Aarti

When people pray to their gods or goddesses in India, they sometimes do something called "aarti." Think of aarti like a special song and dance that shows how much people love and respect their gods or goddesses.

For aarti, people usually gather in a temple or outside near a holy place. They light special candles or lamps, called "diyas," that symbolize the inner light of their gods or goddesses. Then they start singing and clapping while moving the diya in a circular motion in front of the deity.

This special singing and moving of the diya is supposed to make the deity feel happy and loved. The person doing aarti also feels connected to the deity and feels thankful for all the good things in their life.

After the aarti is done, people often take a little bit of the "prasad," which is a special food or sweet that they believe has been blessed by the deity. They feel that by eating the prasad, they will get good luck and blessings for themselves and their families.

So that's what aarti is all about - it's a way for people to show their love and respect for their gods or goddesses and ask for blessings and good luck in return.