Dhanteras
Also known as: Dhantrayodashi
Diwali’s opening bell — a new metal in the house, a lamp for Yama at the door.
Why is Dhanteras celebrated?
Dhanteras opens the Diwali festival: dhan (wealth) + trayodashi (13th day). Households buy a new metal item — gold, silver, or simply a steel utensil — as a token of Lakshmi entering, and worship Dhanvantari, the gods’ physician who rose from the churning ocean bearing the pot of amrita. Wealth and health enter together.
The story behind Dhanteras
The ocean churning yielded Dhanvantari with the amrita-kalash on this day — hence its status as Ayurveda day. And a famous tale: a prince fated to die of snakebite on his wedding’s fourth night was saved when his bride heaped gold and lamps at the door and sang all night — Yama, arriving as a serpent, sat dazzled on the treasure listening until the fatal hour passed. So a lamp for Yama burns at the threshold tonight.
How Dhanteras is celebrated
Homes are cleaned and rangoli begun; the new purchase is made by evening; Lakshmi-Dhanvantari puja is performed; thirteen lamps are lit, with one deepam facing south for Yama at the door — the only night a lamp faces the god of death.
Dhanteras across India
Jewellery markets run midnight hours nationwide; Maharashtra performs Dhanteras Lakshmi puja with dry coriander-jaggery naivedya; the government marks it as National Ayurveda Day for Dhanvantari.
Dhanteras in housing societies
Societies begin their Diwali lighting on Dhanteras — compound string lights switched on, the rangoli competition opened, and the utility reminder every committee loves: it is the traditional day to buy that new common-area utensil or equipment the society was postponing, entered cleanly in the ledger.
Frequently asked questions
Why buy metal on Dhanteras?
A new metal purchase — gold to a humble steel spoon — symbolises Lakshmi’s entry and fresh fortune; the tradition anchors Diwali’s biggest shopping day.
Who is Dhanvantari?
The divine physician who emerged from the ocean churning holding the nectar pot — father of Ayurveda; Dhanteras doubles as National Ayurveda Day.
Why does one lamp face south tonight?
The Yama-deepam honours the god of death, recalling the bride whose lamps and gold delayed Yama past the fatal hour — a prayer against untimely death in the family.