Dhanteras also known as Dhanatrayodashi, is the first day that marks the festival of Diwali in India. It is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha (dark fortnight) in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin. Goddess Dhanlakshmi is worshipped for prosperity and happiness. People also clean and decorate their homes with Rangoli and diyas for marking the start of the festivities and announcing the arrival of Lakshimiji to their homes. Every house looks bright and beautiful and is bejeweled with decors and colored lights. The festival is celebrated as Lakshmi Puja which is performed in the evening when lamps of clay (Diyas) are lit. Bhajans, devotional songs in praise of Goddess Lakshmi, are sung and Naivedhya of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess.
They stick the Goddess Lakshmi’s ready-made footprints to come back with wealth and prosperity. After sunset, by providing rose or lotus garland, sweets, ghee diyas, dhoop deep, agarbatti, camphor and so on, individuals give puja to the Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh for wealth, knowledge and well-being. Dhanteras is the worship of lord Dhanvantari. Lord Dhanvantari, according to Hindu Mythology, emerged during Samudra Manthan, holding a Kalasha full of Amrit in one hand and the sacred text about Ayurveda in the other hand.He is considered to be the Vaidya of Gods. The main entrance is decorated with colorful Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity. On the night of Dhanteras, diyas (lamps) are ritually kept burning all through the night in honor of Lakshmi and Dhanvantari. It is believed that Dhanteras is an auspicious day to make important purchases, especially gold , silver, and utensil products.