Dhanteras is a promising Hindu festival that is celebrated on the 1st day of the Diwali celebrations. It is celebrated on the trayodashi tithi of the Krishna Paksha during the hopeful month of Kartik as per the Hindu calendar, whereas in the Gregorian calendar it comes during the time of mid-October to November.
Dhanteras will start on 22 October 2022 at 6.03 pm and the date will end on 23 October, Sunday at 06:02 pm.
The word Dhanteras is formed by joining 2 words, ‘Dhan’ means ‘money’ and ‘Teras’ indicates 13th. Hence on the thirteenth day of Kartik month, Hindus pray to Goddess Lakshmi and God Kuber with full devotion. In some regions of India, Dhanteras is also admired and celebrated as ‘Dhanwantari Jayanti’ that is the birth anniversary of ‘Dhanwantari’ the God of Ayurveda.
Dhanteras is observed 2 days before the festivals of Diwali, the great Hindu celebration of lights. On this day people pray to Goddess Lakshmi to present prosperity. On this day the Goddess Lakshmi puja must be conducted during the Pradosh Kaal which lasts for approximately two hours after sunset. This festival beholds enormous value for the business community and is celebrated not only in India but all over the world with great happiness.
Rituals during Dhanteras:
The preparations of Dhanteras begin in advance of the actual day. People start decorating and cleaning their homes and workplace with rangoli, flowers, diyas, and lights. The entrance is decorated with colorful and traditional patterns of rangoli. The footsteps of Goddess Lakshmi are also imprinted at the entrance of the house. On the auspicious day of Dhanteras, people get up early and take bath, right after sunrise. After completing the morning rituals they make arrangements for the puja of goddess Lakshmi in the evening. The whole family comes collectively in the evening to celebrate the festival by worshiping Goddess Lakshmi with flowers, ghee diyas, chawal, and kumkum. On this day People also worship Lord Kuber to get blessings. On this special day, delicious sweets and savories are made for offer to Goddess Lakshmi. In Maharashtra, there is a unique custom of making ‘Naivedyam’ with jaggery and powdered dry coriander seeds.
Significance of Dhanteras:
‘Dhantrayodashi’ is considered to be promising in Hindu mythology as it is assumed that on this day God Kuber along with Goddess Lakshmi, the God of wealth, appeared out of the ocean while churning the milky sea. From then onwards, people started offering prayers to God Kuber and Goddess Lakshmi to seek divine blessings for leading a happy and prosperous life. On the day of Dhanteras, purchasing valuable and precious metals like silver or gold is also considered favorable as a sign of welcoming the God Kuber and Goddess Lakshmi to their home. The day of Dhanteras is also beneficial for beginning a new business venture or even buying property, jewelry, and vehicles.
