Quick Answer
Aarti is the waving of lamps before the deity with hymns — the devotional climax of the temple day. At Kedarnath, morning and evening aartis are held in season; the evening Shayan aarti, with the temple glowing against dark Himalayan peaks, is the most beloved.
What is aarti?
Aarti (from the Sanskrit aratrika) is the ritual of offering light — camphor or ghee lamps moved in circles before the deity — accompanied by bells, drums and hymns. It is both worship and thanksgiving: the devotee offers the element of fire, and receives back the light as blessing.
Aarti at Kedarnath
The temple day traditionally includes a morning aarti as the shrine opens and the Shayan (evening) aarti before the deity’s rest. The evening aarti at Kedarnath is an experience pilgrims describe for life: the ancient stones lit by lamp-flames, the mandapa full of voices, and the black wall of the Himalaya all around. Arrive early — space in the mandapa is limited.
Schedule
Aarti timings follow the temple’s daily schedule, which changes with season and ritual instructions — see current temple timings. During special occasions (Shravan, Shivratri-period observances at the winter seat, opening and closing days), additional ceremonies are held.
Traditional Shiva aarti
The widely sung traditional Shiva aarti begins "ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा" (Om Jai Shiv Omkara), a public-domain devotional hymn sung in Shiva temples across India. Many pilgrims sing along at Kedarnath; its verses praise Shiva as the source of the sacred syllable Om, the three-eyed lord who removes the sorrows of devotees.
Watching from afar
When broadcasts are available, recorded and live aarti videos are embedded on our Live Darshan page from publicly available YouTube sources.