Why Does Puja Aarati Involve Married Couples And Not Single Women?

Posted: September 18, 2018

God is to all and not just for married couples. Author Anindita Nag shares her personal experience during the recent Ganesha Chaturthi festival.

A few days ago, we celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi in our building. The Ganapati idol was placed and then married couples were asked to decorate the God one by one. One couple placed garlands, one lighted the diya etc. Then came the time for the aarati. Again the married couple came forward.

My husband is an atheist. I also did not like that the woman who were single or married (husbands had not come) and were standing looking sad. I went forward and held the aarati plate (which had the lighted diya, flowers, etc) and did the aarati myself. I did not care what other people said or felt. After me, other women also came forward and did the aarati alone. There is no harm in doing a puja alone. Why should a woman be bound to her husband to do even an aarati. Doesn’t she have any value of her own? Is she not capable of praying to god alone? Do god only respects or listens to those who are married?

It is not a simple action. We should always appreciate everyone’s relationship status irrespective of what it is.

Image source – Pexels

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