Arthi (
Panjabi: ਆਰਥੀ ) is a
Balmiki
Chuhra is a Dalit caste in India and Pakistan. Populated regions include the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, as well as Uttar Pradesh in India, among other parts of the Indian subcontinent such as southern India. Their traditional occupatio ...
ritual, similar in form to the
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
practice of
Aarti in which light from wicks soaked in
ghee or
camphor is offered to
Bhagawan Valmiki. Arthi is a form of
bhakti devotion.
Etymology
The word also refers to the traditional devotional song that is sung during the ritual. Arthi is performed and sung to develop the highest love for God as incarnated in the person of
Valmiki
Valmiki (; Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि, ) is celebrated as the harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature. The epic ''Ramayana'', dated variously from the 5th century BCE to first century BCE, is attributed to him, based on the attributio ...
.
Tradition
Arthi is generally performed daily, and usually at the end of a
pooja,
bhajan session, or after reading the
Ramayana
The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...
in the Ashram.
It is performed during almost all Balmiki ceremonies and occasions. It involves the circulating of an Arthi plate in front of the
moorti of Valmiki and is accompanied by the Balmiki Arthi song. The
poojari
''Poojari'' () is a 2007 Indian Kannada-language action drama film directed by Sharan and starring Adi Lokesh (in his lead debut) and Neethashree.
The film was released alongside '' Arasu'' (2007) on Republic Day and was a box office failure de ...
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 Valmiki's image to the flame, has now been passed to the devotee.
The arthi plate is generally made of metal, usually silver, bronze or copper. On it must repose a lamp made of kneaded flour, mud or metal, filled with oil or
ghee. A cotton wick is put into the oil and then lighted, or
camphor is burnt instead. The plate also contains flowers, incense and akshata.
Translation
Translation of the Arthi song as follows:
Praise Valmiki, praise Lord Valmiki, praise Valmiki Lord of truth, Creator and Provider of the universe (Chorus) Praise Valmiki------- (Chorus) Lord of infinite wisdom, Creator of all worlds, architect of all things. Praise Valmiki------- (Chorus) Lord Valmiki, you are the beginning, you are eternity, Oh Lord my provider you are perfection. Praise Valmiki------- (Chorus) Oh merciful Lord, you are the lealer of all ills. Rama preys to you always. Praise Valmiki------- (Chorus) Oh Lord you wrote yoga Vasistha and the Ram Charitar (Ramayana) by your holy hands for the world to listen and rid of all its troubles. Praise Valmiki------- (Chorus) Lord those who sings your praise and hymns daily, you will give them all their hearts desire. Praise Valmiki------- (Chorus)
References
{{reflist
Balmiki
Hindu music