Dhanteras, also Dhantrayodashi, is the first day of the Diwali festival. Dhan means wealth, and teras is the thirteenth. The day honours Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods and the source of Ayurveda, and also Lakshmi and Kubera. It is the traditional day to buy something new, often a small metal item, and in recent years has become a popular day for buying gold and silver.
Timing
The puja is done in the evening, in the Pradosh period after sunset, so the window depends on your city. The Dhanteras page gives the date and the puja muhurat for 49 cities. Also see the pages for New Delhi, Dubai and New York, and use the any-city tool for other places. We do not give dates here. The next days continue with the Diwali Lakshmi puja.
Samagri: what to gather
| Item | Use |
|---|---|
| Picture or idol of Dhanvantari, Lakshmi and Ganesha | Worship |
| A new utensil of brass, copper or silver, or a coin | Purchased and placed on the altar |
| Flowers, sandal, turmeric, kumkum, rice | Worship |
| Lamps with oil or ghee, one extra with mustard oil | The lamps, and the Yama Deepam |
| Sweets, fruit, jaggery, coriander seeds with jaggery | Naivedya; the coriander and jaggery mixture is traditional in Maharashtra |
| Incense, camphor, a bell | Worship and aarti |
| Water and a kalash | Placed beside the deity |
Steps in order
- Clean the house and bring in the new utensil or coin before the evening.
- At Pradosh, light a lamp and call upon Ganesha. Take the sankalp.
- Place the picture of Dhanvantari and worship him with flowers, tilak and a sweet. Some families offer a few herbs or a bowl of health-giving food.
- Worship Lakshmi and Kubera with flowers and a coin or the new utensil, with the Lakshmi aarti.
- Share the prasad.
- Light the Yama Deepam: place a lamp with a four-faced wick, filled with mustard oil, outside the main door or in the courtyard, facing south, after the puja. Say a short prayer.
- Light lamps throughout the house and at the entrance.
The katha
The tradition tells of a king, Hima, whose sixteen-year-old son was foretold to die by snakebite on the fourth day after his marriage. His young wife, on that night, refused to sleep. She heaped her ornaments and coins at the door of the bedroom, lit lamps everywhere and sat singing and telling stories to keep her husband awake.
When Yama came in the form of a snake, the light of the gold and lamps dazzled his eyes, so that he could not enter. He listened to her songs, and when the night ended, he went away without his task. The day became known as Yamadeepdan, the lamp lit for Yama. It is a story of love and wakefulness.
Another tradition says Dhanvantari emerged from the churning of the ocean with a pot of amrita on this day, and so the day also honours health and Ayurveda.
Regional variations
Customs differ by region and family; follow your family’s custom. In Gujarat and Maharashtra, businesses worship their account books and buy new ones. In Maharashtra, a mixture of coriander seed and jaggery is the offering, and neem leaves with sugar are eaten in some homes. In the south, the day is marked with Lakshmi puja and the new utensil.
Fasting and food
There is no fast on Dhanteras. Families take a festive meal after the evening puja. If you are diabetic, take small portions of the sweets, and anyone on regular medicine should continue it as usual. The day is about health as much as wealth.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Why do people buy metal on Dhanteras?
It is a custom linked to Dhanvantari's pot and to the idea of welcoming prosperity. Any small item, even a utensil, counts, and there is no need to buy gold.
↳ What is Yama Deepam?
A lamp lit outside the home, facing south, in the evening of Dhanteras, as an offering to Yama, remembered in the story of Hima's son.
↳ Who is Dhanvantari?
He is the divine physician of the Puranas, regarded as an avatar of Vishnu and the source of Ayurveda. Some call the day Dhanvantari Jayanti.
↳ Can I do Dhanteras puja without buying anything?
Yes. A clean home, a lamp and a prayer are enough. Buying something is a custom and not a requirement.