Dhanteras-an auspicious day and its celebration

This article is on Dhanteras. You will get information about how to celebrate and why it is celebrated.

Dhanteras is basically a North Indian festival on the first day of the Diwali festival. ‘Dhan’ means wealth and on Dhanteras Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped for prosperity and over all happiness. Dhanteras is considered as an auspicious day for purchasing precious metals like gold and silver. This day is special for the business community due to their customary purchases of precious metals on this day.

How Dhanteras is celebrated

To celebrate this auspicious day, houses and business premises are decorated with motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of Wealth. Footprints of Goddess Lakshmi are drawn all over the houses specially at the entrance of houses and rooms of the houses. Lamps, candles and Diyas are kept burning from the evening time. This is a ritual of Hindu women to purchase gold or silver or at least new utensils as per their capacity on this auspicious day. All most all jewellery shops, gift item shops declare special discount offers on Dhanteras.  Special Puja is performed in the evenings and diyas are lighted in houses to drive away the shadows of evil spirits.

Many people purchase silver idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha on the occasion of Dhanteras. It is believed that placing these idols in proper place on this auspicious day results in increase in wealth, success and growth at house, offices and business.

 Dhanteras and Bengalis

In recent past, Dhanteras was not celebrated in West Bengal with so much enthusiasm as it is celebrated in present years. Dhanteras day falls just two days before Kali Puja. Bengalis are well known for adopting others culture and festivals. Even few years back Dhanteras was considered as a north Indian custom. North Indians, Gujratis, Marawaris residing in West Bengal used to celebrate Dhanteras at that time. Today Bengalis are also equally celebrating Dhanteras and performing Dhanteras Puja. A craze for buying gold and silver among Bengali women are observed in recent years.