Hindu Arti Ceremony

Curriculum Area: Religious Education (England)

Key Stage: KS1 (Year 1 & Year 2)
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 23 students

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:
✅ Understand that Hindus believe in one god who can be worshipped in different forms.
✅ Recognise that Hindu worship often takes place at home, typically at a shrine.
✅ Identify key items in a Hindu home shrine, including a puja tray.
✅ Understand that a murti is a sacred statue or image of Brahman or a deity.
✅ Know that Hindus express devotion through an Arti ceremony.

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Starter Activity – The Concept of Worship (10 mins)

Objective: Introduce the concept of worship in a way that young children can relate to.

• Begin with a class discussion:

  • Ask: "What do we do when we want to show someone that we love or respect them?"
  • Students may respond with ideas like giving gifts, saying nice things, or doing kind actions.
  • Explain that worship is how Hindus show love and respect to God.

• Show pictures of shrines in Hindu homes.

  • Ask: "What do you notice about these places?" (Encourage descriptions of candles, statues, flowers, and incense.)
  • Introduce the concept that many Hindus have a special area at home for prayer called a shrine.

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2. Video Learning – Experiencing Hindu Worship (10 mins)

Objective: Help students visually and audibly experience Hindu worship.

• Play the video "Charlie and Blue: Learning About Hindu Worship" on TrueTube.

  • Ask the students to pay attention to:
    • What is found in a Hindu home shrine?
    • Who do Hindus worship?
    • What happens in a Hindu Arti ceremony?

• After the video, ask simple recall questions:

  • "What did you see in the shrine?"
  • "Why do Hindus use a murti in worship?" (Introduce the idea of a murti – a sacred statue or image of a Hindu deity.)
  • "What do Hindus do with the lamp during the ceremony?"

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3. Learning Through Exploration – The Puja Tray (10 mins)

Objective: Allow students to engage with Hindu worship objects in a hands-on way.

• Show a real or printed image of a Puja tray. Explain the key objects found on it:

  • Diva lamp – A small lamp used in the arti ceremony.
  • Incense – To create a peaceful and holy space.
  • Waterpot & spoon – To offer water as a symbol of respect.
  • Bell – Used to awaken the spirit of the deity.
  • Red powder & rice – Used to make offerings.

• Invite students to describe what they think each item is used for.

• Relate this to the Arti ceremony, where Hindus wave the lamp in front of the murti as a sign of devotion.

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4. Active Learning – Ordering the Arti Ceremony (10 mins)

Objective: Help students understand and sequence the steps of an Arti ceremony.

• Provide cut-out images showing different steps of an Arti ceremony. Examples include:

  1. Lighting the diva lamp.
  2. Ringing the bell.
  3. Waving the lamp in front of the murti.
  4. Offering flowers and food.
  5. Saying prayers and clapping.

• In pairs, students order the images correctly.

• Discuss as a class: "What do you think these actions mean?" (Encourage responses about respect, love, and devotion.)

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5. Reflection & Plenary – Drawing and Sharing (5 mins)

Objective: Give students the opportunity to consolidate learning through creativity and discussion.

• Ask students to draw their own version of a Hindu shrine, including objects they have learned about.

• Invite a few students to share and explain their drawings. Encourage them to use key words:

  • Shrine
  • Puja tray
  • Murti
  • Arti ceremony

• Close by reinforcing the key idea:

  • "Hindus believe in one god, but worship in different ways. Many Hindus worship at home every day, using a shrine and puja tray, and show their devotion during an Arti ceremony."

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Assessment Opportunities

✅ Verbal participation – Are students able to explain why Hindus worship?
✅ Video recall questions – Have they retained key information?
✅ Ordering activity – Can students correctly sequence the steps of an Arti ceremony?
✅ Drawings and descriptions – Do students accurately represent a Hindu shrine?

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Resources Needed

📌 TrueTube video: Charlie and Blue – Learning About Hindu Worship
📌 Large print images of Hindu home shrines
📌 Cut-out pictures of Puja tray items
📌 Printable sequencing activity for the Arti ceremony
📌 Colouring materials and paper for the drawing activity

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Teacher’s Reflection

👩‍🏫 After the lesson, consider:

• Did students grasp that Hindus believe in one god but worship in different forms?
• Were they able to explain the significance of a murti?
• Did they effectively sequence the steps in an Arti ceremony?
• What worked well, and what could be improved next time?

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Why This Lesson Stands Out

🌟 Uses engaging, multi-sensory learning (video, images, hands-on exploration).
🌟 Encourages discussion and active participation.
🌟 Meets KS1 UK Religious Education curriculum requirements in an age-appropriate way.
🌟 Provides assessment opportunities through creative learning tasks.

This lesson not only teaches facts but allows young learners to experience Hindu worship in an interactive and memorable way! 🎉

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