Sunday, November 1, 2009

Aarti


Aarti

Hi Every body ,

Today Topic we are talking about is Aarti. Every one would have seen doing aarti after the pooja in Temples
and also in our houses .So we will know some thing about this .

Meaning
Aarti (Hindi आरती), also spelled arathi, aarthi (from the Sanskrit term Aradhana) is a
Hindu ritual, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor
is offered to one or more deities. Aartis also refer to the songs sung in praise of
the deity, when offering of lamps is being offered.:

: Tamil Version for AArti

Aarti performed at South Indian temples mostly follows the above-mentioned rituals
 except that they are often more elaborate in the way they are performed. Aarti is
also referred to as Deepa Aaradhanai in Tamil.

How:
 Aarti is generally performed one to five times daily, and usually at the end of a
puja or bhajan session. It is performed during almost all Hindu ceremonies and occasions.
It involves the circulating of an 'Aarti plate' around a person or deity and is generally
accompanied by the singing of songs in praise of that deva or person (many versions exist).
 In doing so, the plate itself is supposed to acquire the power of the deity. The priest
circulates the plate to all those present. They cup their down-turned hands over the flame
and then raise their palms to their forehead - the purificatory blessing, passed from the deva's
 image to the flame, has now been passed to the devotee.

Why:
 The purpose of performing arati is the waving of lighted wicks before the deities in a spirit of
humility and gratitude, wherein faithful followers become immersed in God's divine form. It symbolises
 the five elements: 1) space (akash), 2) wind (vayu), 3) light (tej), 4) water (jal), and 5) earth (pruthvi).
 Communal Aarti is performed in the mandir; however, devotees also perform it in their homes.

Kolam


Kolam

Hi Every Body ,

Today the Topic is about Kolam . Our mother used to put Kolam outside the house early morning .
Most of us dont know why do we do it .So here is some thing to know about Kolam .



Meaning:
Kolam (Tamil: கோலம் kõlaṁ) is a form of sandpainting that is drawn using rice powder
by female members of the family in front of their home. It is widely practised by Hindus
in South India. A Kolam is a sort of painted prayer — a line drawing composed of curved
loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots.

Why and How?

Kolams are thought to bestow prosperity to homes. Every morning in southern India,
 millions of women draw kolams on the ground with white rice powder. Through the day,
 the drawings get walked on, rained out, or blown around in the wind; new ones are made
 the next day. Every morning before sunrise, the floor is cleaned with water,
the universal purifier, and the muddy floor is swept well for an even surface.
The kolams are generally drawn while the surface is still damp so that it is held better.
Occasionally, cow-dung is also used to wax the floors. Cow dung has antiseptic properties
 and hence provides a literal threshold of protection for the home. It also provides
contrast with the white powder.The ritual kolam patterns created for occasions such as
 weddings can stretch all the way down streets. Patterns are often passed on generation
 to generation, from mother to daughter.