Dhanteras

Day 298 / 365

Diwali, the festival of lights (or the Hindu Christmas, as I sometimes explain to my non-Indian friends), is almost here. But two days before it, celebrations and religious ceremonies have already begun, with today being Dhanteras.

Why we celebrate Dhanteras

According to legend, Devs and Asuras performed Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean) to obtain Amrit — the nectar of immortality. On the day of Trayodashi, Lord Lakshmi came out of the ocean with the Amrit. This is why we worship Lakshmi on Dhanteras.

We also worship Dhanvantri, the god of health. It is also believed that Dhanvantri imparted the knowledge of Ayurveda to mankind. This is why Dhanteras is also celebrated as National Ayurveda Day in India.

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and on this day people clean there homes and light Diyas in order to welcome her into their homes. Small footprints are also drawn near the doors.

Dhanteras is also the goto occasion for making any big purchases. Whether it is gold, silver or a new car, people believe that this day is an auspicious occasion to buy this.

This post is part of my 365 Day Project for 2019. Read about it here

Yesterday’s blog — Mass Hysteria