Dhanteras (9 November 2015)
Dhanteras is marked with the performance of 'Lakshmi Puja' in the evenings. People sing devotional songs in praise of goddess Lakshmi. They light up tiny diyas to drive all evil spirits away. On the night of Dhanteras, people light the lamps for entire length of the night. Traditional sweets are cooked and offered to the goddess.
Dhanteras is celebrated differently, in different parts of India. This is a very important festival for the mercantile community of western India. In the state of Maharashtra, people follow the custom of lightly pounding dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offering it as 'Naivedya'. In rural areas, farmers adorn and worship their cattle, as they act as their main source of income. In south India, people consider cows as incarnations of goddess Lakshmi, and hence treat them with them particular reverence.
Following is a calendar, showing the dates Dhanteras will fall upon in the next 10 years:
Meaning and Significance
The festival of Dhanteras marks the beginning of the five-day long Diwali celebrations all over India. The word Dhanteras is constituent of the terms 'dhan' which means wealth and 'teras' which means thirteenth, hence it is a festival observed on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha, of the Hindu month of Kartik , which falls just two days before Diwali, wherein people oblate to be blessed with prosperity and good health. Dhanteras is also known as 'Dhantrayodashi' and 'Dhanvantari Trayodashi'.
The festival of Dhanteras is also known by the names of Dhantrayodashi and Dhanvantari Trayodashi. Dhan Teras falls on the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Kartik (October-November), i.e. two days before Diwali.
It is the festival that marks the beginning of the diwali celebrations and therefore it is considered the first day of five days long festivities of diwali. Dhanteras is celebrated to seek blessings of Goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. In the amalgamation of Dhan teras 'Dhan' means wealth.
The legend behind Dhanteras is centred on the sixteen-year-old son of King Hima. As per his horoscope he was fated to breathe his last on the fourth day of his marriage owing to snakebite. On the appointed day his wife illuminated the house with numerous lamps and placed a heap of gold and silver coins and ornaments in front of their bedroom. All through the night she sang songs and told stories.
The lights of the lamps, and the dazzle of the coins and ornaments blinded the god of death, Yam devta, who had come as a serpent. He spent the entire night in the heap listening to the sweet sounding songs before leaving peacefully the next morning. Thus, the wife succeeded in saving the life of her husband. This explains, why the Dhan teras festival is also referred to as "Yamadeepdaan".
On this day, houses and business centers are renovated and rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the nights.
Being a day dedicated to the festival of wealth, on this people purchase a new utensil, silver or gold coin or some other precious metal as a sign of good luck on the day of dhanteras. This is also a tradition related with celebrations of the festival of Dhanvantari Trayodashi.
Dhanteras festival is ideal time for setting up businesses, commencing new projects, housewarming, deciding wedding dates, buying cars and jewellery.
"Lakshmi-Puja" is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits.
The legend behind Dhanteras is centred on the sixteen-year-old son of King Hima. As per his horoscope he was fated to breathe his last on the fourth day of his marriage owing to snakebite. On the appointed day his wife illuminated the house with numerous lamps and placed a heap of gold and silver coins and ornaments in front of their bedroom. All through the night she sang songs and told stories.
The lights of the lamps, and the dazzle of the coins and ornaments blinded the god of death, Yam devta, who had come as a serpent. He spent the entire night in the heap listening to the sweet sounding songs before leaving peacefully the next morning. Thus, the wife succeeded in saving the life of her husband. This explains, why the Dhan teras festival is also referred to as "Yamadeepdaan".
On this day, houses and business centers are renovated and rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the nights.
Being a day dedicated to the festival of wealth, on this people purchase a new utensil, silver or gold coin or some other precious metal as a sign of good luck on the day of dhanteras. This is also a tradition related with celebrations of the festival of Dhanvantari Trayodashi.
Dhanteras festival is ideal time for setting up businesses, commencing new projects, housewarming, deciding wedding dates, buying cars and jewellery.
"Lakshmi-Puja" is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits.
Dhanteras 2015 Date
Dhanteras is on Monday, November 9.
Story of Dhanteras
According to ancient legends, the celebration of Dhanteras is attributed to the story of the sixteen year old son of king Hima. Predictions were made that he would die of a snake bite on the fourth day of his marriage.
