Dhanteras: Significance And Pooja Vidhi

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Diwali is the most awaited festival in our country. It is very significant and is celebrated with much fanfare.Diwali is the celebration of triumph of good over evil. It is celebrated to commemorate the return of Lord Ram back to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile. He also defeated the Evil King Ravana who had abducted his beloved wife Sita.

Diwali is celebrated across five days in the month of Karthik, according to the Hindu lunar calendar. Each day holds a special significance. The most important Deity worshipped during all the days of Diwali is Goddess Lakshmi.

She is said to be the Goddess of Health, Wealth and Happiness. Doing Aarti and Pooja of the Goddess will ensure that the whole family is blessed with abundance of wealth and happiness throughout the year.

The first day of the festival is known as Dhanteras. It falls on the 13th day of the lunar month of Karthik. It marks the start of the Diwali festival. Dhanteras means Wealth. This day is marked by a very important tradition. It is said that buying anything new and bringing it home is equivalent to bringing Goddess Lakshmi home.

The goddess, along with Lord Ganesha, is worshipped on this day. This combination is said to be very auspicious.The tradition of buying something new, especially metallic during the festival stems from a legend.

The Story Behind Dhanteras

There was once a King named Hima, who had a sixteen-year-old son. He was destined to die on the fourth day of his marriage due to a snake bite. But his wife was very clever. She arranged all her gold and silver ornaments into a heap on the doorstep.

She also lighted many lamps and surrounded her husband with them. When Lord Yama came to take her husband in the form of a snake, he was bedazzled by the shining ornaments and was blinded for a while.

He was not able to enter his house and therefore the wife had succeeded in saving her husband.
On this day, people decorate and lighten up their homes. Renovation works for the house and office premises is considered to bring in lots of luck.

The day of Dhanteras starts with a Lakshmi and Ganesha Pooja.

Things Required For The Pooja:
- 1 diya with 4 wicks
- Flowers, rice and roli
- Few coins
- A patta or a small wooden slab
- A cowrey shell with a hole
- Gangajal
- Dhoop and incense sticks

Pooja Vidhi:

1) Take the wooden slab and make a swastika on it with roli.

2) Fill the diya with oil and light all the four wicks.

3) Place the cowry shell on the diya.

4) Sprinkle water around the lamp 3 times.

5) Put a tilak and offer rice to the lamp.

6) Put the coin inside it and adorn it with flowers.

7) The woman performing the pooja should do pranam and circle the diya four times.

8) Then, tilak should be applied to all the members of the family.

9) This lamp should then be placed outside the door and the flame should be facing the South direction.