The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : A festival to wish peace, prosperity

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 26, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version


=

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

A festival to wish peace, prosperity

Dhanteras is one of the important festivals all over the India symolising with prayers to keep evil spirits at bay and seeking peace and prosperity in one’s family.

Dhanteras is generally celebrated in October-November on 13th day of Ashwin month -- on second day of Diwali in honour of Dhanyantari – an incarnation of Vishnu. The day is also known as Yamadeep – meaning lamps to keep Yama in good humour . People worship with diyas and offer `prasadams’ to Yamaraj to usher in prosperity.

It also falls on the 13th day of Krishna Paksh in the month of Karthik.

“After Sagar Manthan between the Gods and Asuras, Dhanvantri came out of the sea with Amruth Kalash. Dhanteras is also fondly called as Dhanavantri Jayanti,” says Rashmi, a city-based housewife hailing from Uttar Pradesh.

Dhanteras is derived from the word `Dhan’ meaning wealth. Hence, during Deepavali festival, people mostly belonging to business families consider it as a very auspicious occasion.

They buy decorated idols of Ganesh, Lakshmi and Kali and worship. In Lord Ganesh’s idol, the trunk has to be in right direction as it is considered auspicious. Gold and sliver coins and ornaments, coins are bought on this occasion. Ivory, copper, brass and steel articles are also bought for the kitchen.

With festive mood pervading all over the `City of Destiny’ and other parts of North Andhra, there is heavy demand of gold, silver coins, articles, diamonds and other valuables for the auspicious festival of Dhanteras at CMR Mall, Orra, Shyam Zaveri, Titan, MVS Jewellers, Sanghvi and Hira Panna. The demand for ornaments, corporate gifts and decorative pieces has witnessed a quantum jump this time over previous years.

Devotees offer Kali puja and perform arati for Laxmi and Ganesh.

It is said that the festival originated after a devoted new wed bride saved her husband from dying with her devotion and dedication.

According to Nikhil Oza, president of Sri Gujarati Samaj, Visakhapatnam, Dhanteras is more important day during the festival season in between Durga puja and New Year. How Dhanteras began? It is believed that 16-year-old son of King Hima was destined to die on the fourth day of his marriage, according to his horoscope.

The cause of the death, as per his horoscope, was snakebite.

The prince’s wife was crestfallen but decided to save her husband’s life. She lighted all the lamps and illuminated the bungalow and put her gold, silver and other valuables in a big heap at the entrance of her husband’s boudoir from the early hours of the fourth day of her marriage. She kept on singing songs and telling interesting stories. Yamaraj, the God of Death, arrived on that night in the form of serpent.

The brightly illuminated bungalow could not make him possible to enter the house. He climbed the heap of ornaments and kept on listening to the melodious songs and the stories till the sunrise. Later the mesmerized Yamaraj had to leave quietly.

Santosh Patnaik

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh