Dhanteras is a Hindu festival celebrated in India and Nepal. It is observed on the thirteenth day of the festival of Diwali, which falls on the Hindu lunar month of Kartik. Dhanteras is also known as Dhanvantari Trayodashi or Dhan Trayodashi.
Dhanteras is a Hindu festival celebrated in India and Nepal. It is observed on the thirteenth day of the festival of Diwali, which falls on the Hindu lunar month of Kartik. Dhanteras is also known as Dhanvantari Trayodashi or Dhan Trayodashi.
Dhanteras is a festival of wealth and prosperity and is celebrated to honor the god Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods and the patron of health and healing. Lord Dhanvantari is believed to have emerged during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan) with a pot of amrita (the elixir of immortality). People pray to Lord Dhanvantari for good health and well-being.
There is a popular legend associated with Dhanteras about a king named Hima’s son. It is said that on his fourth day of marriage, his wife, aware of his impending death due to a snake bite, placed gold ornaments and silver coins in a heap and lit lamps all around the room. She told stories and sang songs to keep her husband awake throughout the night. When Yama, the god of death, arrived in the form of a serpent to take the king’s life, he was dazzled by the lights and the stories and songs, and he couldn’t approach the king. In the morning, Yama left, and the king’s life was spared. This legend is often cited as a reason for the tradition of lighting lamps on Dhanteras to ward off evil and bring prosperity.
On this day, Hindus perform puja rituals and offer prayers to Dhanvantari, seeking his blessings for good health and prosperity. Dhanteras is also a time for buying new household items, particularly gold and silver, as these are considered auspicious and bring prosperity to the household. Many people also buy new clothes, utensils, and other household items on this day.
In addition to the religious and cultural significance of Dhanteras, the festival is also an important social event, and many people visit temples, friends, and family on this day. It is a time of joy and celebration and is an important festival in the Hindu calendar.
Dhanvantari
Dhanvantari is a Hindu god, revered as the physician of the gods and the patron of health and healing. He is mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, and is considered to be an avatar of the god Vishnu.
According to Hindu mythology, Dhanvantari appeared during the churning of the ocean by the gods and demons, holding a pot of the elixir of life. He is depicted as a four-armed god, holding a conch shell, a discus, a leech, and a medicinal herb.
Dhanvantari is considered to be a deity of great importance in the Hindu tradition, and is worshipped for his knowledge of Ayurveda, the traditional Hindu system of medicine. Many Hindus pray to Dhanvantari for good health and seek his blessings for the same.
Dhanteras, a Hindu festival observed on the thirteenth day of the festival of Diwali, is dedicated to Dhanvantari and is a time for Hindus to offer prayers and seek his blessings for good health and prosperity. Dhanvantari is also worshipped during the festival of Ayurveda Jayanti, which falls on the fifth day of the bright half of the Hindu lunar month of Vaisakha.
