion, expressing the sentiment of total love of God, in which divas (lighted wicks) are circled before a deity. The entire ritual is an offering of the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and space in profound display of veneration to God/Goddess. Dandvat pranam symbolizes fire (tej), the dhoop from an incense stick represents air (vayu) and playing of drum and bells and the singing of arti symbolizes space (akash).
The ritual originated many millennia ago when the murti of deity was illuminated by the pujari by moving a divo from head to foot for darshan. Gradually the practice developed into arti. When the pujari circulates the divo before the deity the devotees sing the glory and beauty of God/Goddess. Thereafter, the arti is circulated wherein devotees cup their palms touching them to their eyes and head. This allows the devotee to absorb and to be blessed with the sacred light of the divo.
In Shikharbadd mandir there is a tradition of five artis: mangala, shangar (also shumgar), raj bhog, sandhya and shayan. Devotees also perform arti before the home mandir or attend one in a shikhabaddh mandir.
The arti is one of the principal rituals in a mandir during which devotees congregate, leaving aside their mundane service, to engage their senses and mind solely in God/Goddess. It imbues all with Divine-consciousness.