The ‘Aarti’ or the prayer to the revered Vaishno Devi shrine is performed twice a day with the morning Aarti taking place just before the sunrise and evening ‘aarti’ taking place just after the sunset. This whole procedure of ‘Aarti’ takes nearly two hours during which time the darshans remain suspended. All the maintenance works required inside the cave are carried out during this time only.

Aarti Procedure in Vaishno Devi

The procedure of the auspicious Aarti is a sacred one. Before the commencement of the auspicious aarti, the priest performs Aatm Pujan (self-purification). Then they first perform the aarti inside the Holy Cave or Sanctum Sanctorum where the Holy Pindies of Mother goddess is present.

After performing worship of the holy deity inside the sanctum sanctorum, another aarti is offered from outside the Holy Cave.

The Goddess is bathed in the mélange of water, milk, ghee, honey and sugar and then dressed up in a saree, chola and chunni and then endowed with beautiful ornaments in the midst of various hymn chants.

Thereafter a tilak is placed on the forehead of the deity and prashadam is offered. The priests also perform worship of various Gods and Goddesses as it is believed that during the Aarti, all the deities are present inside the Sanctum Santorum. A lamp is lightened in a thaal and then the prayer is performed.

After the whole procedure, the thaal which contains the lamp and various other items used in the ‘Aarti’ is brought outside the mouth of the holy cave, where ‘Aarti’ of the goddess is performed in the presence of pilgrims. After the Aarti outside the holy cave is over, the priests distributes prashadam and the charanamrit (the holy water) to the devotees.

Timings of Aarti

The aarti at Vaishno Devi takes place twice a day. In the morning, it takes place just before the sunrise while in the evening the aarti takes place right after the sunset.