Dhanteras marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations and is associated with wealth, prosperity, health, and auspicious new beginnings. It is also known as Dhantrayodashi and will be observed on November 6, 2026. This day is dedicated to Goddess Laxmi and Lord Dhanvantari. In other traditions, it is also dedicated to Lord Kubera, and Yama Deepam is also an important observance on this day. So, whichever tradition you follow, there is always a Dhanteras date and time according to which puja and other important events take place. So, if you want to explore what to buy on this day, its significance in Hindu traditions, puja samagri, and vidhi, the following sections will guide you.
The Dhanteras 2026 date is Friday, November 6, 2026. It will be on Trayodashi tithi, which will begin at 10:30 A.M. on November and will remain until 10:47 A.M. on November 7, 2026. However, the table further clarifies the picture.
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Dhanteras 2026 Details |
Date & Time |
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Dhanteras 2026/ Dhantrayodashi |
Friday, November 6, 2026 |
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Trayodashi Tithi Begins |
10:30 AM, November 6 |
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Trayodashi Tithi Ends |
10:47 AM, November 7 |
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Dhanteras Puja Muhurat |
6:02 PM–7:57 PM |
Note: The above table tells about Dhanteras date and time as per New Delhi. The puja muhurat timings differ based on the city you are living in. Hence, in such a case, it is best to refer to the local panchang.
Dhanteras is one of the most significant festivals in the Hindu tradition. It marks the beginning of Diwali and falls on the Trayodashi tithi. Therefore, it is also known as Dhantrayodashi. The word Dhanteras is understood as two words: Dhan, meaning wealth, and Teras, meaning the thirteenth lunar day.
This day relates to wealth, prosperity, and financial wealth. It is associated with Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Kubera and Lord Dhanvantari. As it is a major festival in India, many households clean their homes, light diyas, and decorate their home for the larger Diwali celebrations. This is just a general overview of Dhanteras; however, do you know its significance, importance, or why it is celebrated? If not, the following section will clear up any doubts.
Want to know why Dhanteras is celebrated or what its significance is? If so, learn the true meaning behind this festival's celebration.
In the churning of the ocean, Goddess Lakshmi emerged. This is why many people decorate and clean their homes and prepare rangoli to welcome Goddess Laxmi. She is an epitome of wealth, prosperity, success, and abundance. It is believed that worshipping her from all your heart attracts wealth and moves one towards a prosperous life.
Lord Dhanvantari, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, emerged from the ocean on this day. During Samundara Manthana, he appeared carrying the sacred texts of Ayurveda and Amrit. Thus, according to Hindu traditions, it is one of the days that celebrate the birth of Lord Dhanvantari and the initiation of good health. Even the Government of India celebrates it as National Ayurveda Day.
Dhanteras marks the start of the five-day Diwali festivities. It is the day after, followed by other festivities: Choti Diwali, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj. This is the sequence that is commonly followed in many parts of India. However, in other regions, these observances may also differ.
Another important event associated with this day is Yama Deepam. Yama is the god of death. Thus, on this tithi, in many families and traditions, diyas are lit in the south direction, praying to Yama for protection from untimely or accidental death. It is the tithi on which diyas are lit for the family's well-being.
The Dhanteras Puja vidhi varies by region and family. However, if you are completely unsure what to do, here are some common points to follow.
Dhanteras means welcoming Goddess Laxmi to your house. Therefore, for her to come and to set a positive environment, it becomes important to clean your home. It removes disorder from the house and attracts Laxmi to be a part of your house. If the environment is not clean and organised, it is believed that Laxmi will not come to your house.
After you clean your home, it is time to decorate the puja area where you want to invite Goddess Laxmi. You can do it by decorating the space with flowers, balloons, rangoli, diyas, or other items. You can also place Goddess Laxmi's footprints. It acts as a symbolic invitation of the deity to your home.
After you decorate the puja area, it is time to light diyas in your home and at the entrance. You can do so by filling the diya with oil or ghee. It is an important ritual on Dhanteras to protect the family from the god of death, Lord Yama. It is also believed that Goddess Laxmi wanders the earth on Trayodashi tithi; the illuminating diyas, or lamps, create a pathway for her to enter your home.
