CAMBRIDGE, MA: A weekly Aarti is reportedly held at Harvard University (HU), one of the world’s top and United States’ oldest institution of higher education, established in 1636.
Organized by Harvard Dharma (Harvard’s Hindu Students Association), it is held in Dharma Prayer Space at Canaday Basement in Harvard Yard of HU in Cambridge (Massachusetts) on Fridays at five pm.
Aarti is a Hindu worship ceremony/offering performed in adoration/honor of deity/deities by circular movement of a lighted lamp accompanied by hymn singing and may include sounding of handbells and other instruments. Worshippers pass their hands over the flames of the lighted lamp and then touch their faces/heads with these hands, thus transferring the deity’s blessings.
Harvard Dharma, focusing on Hindu spiritual and cultural life at Harvard University, also celebrates various Hindu festivals like Deepavali, Holi, etc.; organizes discussions and speaker events about Hinduism and related issues on the campus; etc. Priyanka Kumar, Gunjari Raychaudhuri and Aniket Zinzuwadia are Co-Presidents.
HU, whose motto is Veritas (Latin for “truth”) and which has about 22,000 students, boasts of “48 Nobel Laureates, 32 heads of state, 48 Pulitzer Prize winners”. The Harvard Library-claimed to be the “largest academic library in the world”-includes about 20.4 million volumes. Drew Gilpin Faust is the HU President, while Kenji Yoshino is President of its Board of Overseers. It was named after John Harvard, a Christian minister.
Applauding Harvard, Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism and Sohan Joshi, former head of National Federation of Indian Associations, said that it is a step in the right direction as it involves an intersection of spirituality and education, which was important in Hinduism.
Neela Pandya
Thank You For Your Vote!
Sorry You have Already Voted!
