Dhanteras 2011

This year, Dhanteras 2011 it is on 24th October 2011, Monday

Dhanteras is celebrated on the thirteenth day of Kartik month?s Krishna Paksha. To celebrate this festive season, homes, shops and business places are being cleaned and then places are decorated with lights.Dhanteras is celebrated as the birthday of Goddess Maha Laxmi so it is also known as Dhanvantari Jayanti. On the day of Dhanteras Goddess Laxmi is also called upon. Ritual of buying metallic vassals is a custom. At the night of the Dhavantari Jayanti or Dhanteras Lord Dhanvantari should be worshipped. By taking a pinch of flour chauk (Rangoli) is prepared, keeping the kalash lord Dhanvantari is worshipped with flowers, sandal, incense sticks and deeps (lights). Panchamrit, Fruits and Sweets are also offered to the Lord Dhanvantari.

On this day Vaidya Dhanvantari (doctor of ayurveda) appeared with the kalasah (Pot) of nectar from ocean. In the memory of his appearance, this day is celebrated as Dhanvantari Jayanti or Dhanteras. Vaidyaraj Dhanvantari is the incarnation of lord Vishnu. He is the inventor of Ayurvedic medical science and adorable by the doctors of ayurveda (Vaidya). This is the prime festival of Vaidyas, ayurvedic production houses and ayurvedic medical institutions.

The Story of Dhanteras

One day in ancient times lord Vishnu along with Goddess Laxmi were roaming in Mrityu Lok (Earth). At one place after thinking something Lord Vishnu told Goddess Laxmiji, ?You sit here till I come back. I am going somewhere for some work, remember that you should not see on the south direction.?

After saying this lord Vishnu moved towards south. Goddess Laxmi started thinking that lord Vishnu told me not to see towards the south however, he himself went to the same direction, there must be some mystery in it and due to this thought Goddess Laxmi started seeing at the south. She saw a yellow mustard field on that site; that scene fascinated her and she went to that feel and started beautifying herself.

Thereafter she moved ahead and found a sugar cane field; she plucked a sugar cane and started sucking it. At the same time Lord Vishnu came back and said angrily, ?O Laxmij, you have made a blunder by plucking the sugar cane from this farmer?s field and to compensate this you have to serve this farmer for twelve years.?