Dhanteras: The Auspicious Beginning of Diwali

Dhanteras is one of the most auspicious days of the year, marking the beginning of the five-day Diwali festival. It is believed that whatever one buys on this day reaps rich benefits. The word Dhanteras is derived from two words – ‘Dhan’, meaning wealth, and ‘Teras’, which signifies the 13th day of the Krishna Paksh, of the lunar month Kartik.

The Significance of Dhanteras

The Legend of Dhanwantari

Dhanteras is the day of the incarnation of Dhanwantari, the God of health. It is said that on this day, Dhanwantari arose from Lord Vishnu’s Samudra Manthan, or churning of the ocean, with a pot of life-giving nectar. Therefore, one prays to Dhanwantari, the deity of health, for good health and wealth in life.

Auspicious Purchases

Dhanteras, also known as Dhantrayodashi, is celebrated two days before Diwali. It is an auspicious time to buy property or give token money for a new house. However, ideally, one must not perform a griha pravesh on this day. People also buy gold, silver, utensils, and electronic appliances, believing that any purchases will flourish and bring prosperity.

Dhanteras Pooja Rituals

Evening Pooja

A Dhanteras pooja is performed in the evening. Along with fresh flowers and prasad, one offers wheat and various pulses. Small footprints, using vermilion, symbolizing the arrival of Goddess Lakshmi, are made near the entrance of the home as part of the Dhanteras pooja.

Cleaning and Aarti

Many people take out their gold and silver items from their lockers and clean them with honey, holy water, curd, and milk. People also buy new gold or silver on this day. Finally, an aarti is performed. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi is associated with Gomti Chakra, the white-colored sea shell with small circles. Hence, people buy it to welcome the Goddess of wealth to their homes.

Lighting Diyas

On this day, a Chaumukhi – a square diya with four wicks – is lit up at the main entrance door of the house in the evening. Also, earthen lamps are lit at the entrance and in the entire household to drive out evil energy and Lord Yama.

Dhanteras Pooja Time 2023

Muhurat and Timings

• Date: November 10, 2023
• Day: Friday
• Trayodashi Tithi: 12:35 PM to 1:57 PM on Nov 11, 2023
• Muhurat for Dhanteras Pooja: 5:47 PM to 7:43 PM
• Pradosh Kaal: 05.30 PM to 08.08 PM
• Muhurat to Buy: 2:35 PM to 6:40 PM

According to Vastu and astrology experts, one can purchase items such as gold, silver, utensils, etc., during the auspicious muhurat. Lakshmi puja is done during the Pradosh period during Dhanteras.

City-wise Timings for Dhanteras Pooja 2023

The Significance of Dhanteras Pooja

Mythological Background

According to Hindu mythology, Dhanvantri emerged during the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), carrying the holy Ayurveda text in one hand and a pot full of elixir in the other. Therefore, this day is celebrated as National Ayurveda Day. Purchasing gold and silver items and even utensils on the auspicious festival of Dhanteras is considered to bring prosperity and good luck.

Welcoming Goddess Lakshmi

As per another popular belief, Goddess Lakshmi appeared from the churning of the ocean. Hence, it signifies wealth, good fortune, prosperity, and happiness. Families engage in decorating their homes with rangolis at the main door and illuminating the house entrance with diyas or oil lamps to invite the blessings of the goddess and positive energies.

Rituals Performed on Dhanteras

Worship and Pooja

On the day of Dhanteras, people worship Goddess Lakshmi and perform a pooja after sunset. They recite Dhanteras ki Katha and light oil lamps outside the doors of the house, except for toilets. It is believed that the light of the lamps shows Goddess Lakshmi the way to their homes. Also, the Tulsi plant is worshipped on this day in the evening.

Drawing Footprints

A paste of vermilion and rice flour is prepared to draw the footprints of Goddess Lakshmi, which is considered auspicious and brings wealth and prosperity to the household.

How to Perform Dhanteras Pooja at Home

Preparation

1. Clean the pooja area and place the idols or images of Lord Dhanvantari and Goddess Lakshmi on a chowki. Cover the chowki with a crimson cloth.
2. Decorate the temple with fresh flowers, especially red roses and lotus.
3. Light a diya. This diya should be kept lit overnight.
4. Light camphor, dhoop, or incense sticks.

