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The festive season is at its peak and now we are ready to celebrate Diwali. It is a grand Hindu occasion that is widely celebrated all over the country. Prior to the festival of lights, there is another special day which has great significance in India called Dhanteras. According to the Hindu calendar, this year it will fall on October 31.
On Dhanteras, people purchase utensils, gold, silver, and diamond jewellery to attract good luck and wealth. As per Hindu mythology, Dhanteras is devoted to Lord Dhanvantari who is the physician of the Gods. It is said that he emerged during Samudra Manthana on this day. On this festival, people also worship Lord Yama, the god of death to remove negative energies from their lives.
It is also believed that certain foods can be quite auspicious when consumed on Dhanteras. Here are six foods you should on this day to bring good luck:
Lapsi
Also known as atte ka halwa, lapsi is a popular food item prepared on Dhanteras. It belongs to the Northern and Eastern parts of India. This dessert has a thinner consistency as compared to the usual halwa. Lapsi is made with wheat flour, ghee and sugar. It is believed that it symbolises longevity and attracts blessings during this festival.
Kheel Batashe
Kheel batashe is an essential part of Diwali and holds a great importance in Lakshmi puja. This is because kheel is prepared from rice (paddy) that is basically harvested just before the festival. The devotees offer the first produce of the crop as a bhog to Goddess Lakshmi to seek her blessings. It is believed that eating white and sweet foods on Dhanteras and Diwali brings wealth and prosperity.
Naivedya
In the state of Maharashtra, Naivedya is offered to Goddess Lakshmi on Dhanteras. It is basically a platter that has a number of food items which are offered as a bhog to the goddess. Then Naivedya is distributed among everyone as a prasad. A mixture prepared with coriander seeds and jaggery is the most important part of this platter and is said to bring good luck.
Panchamrit
Panchamrit (nectar of immortality) is a holy drink that is an essential part of many pujas. Made with a combination of five ingredients milk, curd, honey, ghee and sugar, it is offered as a bhog to the Goddess. Each of the five ingredients has unique significance like milk represents purity, ghee signifies strength, sugar is for bliss, curd for prosperity and honey signifies unity.
Kheer
This classic Indian dessert is a part of many festivals across the country. Made with rice, milk and sugar (or jaggery), this creamy and rich kheer is extremely delicious in taste. It is believed that kheer is one of the favourite foods of Goddess Lakshmi. It can be enjoyed both hot and cold with some chopped nuts and dry fruits on top.
Boondi Laddoo
Boondi laddoo is the favourite mithai of Lord Ganesha and it is offered as a bhog on both Diwali as well as Dhanteras. Made with fried and sugar-coated gram flour batter, it has a sweet, soft and mouth-melting texture. Consuming boondi laddoo as a prasad on Dhanteras brings good luck and Lord Ganesha's blessings.
