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School of Vedic Sciences, FORE

Festivals and vrats · धनतेरस

Dhanteras

First day of the Diwali season, on the Trayodashi before Ashwina's new moon.

In 2041: Tuesday, 22 October 2041 (New Delhi)

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2041

Tuesday, 22 October 2041

In 2041 the tithi runs from 12:53 am on 22 Oct to 3:14 am on 23 Oct; it is running at pradosh, the twilight just after sunset on Tuesday, 22 October 2041, so that is the day of Dhanteras.

2042

Monday, 10 November 2042

In 2042 the tithi runs from 6:05 pm on 9 Nov to 8:50 pm on 10 Nov; it is running at pradosh, the twilight just after sunset on Monday, 10 November 2042, so that is the day of Dhanteras.

How the date is fixed

Dhanteras falls on the thirteenth day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashwina (Krishna Trayodashi). The date is the day on which that tithi is running at pradosh, the twilight just after sunset. In the North Indian (purnimanta) calendar the same fortnight is counted in Kartika.

About

Dhanteras falls on the thirteenth tithi of the dark half of Ashwina in amanta reckoning (Kartika Krishna Trayodashi in the north), two days before Diwali, in October or November. The governing period is pradosh, the hour and a half after sunset, so the day whose dusk carries Trayodashi is chosen. The day is also Dhanvantari Jayanti, the birth of the physician of the gods, and the evening of the Yama deepa, a lamp placed outside the door. Buying metal utensils on this day is the familiar custom.

How it is observed

Lakshmi and Dhanvantari worship at pradosh, a lamp for Yama outside the door, and the purchase of utensils or metal.

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