Why do we ring bells in temples?
Every visit to a temple begins with a bell. Is it to wake the god? To drive away negativity? To wake us? The traditional verse spoken while ringing the puja bell gives the answer.
The verse
Announcing and awakening
Devotees ring the bell at the temple entrance and the priest rings a small handbell (ghanṭā) throughout the puja and aarti. Its sound marks the beginning of worship and gathers the mind. Traditional teachers say the bell's resonance is meant to echo Om, the primordial sound.
The verse of the bell
There is a short verse priests recite when ringing the bell, and it explains exactly why it is rung — to invite one kind of presence and send away another…
The journey continues for members
- The ghanta verse
- Belief and claims
- Practice
Sources
- Agamic puja manuals — ghanta puja