Pooja Steps

1. Start the pooja by worshipping Lord Ganesha.
2. Avoid buying glass or plaster of Paris idols.
3. Place a kalash and decorate it with flowers, turmeric powder, rice, kumkum, coconut, and betel leaves. Tie the sacred red thread (mauli) around the kalash.
4. Place some coins in the Kalash.
5. Recite aartis, ring bells, and chant mantras for blessings of the divine.
6. Offer prasad of fruits, sweets, and dry fruits to the deities.

Vastu Tips for Dhanteras Pooja

Do’s and Don’ts

• Draw a Swastik symbol on the home main entrance with turmeric and rice powder paste.
• Purify the house by using salt water, which helps eliminate negative energies.
• Choose the northeast corner for the Dhanteras pooja. Position the idols so they face the east direction. While worshipping, face the north direction.
• According to traditions, people worship clay and silver or any other metal idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi.
• On this day, people worship three forms of Goddess Lakshmi – Goddess MahaLakshmi, Maha Kaali, and Goddess Saraswati. They also worship Lords Kuber and Ganesha, as they represent wealth, education, and peace and serenity.

Things to Avoid

• Avoid buying glass or plaster of Paris idols.
• Do not buy sharp objects such as scissors, knives, pins, etc.
• According to Vastu experts, one should not buy items made of iron, aluminum, and plastic.
• One should not purchase products black in color as they represent bad luck.
• As per traditions, people do not buy oil and ghee on Dhanteras. One can stock up such items before the festival.

Dhanteras Prashad and Dishes

Special Offerings

For the Dhanteras pooja, people prepare special Naivedya or dish offered to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu, as mentioned in the sacred texts. The special prasad is made with jaggery and dry coriander seeds. Moreover, in many parts of north India, people cook whole wheat halwa and offer it to Goddess Lakshmi. Another important Prashad prepared for Dhanteras pooja is the panchamrit. It is a beverage prepared using five substances namely milk, sugar, honey, ghee, and curd.

Lakshmi Pooja and Diwali Celebrations

The Importance of Diwali

Diwali is one of the most important festivals in our country. It is also a day when the Goddess of wealth is worshipped. Most families perform a simple Lakshmi pooja at home on the auspicious day of Diwali. To welcome Goddess Lakshmi, homeowners clean their homes thoroughly. One should remove shoes, slippers, and other broken and unwanted things from the entrance of the house.

Lighting Diyas

Diwali is celebrated on the day of amavasya of Kartik month. As there is no moonlight on Amavasya, hence, diyas are lit to illuminate the home. Lighting of the diyas signifies dispelling of darkness (ignorance) and represents knowledge, happiness, and hope.

How to Perform Diwali Lakshmi Pooja at Home

Preparation

1. Make sure to clean the house thoroughly and sprinkle Gangajal or water.
2. Set up an altar or a platform. Cover it with a red cloth. Put some grains in the center.
3. Now, fill a Kalash or copper pot with water, supari, marigold flower, coin, and grains. Add mango leaves around the neck of the Kalash.
4. Place the Kalash at the center of the platform.
5. Arrange a small flat heap of rice grains. Design a lotus flower using turmeric (Haldi). Place the idols of goddess Lakshmi at the center and pooja thali on the Kalash.
6. Keep the Ganesh idol on the right side of the Kalash, in the southwest direction.
7. Light an oil lamp using Lakshmi pooja oil, preferably a Panch Mukhi Diya.
8. Put a few coins, books, or items related to your business or wealth before the deity.

Pooja Steps

1. Start the Diwali Lakshmi pooja at home. Apply tilak on the Kalash and offer flowers.
2. Perform the holy bath for the deities in pure water, panchamrit, sandal water, and rose water. Decorate the idols using turmeric powder, sandal paste, and vermillion. Adorn the idols with garlands and flowers.
3. Perform the Diwali Lakshmi pooja aarti while chanting the mantra.

Vastu Tips for Lakshmi Pooja on Dhanteras and Diwali

Pooja Setup

• Make sure you keep the idol of Lord Ganesha on the left of Goddess Lakshmi while Goddess Saraswati is placed on the right side. All the idols should be in the sitting position. Set up the pooja area in the northeast direction of the home. The idols placed in the pooja must face the east direction. When performing the pooja, sit facing the north direction.
• Place the kalash on the chowki covered with a red cloth above it, place the idols, and decorate it with sindoor and flowers.
• Make a paste of powdered rice and turmeric to make a Swastik on the main entrance of the house. Turmeric is considered auspicious and symbolizes prosperity and rice signify positivity.

