The long-awaited festival of Hindus, Dhanteras is about to start all over India. Celebrated on the first day of a five-day-long Diwali festival, it holds a special place in the hearts of people across the country. Dhanteras or Dhanatrayodashi or Dhanvantari Trayodashi, is a celebration to welcome wealth and well-being. It’s believed that on this day, we should bring utensils, jewellery, brooms, gold or silver coins, gomti chakra, or electronic items home. In this article, we will read about the history, significance, and understanding what is Dhanteras festival and the traditions behind the Dhanteras celebration.
What is Dhanteras?
Dhanteras is derived from two words: Dhan, which means wealth, and Teras, which means the thirteenth day. Therefore, Dhanteras falls on the thirteenth day of the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of the moon) in the Hindu month of Ashwin. As per the Gregorian calendar, the time of Dhanteras usually falls in October or November. Many households all over India worship Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth, on this day to seek her blessings for financial prosperity.
History of Dhanteras
Several stories revolve around the history of Dhanteras. To understand the significance of Dhanteras, we must dig deep into Hindu mythology.
So the story goes, during Samudra Manthan, Dhanvantri, the lord of Ayurveda emerged with the holy book of Ayurveda to bless people on Earth. On this day, he brought along the elixir of immortality known as “Amrita.”
According to Skanda Purana, the churning of the sea was the source of the birth of Lord Dhanvantri.
Another story goes by the emergence of Goddess Laxmi from Samudra Manthan. She emerged from the sea with a vessel filled with gold. Gold symbolizes wealth, happiness, prosperity, and happiness. To welcome Goddess Laxmi, many households in India decorate the entrance of their homes with diya and rangoli on Dhanteras.
Another popular story associated with Goddess Laxmi goes as follows: Lord Vishnu went to visit the earth with Goddess Laxmi, but on one condition, Goddess Laxmi can only look in the southern direction. Even after promising to stick to her pledge, she failed to stick to it and craved sugarcane juice. Annoyed by her actions, Lord Vishnu commanded her to serve a poor farmer for 12 years. With Goddess Laxmi’s arrival into his family, the farmer prospered in farming and welcomed wealth. As 12 years were over and her time to leave the Earth arrived, the farmer refused to let her go. Goddess Laxmi finally revealed her true identity to him and promised to visit him on every Dhanteras. To welcome Maa Laxmi, the farmer started to keep his home clean and lit diya on Dhanteras.
