Montreal, Quebec
The
Arotika
Practically every day of my life I walk to
the nearest temple, regardless of distance, for the 4:30 a.m. arati, whether it’s down the hall from
my bed or a few blocks away—as in Mayapura.
The exception would be on long walks where there may not be a room or
building for honouring arati.
What is an arati?
It is a presentation of paraphernalia
offered to the Supreme—things such as incense, a small dhiya (flame), water, flowers, etc.—all to symbolize appreciation
to the Creator. One very special part of
the presentation is the offering of sound, a sacred sound—mantras.
Always done at an early hour, before
sunrise, the arati sets a tone for
the day. Like any other day it is a space
in time which is meant for ‘giving’. The
arati’s begin with the blowing of a
conch, even before the mantras begin. In
many ways, this signifies the start of the day.
During the time of arati a small bell is consistently ringing by the shake of the
priest or priestess’ left wrist. Each
article of paraphernalia is presented to the presiding deity of Krishna in the
shrine. With the right hand there is the
wave or motion of the article being presented to the deity—usually in the form
of a circle. For instance, the article
can be held and, with a circular sweep of the hand, directed in circles of
three to the face, two to the chest, four to the feet, and seven swirled around
the entire deity’s form. The arati is completed with a final blow of
the conch. This morning Nandini Radha
opened the curtains, blew the conch and proceeded with the arati ceremony.
May the Source be with you!
1 km
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