Four days hence his marriage, his newly wedded wife, being aware of this prediction laid out all her ornaments along with coins made of precious metals of gold and silver in a heap at the entrance of her husband's sleeping chamber and furbished the whole place with lamps.
Then, all night long she narrated stories and sang songs to keep her husband from falling asleep. It is believed, that when Yama, the God of death, arrived under the guise of a snake, he found himself unable to enter the prince's chamber as he was dazzled and blinded by the light of the lamps and jewellery, and so he climbed the heap of ornaments and coins and listened to the melodious songs of the wife.
In the morning, he quietly went away sparing the life of the prince. In this manner, the young wife saved her husband from the clasp of death itself. Hence, this day also came to be known as 'Yamadeepdaan'.
Another popular legend also associates itself with this festival. It believes in the appearance of Dhanvantari (physician of the Gods and an incarnation of Vishnu), with a jar of elixir on the day of Dhanteras during the cosmic battle fought between the gods and demons, who had churned the ocean for Amrita or nectar.
Four days hence his marriage, his newly wedded wife, being aware of this prediction laid out all her ornaments along with coins made of precious metals of gold and silver in a heap at the entrance of her husband's sleeping chamber and furbished the whole place with lamps.
Then, all night long she narrated stories and sang songs to keep her husband from falling asleep. It is believed, that when Yama, the God of death, arrived under the guise of a snake, he found himself unable to enter the prince's chamber as he was dazzled and blinded by the light of the lamps and jewellery, and so he climbed the heap of ornaments and coins and listened to the melodious songs of the wife.
In the morning, he quietly went away sparing the life of the prince. In this manner, the young wife saved her husband from the clasp of death itself. Hence, this day also came to be known as 'Yamadeepdaan'.
Another popular legend also associates itself with this festival. It believes in the appearance of Dhanvantari (physician of the Gods and an incarnation of Vishnu), with a jar of elixir on the day of Dhanteras during the cosmic battle fought between the gods and demons, who had churned the ocean for Amrita or nectar.
Dhanteras Celebration
The festival of Dhanteras is celebrated with great zeal and joy. On this festival, people worship the Goddess of wealth and God of death, Lord Yama for receiving blessings in the form of good health and prosperity. People decorate their houses and offices.
Colorful, traditional rangolis adorn the entrance of all such premises; this is done to welcome the goddess of wealth and prosperity into our homes and work places. Small footprints are drawn out with rice flour and vermilion powder to indicate the long-awaited arrival of Goddess Lakshmi.
Buying new utensils or coins made of precious metals such as gold or silver on Dhanteras has become very popular as it is considered auspicious and considered to bring good luck.
Colorful, traditional rangolis adorn the entrance of all such premises; this is done to welcome the goddess of wealth and prosperity into our homes and work places. Small footprints are drawn out with rice flour and vermilion powder to indicate the long-awaited arrival of Goddess Lakshmi.
Buying new utensils or coins made of precious metals such as gold or silver on Dhanteras has become very popular as it is considered auspicious and considered to bring good luck.
Dhanteras Puja
Dhanteras is marked with the performance of 'Lakshmi Puja' in the evenings. People sing devotional songs in praise of goddess Lakshmi. They light up tiny diyas to drive all evil spirits away. On the night of Dhanteras, people light the lamps for entire length of the night. Traditional sweets are cooked and offered to the goddess.
Dhanteras is celebrated differently, in different parts of India. This is a very important festival for the mercantile community of western India. In the state of Maharashtra, people follow the custom of lightly pounding dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offering it as 'Naivedya'. In rural areas, farmers adorn and worship their cattle, as they act as their main source of income. In south India, people consider cows as incarnations of goddess Lakshmi, and hence treat them with them particular reverence.
When is Dhanteras?
Following is a calendar, showing the dates Dhanteras will fall upon in the next 10 years:
| 2011 | 24 October |
| 2012 | 11 November |
| 2013 | 1 November |
| 2014 | 21 October |
| 2015 | 9 November |
| 2016 | 28 October |
| 2017 | 17 October |
| 2018 | 5 November |
| 2019 | 25 October |
| 2020 | 12 November |
source--http://www.mapsofindia.com/
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