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Dhanteras
- First day of Diwali |
(Dhanteras on October
15, 2009 )
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When is Diwali in
2009|
Diwali Legend |Diwali - Five days Celebration |
Diwali Significance
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Dhanteras
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Chhoti
Diwali |
Diwali Pooja |
Govardhan Pooja |
Bhaiduj |
Laxmi Pooja |
Ganesh Pooja |
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Diwali in
Sikhism |
Diwali in Jainism |
Special Significance of Diwali |Diwali Pooja
Process |
 Dhanteras is the first
day of the five-day Diwali celebrations. This festival is also known as
"Dhan-trayodashi" or "Dhanwantari Trayodashi". It falls on the auspicious
thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the month of Ashwin (October/November)."Dhan"
stands for wealth. On Dhanteras, the "Owl" form of the Goddess
Laxmi is worshiped to provide prosperity and happiness. This day has
special significance for the business community due to customary
purchases of precious metals on this day. Since Dhanteras is associated
with the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, it is a very important celebration
in the homes of the mercantile community. In India, houses and market
places wear a festive look on the day of Dhanteras and market places are
abuzz with people all around.
Legends of Dhanteras
Legend of Dhanwantari
Dhanvantari was an early Indian medical practitioner and one of the
world’s first surgeons. Based on Hindu traditions, he is regarded as the
source of Ayurveda. He perfected many herbal based cures and natural
remedies and was credited with the discovery of the antiseptic
properties of turmeric and the preservative properties of salt which he
incorporated in his cures.
Being a very skilled surgeon according to the standards of his time, he
is widely believed to be the pioneer of modern medical practices like
plastic surgery. All his surgeries were performed without anesthetic,
however in spite of his crude methods he was reported to have had a very
high success rate. The worship of Lord Dhanvantari has become a part of
Dhanteras celebrations in most of the home.
Legend of Yamadeep Daan Ritual
According to a, the sixteen-year-old son of King Hima was doomed to die
of snakebite on the fourth day of his marriage. Aware of the forecast
about her husband, his devoted wife made a plan to save her husband. On
the predicted day, the wife made all arrangements so that her husband
did not fall asleep. Bedsides this, she also put all her silver and gold
ornaments at the entrance of the door and illuminated the whole place
with lamps and lights. To insure that the husband did not sleep, the
wife sang and narrated stories all through the night.
Lord Yama, the mythological God of Death, arrived in the guise of a
serpent to kill her husband. The illumination caused by lights dazzled
his eyes and he was not able to enter the room of the young prince. It
is further said that the serpent, mesmerized by the melodious songs of
the Princess's wife, sat on the heap of ornaments and spent the night
and went away in the morning. Thus, the Prince was saved by the
illumination of the lamps and devotion of his wife. This legend led to
the popularization of the tradition of 'Yamadeep Daan'. It is due to
this reason, lamps and diyas are kept burning all through the night on
Dhanteras.
Dhanteras - rituals and celebrations
Dhanteras is associated with the worship of Goddess Lakshmi. On this
day, people draw small footprints with rice flour and vermilion powder
throughout the house right from the entrance to indicate a passange for
the arrival of Goddess Lakshmi. As Dhantrayodashi or Dhanteras is
considered very auspicious, people shop for gold, silver and some
utensils. To celebrate the auspicious arrival of Goddess Lakshmi, the
homes of people are illuminated by oil lamps, which are lit throughout
the night. Lakshmi Puja is also an important part of the Dhanteras
celebrations. The Lakshmi-Puja is performed at midnight. Devotional
songs, in the praise of Goddess.
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