Recorded at Neem Karoli Baba’s Temple in Kainchi with Sri Mata-ji’s blessings in October, 2004. Prema, Nina Rao, John, Lila and Ambika Cooper, Sydney and Kevin, Revati Pelan, Kate, Ramananda, Shyama Chapin and Jon Seskevich with Dassima recording. At the beginning is a glimpse of KK.

How We Do Aarti - Vrindavan - 5 Videos

Aarti is practiced every day, morning and evening, at all the temples in Maharajji’s ashrams.

This is the Aarti practice done at the Mahasamdhi Temple of India’s great saint Neeb Karoli Baba / Neem Karoli Baba Maharajji in Vrindavan, India on the morning of Hanuman Jayanti in 1999.

Aarti is said to have descended from the Vedic concept of fire rituals, or homa. In the traditional aarti ceremony, the flower represents the earth (solidity), the water and accompanying handkerchief correspond with the water element (liquidity), the lamp or candle represents the fire component (heat), the peacock fan conveys the precious quality of air (movement), and the yak-tail fan represents the subtle form of ether (space). The incense represents a purified state of mind, and one’s “intelligence” is offered through the adherence to rules of timing and order of offerings. Thus, one’s entire existence and all facets of material creation are symbolically offered to the Lord via the aarti ceremony. (Wikipedia)

Aarti is offered to Maharajji with the Utmost Love and Gratitude.

Agni and consort Svaha

The Birth of Devi

AMAZING photos of recent Hindu festivals!

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/09/hindu-festivals/100154/#

I had a dream last night where I was able to meet with Srila Prabhupada. He told me to get his book on the U.S.S.R. (I still have no idea what this is about), and to learn how to “throw rice at the deities”. I found this information about Goddess Kaveri:

The Kaveri Sankramana festival normally takes place in mid-October. It is associated with the river Kaveri, which flows through the district from its source at Talakaveri.

At a predetermined time, when the sun enters Tula Rasi (Tula sankramana), a fountain from a small tank fills the larger holy tank at Talakaveri. Thousands of people gather to dip in this holy water. The water, called tirtha, is collected in bottles and distributed to every home throughout Kodagu to be preserved. A spoonful of this water is fed to the dying, in the belief that they will attain moksha (spiritual emancipation) and gain entry to heaven.

On this day, married women wearing new silk saris perform puja to a vegetable, symbolizing the goddess Kaveri. The vegetable is usually a cucumber or a coconut, wrapped in a piece of red silk cloth and decorated with flowers and jewels (mainly ‘Pathak’ (Kodava Mangalasuthra)). This is called the Kanni Puje. Kanni refers to the goddess Parvati, who incarnated as Kaveri. Three sets of betel leaves and areca nut are kept in front of the goddess with bunches of glass bangles. All the members of the family pray to the goddess by throwing rice and prostrating themselves before the image. The elder members of the family ceremonially bless the younger. Then an older married woman draws water from the well and starts cooking. The menu of the day is dosa and vegetable curry (usually pumpkin curry (kumbala kari)) and payasa (sweet dish). Nothing but vegetarian food is cooked on this day, and this is the only festival among the Kodavas where only vegetarian food is had and served.

lazyyogi:

beinghindu:

This is an article by Hinduism Today describing what to expect.

Check this article out. It has awesome cartoon pictures and great info on typical temple interaction between the people and the divine. I learned an abundance of new ways to interact with my altar :)

beinghindu:

There is three progressions that one goes through when God’s name is chanted. These steps are important to do in order because it allows the chant to take root in the heart of the devotee and grow into a life affecting experience.

The progressions are:

1. Hearing the chant.
One must hear the…

indiaphile:

Krishna temple in Lahore (now Pakistan) 1914

via dalbera

deepwoodsteaparty:

(via KALI MA)