Why incense sticks are brunt while praying?

Incense stick, also known as agarbatti in India, in which a paste is rolled around a bamboo stick which releases fragrant smoke when burned,Incense sticks are used by many cultures across Asia. They are not only a part of Hindu rituals or customs, they have been used since centuries in Japanese, Tibetan, Egyptian and Chinese cultures. They not only use it as a part of their religious ceremonies but also for personal things like aromatherapy. It is used during prayers, funerals or just burnt around the house on normal days.

In India it is one of the main forms of incense, and it is a traditional practice in almost all the Indian religious ceremony. This is one of the Hindu traditions that has been carried forward through ages. There are some clear and logical explanations for the greater part of religious customs.

So let’s discover the explanations for why we burn incense sticks while praying.

Incense sticks are burnt in front of deities as per the Hindu rituals. When burnt, it spreads fragrance creating holy atmosphere, it purifies the ambiance for the deities. This ritual is included in the sixteen steps of worship which is known as (Shodasha Upacharas) and one among the five Upacharas(Pancha Upacharas) which are Gandham (sandal), Pushpam(flowers), Dhupam(incense), Deepam(lighted lamps), and Naivedyam(food offerings).Each of these five upacharas are believed tosatisfyone of the five tatvas of God which are Prithvi, Agni, Jal, Aakash and Vaayu.

Burning incense sticks is included in the regular as well as occasional worship of deities and it inspires your thoughts to be pure and beautiful. As a part of traditional Hindu ritual when you light an incense it removes all foul smells from the air around as well as all the negative energies in the surroundings. It creates the perfect ambiance for the performance of a prayer.

A philosophical moral of burning incense stick is that, as it burns away to ashes while simultaneously pervading the air with fragrance, an aspirant should sacrifice his life to serve others and mould it such a way that its fragrance inspires.

The pleasant smell that spreads to the air creates a soothing and calm atmosphere, helping us to focus on our prayers. This works as a meditation exercise that reduces stress and depression.This perfect condition will enable the enthusiasts to concentrate on God and the prayer conducted. The burning of the incense sticks additionally signifies that people ought to relinquish ourselves to serve everyone around us, in the process spreading the fragrance of affection and peace to all.

Incense sticks are furthermore used to cure a couple medical problems, for example, mellow headache, depression, agony, and so forth. The aroma spreads all around after you light an incense stick and it leaves a huge healing and calming effect on your mind. This likewise offers you some help concentration. When you offer a prayer to God with unprecedented commitment it acts like an intelligent system that reduces uneasiness and misery.