Dhantrayodashi

 Dhantrayodashi, the second day of Diwali, proves Shakespeare wrong. Want to know how and why? Well, remember that positively excessively quoted assertion of Juliet? 'What is there in a name', et al?

Well, unlike the lovelorn Juliet, we have to assert that Dhantrayodashi is not 'Dhan'trayodashi, if  you know the traditional significance of the term. It is NOT devoted to wealth. Health, on the contrary, is its logo.

Yes, it is a day  dedicated to Dhanwantari, the arch doctor/physician of gods. It is on this day that the Amrit Kalash, the ultimate elixir every which way, was offered to mankind as a drop, it seems. 

On this day, all the doctors offer pooja to Lord Dhanwantari. Indeed health is wealth. Only if our physical and emotional health is at its peak, we are in the pink of life itself, right?

There is a unique ritual strictly observed only on this day. One Diya is kept facing southwards. Well, according to Hindu belief system and mythology, south is the direction of death. So neither is a Diya ever south facing nor should one sleep with feet pointing southwards.  

The exception allowed on  the day of Dhanteras is a token tribute to this 'dead'ly power. Well, the legend goes that once the Yamaduta's, the minions of Lord Yama, the Lord of Death, were so moved by the laments and wails caused by the untimely death of a young prince at the marriage altar that they talked to Yama about their reluctance regarding such a cruel duty. Hence Yama put forth this suggestion that a household that follows this tradition of keeping a Diya facing the south on Dhantrayodashi will never ever suffer any untimely loss of life.

Well, how can we interpret this legend in a modern, contemporaneously relevant way? May be, given the polar power of our ambience, the genuine, non-metaphorical 'ecosystem', sleeping with feet south-wards may be affecting the diastolic/systolic pattern of the human heart pumping the blood in-n-out. May be, the polar pull, the magnetism has an impact on the viscosity of the blood. So, may be, south is declared to be the direction of death. To remind the common man of this scientific fact, may be, at least once a year, this ritual is introduced? I would not know as i have not read enough in this area. All this explanation is sheer guess work on my part.

Being a student of literature has great advantages, one of them being you are ever bursting with unique interpretations. Hope my explication of Dhantrayodashi is quite some panacea, what say?

Pratima@How to understand traditions and rituals the modern way, that is the question.