arati
- noun
- /ɑːrɑːti/
- Indian
- During the festival, the priests performed the arati with great devotion, waving the lighted lamps before the statue of the deity.
Examples
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The students must all attend morning and evening arati and classes.
Blog text (12) -
I saw all the idols breathing, batting their eyelids, smiling, talking amongst themselves, and then standing absolutely still during the arati, etc.
Blog text (19) -
Every evening, devotees gather in the temple for the arati, where they offer prayers while lamps flicker brightly.
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The harmonious singing accompanied the arati, creating a spiritual atmosphere as the faithful watched the lamps being waved.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Arati comes from Hindi and older Sanskrit and refers to a ritual where lighted lamps are waved before a deity. It literally means a 'light offering', so the ceremony is remembered as giving light to the god and driving away darkness.