Once you are satisfied with how you want your puja area decorated, it is time to place the deities you wish to worship on Dhanteras. It depends entirely on the family's customs and traditions. While many families place Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesha, other families or traditions also include Lord Kubera and Lord Dhanvantari.
After you have cleaned up the space and have set up the deities, it is time for Kalash Sthapana. Doing so establishes a stabilising environment for the deities before mantra chanting. You can perform Kalash Sthapana by taking a copper pot, filling it with water and gangajal, tying a red sacred thread, placing a betel nut and a coin inside, decorating it with mango leaves, and tying a red cloth around the kalash. The Kalash represents auspiciousness and abundance in many Hindu rituals.
First of all, if you are beginning to do puja on Dhanteras, it is important to worship Lord Ganesha, who removes all obstacles, and to recite his name before reciting any mantra or performing any puja. After that, continue with the Laxmi puja. You can offer her flowers, kumkum, rice, sweets, and fruits. The exact ritual depends on what your family follows.
If your household or family includes Kubera and Dhanvantari idols at the time of Dhanteras, it is also important to worship them. It is also good to worship them because, along with wealth, you can seek blessings for your family's health.
Last but not least, once you are done worshipping the deities and offering them navediya, it is time to conclude the day with aarti. It marks the end of this auspicious day. You can afterwards distribute the prasad among neighbours, relatives, and family members.
Is Dhanteras approaching this year closely, and do you want to be prepped with Dhanteras Puja Samagri in advance? If yes, here are some of the items that are basic and might be essentially required on this auspicious day. Get to know all of them.
Note: You can gather all these puja essentials before doing puja at one place. It will ensure that the puja takes place without any interruptions, especially during the Muhurat, to seek blessings.
Buying something new on Dhanteras is a popular tradition in Hinduism. The choice depends entirely on your budget, preferences, customs, and other considerations. However, here are some of the things you can look forward to on Dhanteras or Dhantrayodashi.
Gold and silver are among the most traditional purchases associated with Dhanteras. Purchasing gold or silver items, whether in the form of jewellery or coins, is believed to bring prosperity, financial stability, and wealth to one’s family.
Dhanteras is not only about making high investments. Even a small addition to your kitchen, such as brass, copper, or silver, works well. If you do not want to invest in gold or silver, you should buy whatever you want for your kitchen today. However, remember that the metal should be brass, copper, or silver.
If you do not want to make large investments or add an item to your kitchen, another option is to purchase idols of Goddess Laxmi or Lord Ganesh. The idols can be made of copper, brass, clay, or silver. You can also buy Lord Dhanvantari idols made of copper. Opting for it is believed to seek his blessings in maintaining the good health of every individual in the family.
A broom is also an item you should purchase on Dhanteras. The reason is that it relates to alleviating poverty or financial distress the family may be facing. Other than that, one can also buy coriander seeds, as these are a low-cost investment. These should be kept in the home temple and sown in a pot, as doing so represents continuous growth in wealth.
On the day of Dhanteras, it is considered good to add items required for your business's expansion and growth. A purchase or installation made on this day is auspicious and is believed to enhance the results, as it seeks Goddess Laxmi's blessings. Thus, for business owners and professionals, it is no doubt a good day.
Several stories are associated with Dhanteras. These legends help explain the festival's connections with wealth, health, protection and divine blessings.
Once, Goddess Laxmi and Lord Vishnu were travelling through the earthly skies, where Lord Vishnu made a special request to Goddess Laxmi not to look south. However, Goddess Laxmi did the same and was mesmerised by Earth's beauty. She descended to Earth in a lush field of mustard flowers and sugarcane. She drank the juice there and adorned herself with the beautiful mustard flowers. The land or field was owned by a poor farmer.
Lord Vishnu came to know it and said the act was a theft and not morally acceptable, and asked Goddess Laxmi, as penance, to stay on Earth as a mortal and serve that poor farmer for 12 years. To which Goddess Laxmi accepted it and visited the poor farmer's house, where, even though he had nothing, he still did not stop Goddess Laxmi, who came to his home as an ordinary woman.
