6 things to buy on Dhanteras that are believed to invite Maa Lakshmi straight to home

The 5-day Diwali festivities begin with Dhanteras and end with Bhai-dooj. This year, Dhanteras will be celebrated on October 29, and people are gearing up to buy gold, silver, electronics, and more to please Maa Lakshmi and receive her energy and blessings. But, what most humans are doing now is just a material show of wealth! By buying elaborate gold jewellery, or silver bangles, or high end television sets, they are not pleasing Maa Lakshmi, but just burning a hole in their pockets. So, here we mention 6 things that are believed to be primarily bought on Dhanteras.

On Dhanteras, it is said that people must purchase 5 ‘paan patta’ or Betel leaves, as they are considered auspicious for the day. These leaves are said to be a symbol of freshness and purity, and are regularly used in Hindu rituals and pujas. In many households, paan leaves are offered to Lord Ganesha and Maa Lakshmi during Diwali puja. And it is done in the number of 5 as it represents the 5 elements of nature - Earth, water, fire, air, and ether. By bringing five fresh paan leaves home on Dhanteras, devotees show their respect and their alignment with these elements, making them whole, balanced, and pure.

Kheel batashe, which is basically puffed rice and round, sugar candies, are also traditionally offered to Maa Lakshmi on Dhanteras and Diwali. Offering Maa Lakshmi kheel batashe on Dhanteras and the day that build upto Diwali is said to earn people the boon of prosperity, growth, and sweetness in life.On Dhanteras, people buy kheel batashe and offer them to Maa Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. They are first offered to Maa Lakshmi and then distributed as prasad among people.

Another popular and logical thing to buy on Dhanteras is an idol of Maa Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. Maa Lakshmi is the giver of wealth and prosperity, while Lord Ganesha is the one who removes obstacles and hurdles from the devotee's path. And so, when worshipped together, Maa Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha combine their energies to give the blessings of financial stability, wisdom, and a harmonious life.

Another auspicious thing to buy on Diwali is Lakshmi Charan, or the footprints of Goddess Lakshmi. These footprints come in the form of stickers, small feet in gold or silver, and some people even get custom-made paintings of Maa Lakshmi’s footprints. These small footprints are a symbol of Maa Lakshmi’s arrival into people’s homes, and are usually sticked on the floor, starting from the entrance to the home temple. In some regions people use turmeric paste to create small footprints from the entrance to the puja room.

One of the most popular and common things to buy during Dhanteras is a broom. It is believed that the broom sweeps away negative energy, poverty, and obstacles, clearing the way for positivity and prosperity into the home. A clean, well-maintained home is important to invite Maa Lakshmi and ask them to stay in your home temple. In many households, people replace their old broom with a new one on Dhanteras, bought on the same day, and make a fresh start.

While not everyone follows this, but it is believed in some regions that buying salt, rock salt to be specific, is also important on Dhanteras. Salt is put on the Dhanteras shopping list because it is cleansing in nature and keeps away negative energies from the space. Salt is also a symbol of purity and preservation, and it is a tradition in many families to sprinkle the salt near the entrance and the corners to keep evil away.

If by any chance one cannot buy gold, silver, or other auspicious items during the Dhanteras muhurat, bringing in a Shami plant into the home can also help. The Shami plant is considered to be extremely auspicious and holy, and close to Lord Ram. So, buying one on the Dhanteras day will prove to be beneficial for the family in terms of health, well-being, finances, and more.