How to Prepare Guruji Sahib’s Aarti Thali || Guru Ji Thali at Home ||
(A simple, heartfelt way, from what I have seen and felt)
“Before learning how to prepare Guruji Sahib’s Aarti thali, it helps to first set up the Darbar correctly. You can follow our step-by-step guide on setting up Guruji’s Darbar at home.”
There are many ways to prepare an Aarti thali. And honestly… none of them are “right” or “wrong.” Because just like the Darbar, this is not about perfection.
It is about bhav.
What I Have Seen… and What I Follow.
From the very beginning, whatever I have seen in old Sangat videos… stayed with me.
The Aarti thali was always simple. Not heavy. Not overdone. Just a jyot and some flowers. And that simplicity carried something very real.
That is what I follow even today.
1. The Jyot - The Heart of the Thali
At the center of the thali, I place a ghee diya. That small flame… changes the entire energy of the space.
It’s not just a ritual. "It’s like a quiet presence."
Before starting Aarti, just lighting that diya itself feels like a beginning.
2. Flowers - Whatever You Have
Around the diya, I decorate the thali with flowers.
Sometimes from home, sometimes from the market. It doesn’t matter where they come from. Fresh flowers just bring a softness… a certain beauty… without trying too hard.
3. A Small Addition I Learned
This is something I learned later.
The first time I was hosting a satsang at home, Someone from the older Sangat told me something very simple. They said:
“Thali mein prasad bhi hona chahiye.”
I was told that Guruji used to distribute toffees (candies) to the Sangat. And since then, I always try to include that.
So now, in my thali:
4. Keep It Simple
Over time, I’ve realized… We don’t need to make the thali heavy. We don’t need to add too many things.A simple thali with a diya, flowers, and maybe prasad is more than enough.
5. What Actually Matters
Whether you include everything… or keep it very minimal… one thing remains the same.
The bhav.
The feeling of:
Surrender Shukrana Presence
That is what completes the Aarti. Not the number of elements in the thali.
A Small Note from Me
Even today, every time I prepare the Aarti thali. I don’t see it as something I am doing.
I feel honored. I feel blessed that Guruji has chosen me for it.
Every small thing, whether it is preparing the thali, lighting the jyot, or simply being present- feels like something He has allowed me to do in His honor.
And that in itself… feels like enough.
In the next part, I will share how Bhog is offered in Guruji’s Darbar…
because that too is something to be felt, not just done.