Offerings

• Some of the offerings for Lakshmi Pooja include batasha (spherical crispy sugar candy) laddoos, betel leaves, dry fruits, coconut, sweets, and some coins or jewelry.
• Spray salt water in all the corners of your home as it absorbs negativity and purifies the atmosphere.
• Lighting guggal dhoop is considered very auspicious during Diwali. It brings peacefulness to the environment.
• Do not wear dark-colored clothes for Lakshmi Pooja as it is considered inauspicious.
• Apart from laddu, offer rice kheer as prasad during this pooja as it is considered very auspicious.
• Offer lotus to Goddess Lakshmi after Diwali Pooja, as it is considered very lucky for the house.
• It is auspicious to ring a bell or blow a conch at the time of Lakshmi Pooja, as it removes negative energies from the house.
• Chant the mantras of Lakshmi and perform an aarti to conclude the pooja.

Ways to Please Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali

• Using tulsi mala chant ‘Shree’ for 108 times, as Shree is the name of Goddess Lakshmi.
• Maa Lakshmi loves cleanliness so ensure the home is clean and clutter-free.
• On the occasion of Diwali, worship all the three Goddesses: Lakshmi, Durga, and Saraswati.
• On the day of Diwali, light a diya in every corner of your home to invoke the blessings of Lakshmi and pray for abundance.
• Offer 11 Lotus flowers to Goddess Lakshmi. Keep 21 or 108 Kamal Gatta to goddess Lakshmi during the pooja.
• Take a bowl filled with unbroken rice mixed with turmeric. Place the bowl in front of goddess Lakshmi.

Dhanteras Pooja Vastu Do’s and Don’ts

Tips to Decorate the House for Diwali and Dhanteras

Cleaning and Decoration

While you prepare for Diwali Lakshmi pooja decoration at home, make sure to thoroughly clean the house as the first step. The main door is called the Simha Dwara and it is the face of the Vastu Purush. Hence, it should be decorated well, clean, and free of any obstructions.

Lighting Diyas

Light diyas, not only near the temple but also keep them at the main door. Diyas symbolize goodness and purity and lighting them denotes chasing away darkness or ignorance and going into the light and knowledge. Vastu associates the tulsi plant with Goddess Lakshmi. If you have a tulsi plant, keep diyas near it. Traditionally, diyas were lit using ghee (clarified butter) but nowadays people commonly use mustard oil diyas for Diwali. Keep safety in mind when placing diyas near the main door, windows, or in the temple. Opt for diyas with glass covers.

Rangoli Designs

Decorate the home with rangoli designs, with motifs like lotus, swastika, Om, etc., to welcome Goddess Lakshmi. Hanging of torans at the entrance restricts negative energies from entering the house and invites good luck and prosperity. Decorate the temple with fresh flowers, like marigold, mogras, and roses. On a white paper, write ‘Shubh Labh’ with Kum Kum and keep it near the Lakshmi idol or photo.

Flower Decorations

You can decorate the pooja mandir with marigold, rose, or lotus flowers. It is an interesting idea for background flower decoration for Lakshmi pooja at home.

Eco-friendly Dhanteras and Diwali Pooja Tips

When performing Lakshmi pooja at home and celebrating Dhanteras and Diwali, do it in a sustainable and eco-friendly way. Use earthen diyas for the pooja and brighten up the pooja room or temple with LED lights. Decorate the altar and the main door with fresh flowers, floral strings, origami, or bamboo decorations. Another easy Diwali Lakshmi pooja decoration at home would be creating an altar with coins for the goddess of wealth. Make a rangoli near the pooja area with biodegradable color or use rice powder, flower petals, and grains. Avoid plastic lanterns and instead, use recycled or handmade paper, clay palm leaf, and jute lanterns. Decorate the pooja thali with turmeric powder, kum kum, and fresh flowers or simply paint them.

Diwali Lakshmi Pooja Decoration at Home

Repaint the House

Clean the house and give the walls a fresh coat of paint. Start the painting of the walls at least two weeks before the festival.

Rangoli for Diwali Lakshmi Pooja at Home

Among the popular ways to decorate Indian homes during festivals is by making alluring rangoli designs. Pick a perfect collection of rangoli colors as per your choice. Get creative and go for unique rangoli designs for the house entrance, pooja room, and other areas of