Dhanteras is being celebrated today

KATHMANDU: NOV. 2 – Diwali (Tihar) festival is started from today. Dhanteras is being celebrated today, the first day of Diwali celebrated from Krishna Triodashi to Shukla Dwitiya.

In the vernacular of Mithila, this festival called ‘Diwali’ is also called ‘Yamapanchak’. On the first day of the festival, Dhanteras is being celebrated by adding new metal items. The night of Kartik Krishna Triodashi is called ‘Dhanteras’ in Mithila. On this day, there is a Maithili tradition of starting the Diwali festival by buying new metal items and worshiping. Mahesh Kumar Jha of Bardibas Municipality-2, who is familiar with Maithil traditions and rituals, says that it would be auspicious to buy new metal items after 11 am as the Triodashi date starts before 9 am today.

Newly purchased metal items and goddess of wealth Laxmi are worshiped in the houses from this evening by lighting bright lights. In Mithila, dates, bars, constellations and festivals are determined on the basis of Mithila Panchang and Vidyapati Panchang. Jha said that Dhanteras is mentioned in both calendars today. Dhanvantari Jayanti, which is celebrated on the day of Krishna Triodashi in Kartik (Oct/Nov), also falls today.

As Diwali is mainly a festival of worship of Goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, the tradition of this festival is to make Laxmi happy by adding new items on the first day. In the Mithila region, it is customary to start the festival on the first day of Diwali by worshiping the metal ornaments or utensils bought from the market at the place where the idol of Laxmi is installed. In the evening, Diwali is celebrated by lighting a lamp and worshiping Dhanteras. Due to the special festival, today there are crowds of customers in copper, brass and bronze utensils and gold and silver jewelry shops. There is a belief that the goods bought in Mithila today will be auspicious, durable and profitable.