Dhanteras, is the first day of 3 day Diwali Festival, celebrated in North region of India. Dhan means wealth and teras means 13th day of the fortnight.
On Dhanteras, the "Owl" form of Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. Dhanteras holds special significance for the business community due to the customary purchases of precious metals on this day.
Dhanteras Celebration-
On this Auspicious day, people worship Lord Yamaraj, the God of death, on this day and light a 'Yama-Diya' in the night to offer prayers to him to bless them with prosperity, well being and protection. They also purchase either a new utensil, or silver or gold coin or some other precious metal as a sign of good luck on the day of Dhanteras. The day of Dhanteras has great importance for the mercantile community of Western India. In the rural areas the cultivators worship their cattle because they form the main source of their income and livelihood.
Legends of Dhanteras -
There are few famous legends of Dhanteras. Among which one of them, is a story of son of King Hima and his intelligent wife. It was predicted about King Hima's son that he would die on the fourth day of his marriage and the reason behind his death would be snakebite. When his wife came to know about such a prediction she decided not to let her husband die and for this she made a plan. On the fourth day of their marriage she collected all the jewelery and wealth at the entrance of her husband's boudoir and lighted lamps all around the place and started telling stories and singing songs one after another in order to not let her husband sleep. When God Yamaraj, came to take him along with himself in the form of snake, he was not able to see because of lights coming out from the jewellery, and he sat on the jeweleries, and kept listening to the melodious songs whole night, and in the morning left silently. Thus, the wife saved her husband's life from the cruel clutches of death. Since then the day of dhanteras is also known as the day of 'Yamadeepdaan' and it has become a tradition to light a diya on dhanteras and to keep it burning throughout the night in reverential adoration of Lord Yama, the God of death.
On Dhanteras, the "Owl" form of Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. Dhanteras holds special significance for the business community due to the customary purchases of precious metals on this day.
Dhanteras Celebration-
On this Auspicious day, people worship Lord Yamaraj, the God of death, on this day and light a 'Yama-Diya' in the night to offer prayers to him to bless them with prosperity, well being and protection. They also purchase either a new utensil, or silver or gold coin or some other precious metal as a sign of good luck on the day of Dhanteras. The day of Dhanteras has great importance for the mercantile community of Western India. In the rural areas the cultivators worship their cattle because they form the main source of their income and livelihood.
Legends of Dhanteras -
There are few famous legends of Dhanteras. Among which one of them, is a story of son of King Hima and his intelligent wife. It was predicted about King Hima's son that he would die on the fourth day of his marriage and the reason behind his death would be snakebite. When his wife came to know about such a prediction she decided not to let her husband die and for this she made a plan. On the fourth day of their marriage she collected all the jewelery and wealth at the entrance of her husband's boudoir and lighted lamps all around the place and started telling stories and singing songs one after another in order to not let her husband sleep. When God Yamaraj, came to take him along with himself in the form of snake, he was not able to see because of lights coming out from the jewellery, and he sat on the jeweleries, and kept listening to the melodious songs whole night, and in the morning left silently. Thus, the wife saved her husband's life from the cruel clutches of death. Since then the day of dhanteras is also known as the day of 'Yamadeepdaan' and it has become a tradition to light a diya on dhanteras and to keep it burning throughout the night in reverential adoration of Lord Yama, the God of death.
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