When the festival of Dhanteras approaches, people across the country usually think about purchasing gold, silver, utensils, and new jewelry. Bringing precious metals home on this day to invite prosperity is a widespread practice. However, a deeply unique and ancient tradition of celebrating Dhanteras continues to be observed with utmost devotion in the Mewar region of Rajasthan. In Bhilwara and surrounding areas, instead of buying gold and silver, women bring yellow soil into their homes, considering it a symbol of wealth and Goddess Lakshmi. This centuries-old folk tradition not only preserves cultural heritage but also presents a remarkable example of simplicity and natural purity.
Early Morning Rituals And Prayers
Long before sunrise on Dhanteras morning, women in villages and towns gather together. They step out of their homes carrying empty vessels, vermilion, incense sticks, earthen lamps, paddy, and coins. Upon reaching a designated spot, the women perform rituals and worship the yellow soil with deep reverence. Remembering Goddess Lakshmi, they pray that she enters their homes in the form of wealth and prosperity. After the worship, women fill this soil into their vessels and return home. It is believed that the more devotion and quantity of soil a woman brings home, the greater the abundance of happiness and prosperity that resides in her household.
Making Swastika At The Resting Place
While returning home, the women halt at a specific location along the way. According to mythological beliefs, Goddess Lakshmi is given a brief rest at this very spot. A sacred Swastika is drawn there using vermilion, and the aarti of the goddess is performed. According to local resident Pooja Kumari Sankhla, in ancient times when concrete houses did not exist, life and happiness were considered to reside within mud homes. This very soil produces food grains and serves as the foundation of life itself. Therefore, yellow soil is regarded as extremely sacred and worshipped as a direct manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi.
Purification Of Homes And The Yellow Gold
After bringing it home, the courtyard is smeared with this yellow soil, which purifies the entire household. This soil holds special significance during the Lakshmi worship conducted throughout the five-day Diwali festival. Following the prayers, a portion of this soil is kept in the household safe or treasury. Folk belief holds that this yellow gold ensures the family never faces a shortage of health, peace, and abundance. The women of Mewar are not only carrying forward this tradition with pride but are also connecting their future generations to this rich folk culture.
