Dhanteras is the first day that marks the festival of Diwali in India. This day is to worship Lord Dhanvantari, the Vaidya of Gods. Lord Dhanvantari is considered the God of Ayurveda who imparted the wisdom of Ayurveda for the betterment of mankind and to help rid it of the suffering of disease. On the 28th of October, 2016, The Indian ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, announced its decision to observe Dhanteras, as the “National Ayurveda Day”.
The puja for this occasion happens in the evening. The puja is also for Goddess Laxmi. Many people do decorations in their homes with colorful lanterns, holiday lights, and traditional motifs of Rangoli designs that are made to welcome Goddess Laxmi. The special thing about this festival is that on the night of Dhanteras, diyas (lamps) are ritually kept burning all through the night in honor of Lakshmi and Dhanvantari. [In case you need earthen lamps and puja essentials for this puja – ensure to check out our website!]
In the Indian culture, it is considered an extremely auspicious day for making new purchases, especially of gold or silver articles and new utensils. It is believed that the new “Dhan” (wealth) or some item made of precious metal is a sign of good luck. The purchase could be anything! Literally anything, like gold, silver, and other metals, especially kitchenware. Some people even buy appliances and automobiles.
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