Sharing of an important ritual - the Aarti
This month, I'd simply like to share a video of an important Indian ritual, the Aarti, which is a fire ritual done in devotion to God, and shared by whomsoever is present. Whether readers are religious or not, my view is that seeing and feeling the expression of faith enables us to understand people better. Faith can be a vessel for holding belief in what is possible for us, and by us, and can also provide strength to withstand the pain and hardships in life when things seem like they are going against us. Faith can provide hope that those who need to be touched do indeed get that experience. This may be sufferers or perpetrators. Faith can provoke change that other routes may not manage. The aarti in Varanasi has drawn many visitors and is a spectacle worth making a detour for if you are in India. It used to get done with large 108 flame diyas and I understand of late it is done with incense/dhup instead, perhaps due to health and safety. I hope you enjoy watching it. It is the easiest thing in the world to criticise, and the hardest to look for the insight instead.
