Today is the first day of the Diwali celebration – Dhanteras / Dhantrayodashi / Dhanwantari Triodashi is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day in the month of Ashwin as per the Hindu calendar.
Today, Goddess Laxmi is worshipped in her owl form, which is believed to provide prosperity
and well-being to everyone. It is also an auspicious day to buy kitchen utensils, ornaments, vehicles, or anything made of metal.
But why do we celebrate Dhanteras? One legend says that once upon a time, the Gods and the demons decided to churn the ocean to get amrut or the nectar of life. After a lot of churning, on the day of Dhanteras, Dhanvantri, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, appeared with the elixir and gave it to the Gods. He is also the father of Ayurveda – Veda means to know (in this context, the science of), and Ayur means eternal life. So, Ayurveda means the science of living till eternity (in this context, living a long and healthy life).
About Ayurveda
When we speak about Ayurveda, we think of it as a system of medicine. It includes medicine, but it is not a system of medicine. It is a system of wellness.
Ayurveda starts with identifying the nature (prakriti) of the person and advises them on their diet, lifestyle, and other life factors, based on this prakriti. The objective of Ayurveda is to avoid illness.
The first line of treatment is also to align a person with their own prakriti and is based on simple measures.
For instance, you might have noticed that if you have an upset stomach, the first thing given is curd rice or khichdi, not medicine.
Likewise, when it rains, Indians automatically make tea at home. This is now called preventive medicine. But this is the standard practice in Ayurveda. Tea provides the first level of defence against the common cold that is likely to accompany rains and the sudden change in temperature.
A third example of Ayurveda in action is simple rules that we are asked to follow at home – Do not eat certain foods at night or after sunset, do not mix certain food groups – like dairy and sour foods.
A system of medicine begins its work after a person becomes unwell. A system of wellness does the exact opposite – it focuses on keeping the person well.
How is Dhanteras celebrated?
The most visible sign of Dhanteras celebration is buying of a new item of metal. Some families buy gold, some buy silver, some buy steel utensils, and some buy a new piece of machinery. It is as per the beliefs of each family.
In many households, it is a ritual to make kheer or rice pudding with milk, jaggery, and rice on this day.
Apart from decorating their homes with lamps, people also make colourful rangolis at the entrance of their houses along with footprints of Goddess Lakshmi with rice flour.
Because this is the first day of Diwali, new clothes are also worn on this day.
Since 2016, Dhanteras has been celebrated as ‘National Ayurveda Day’.
Dhanteras and Kuber
Kuber/Kubera is widely known as the treasurer of the Gods. He is the custodian of all wealth.
He is depicted as a pot-bellied figure.
In Indian culture, a pot belly is indicative of wealth.
