What is Dhanteras?
Dhanteras, or Dhantrayodashi, is the first day of the five-day Diwali festival. It honours Lord Dhanvantari, the god of Ayurveda and health, who is said to have emerged from the ocean of milk with a pot of amrit on this day.
Shopping for good luck
Buying gold, silver, new utensils or other metal items on Dhanteras is considered auspicious. Markets are at their busiest, and many families also buy a small broom as a symbol of sweeping away poverty.
Evening rituals
In the evening, homes are cleaned and decorated with rangoli. People perform Lakshmi and Kuber puja, and a diya called Yama Deepam is lit outside the house to ward off untimely death.