The poor farmer saw a boost in his work; suddenly, the harvest increased, and his wealth grew. And the farmer had no idea that his maid, who came to his door seeking work, was actually Goddess Laxmi. After 12 years, Lord Vishnu came to bring back Goddess Laxmi, as her penance was over. When the farmer learned that his maid was leaving, he did not feel good, and in the back of his mind he felt that all he had in the present was because of his beloved worker, so he started begging her to stay.
During that time, Goddess Laxmi revealed her true identity to the farmer and said that, in practical terms, she could not stay on Earth any longer because she possesses a chancal, or moving, nature. However, she promised that anyone who would clean their homes and light diyas on exactly this day, Trayodashi tithi, would have her come to each of their homes and bless them with financial stability and good health.
Another story related to Dhanteras is that of King Hima’s son. When he was born, astrologers predicted that he would die because of a snakebite on the fourth day of his marriage. Lord Hima tried to ensure that his son would never fall in love, but he did, with a beautiful and clever princess. His wife knew of this curse, and to keep her husband from falling asleep that night, she piled up gold, silver, or other ornaments at the gate. She also lit up the entire room with diyas.
Lord Yama, on that day, came in the form of a venomous snake; however, he became confused by heaps of gold and silver and was astonished by the princess's melodious voice, which mesmerised him. He sat on heaps and was invested in the princess's stories and conversations.
Later, when the sun rose, Lord Yama found himself outwitted by the princess. Also, the night had passed, which saved the prince from death. So, on the day of Trayodashi, when families light diyas facing south, it pleases Lord Yama, removes negative energy from the home, and prevents premature death.
According to Hindu tradition, the story of Lord Dhanvantari is associated with the Samudra Manthan, which is the churning of the cosmic ocean. The Devas and Asuras came together to churn the ocean to search for Amrit, which would grant immortality to anyone who drank it. For this, they used Mount Mandara as the churning rod and the serpent Vasuki as the rope. As the churning process continued, many divine objects emerged, and among them appeared Lord Dhanvantari, who was holding a Kalash filled with Amrit. At that time, he was considered auspicious, as he was the physician and Lord of Ayurveda who knew how to heal and maintain good health at all times.
When Lord Dhanvantari emerged from the ocean with the pot of Amrit, the Asuras made every effort to obtain the nectar. It became a conflict between Asuras and Devas; however, to distract the Asuras from obtaining Amrit, Lord Vishnu took the form of Mohini, a beautiful divine woman. Mohini tricked the Asuras by telling them that she would give the nectar to both Devas and Asuras; however, in the end, she gave it to the Devas.
Ultimately, the Trayodashi tithi marks the arrival of Lord Dhanvantari, the lord of health and healing, who possesses extensive knowledge of Ayurveda. As this tithi is primarily associated with Goddess Laxmi, who brings luck, wealth, and stability, it also teaches that financial prosperity alone is not enough; it is equally important to take good care of your health. Thus, this tithi or day also becomes a reminder to worship Lord Dhanvantari to seek his blessings for good health and to maintain a balance between financial prosperity and taking care of oneself.
Ans. Dhanteras falls on the thirteenth lunar day. It marks the beginning of the five-day Diwali festival and also celebrates the emergence of Lord Dhanvantri and Goddess Laxmi. It is therefore the day considered to bring luck, wealth, and prosperity in one’s life.
Ans. The Dhanteras rituals begin with cleaning the house, lighting diyas, placing idols in the home temple, performing Kalash Sthapana, chanting mantras, and concluding the Triyodashi tithi with aarti.
Ans. The Dhanteras puja muhurat, as per New Delhi timings, begins at 6:02 P.M. and remains until 7:57 P.M. However, for the exact timings in your city, it is best to refer to the local panchang.
Ans. The five things you can buy on Dhanteras are gold, silver, coriander seeds, brass or copper utensils, and a broom to attract wealth and financial stability in your life.