Dhanteras, festival of health not wealth

Hyderabad: While people flock to buy precious metals on Dhanvantari Trayodashi, the first day of Diwali festivities, popularly known as Dhanteras, not many remember that Dhanvantari is the originator of Ayurveda and blesses people with good health rather than wealth.

While Dhanteras celebrations involve merry making and feasts, the idea that health is the true wealth is forgotten.

General physician Dr Hari Kishan says that for today’s generation, “health features low in the priority list. They rush to have everything and this harms their health in such a way that they can enjoy nothing.”

He suggests that young people should do some physical activity every day “just as we urge them to read or write at a young age.”

Certain communities eat legumes on Dhanteras to ensure easy digestion for the feast that follows. But it’s better not to overeat. 

On Dhanteras, when people pray for good health, they should remember that doctors are not God, and that to a large extent their health is in their own hands. 

Says Dr Govind Hari, general secretary of Telangana Specialty Hospital Association, “A doctor is born to cure. We consider it our dharma to serve patients. By default, no doctor wants to harm a patient. In fact when one loses a patient, the most affected and hurt individual is the doctor.”

In fact, Diwali can be quite stressful for doctors, who are on call 24/7 because of the stupidity of the public who insist on burning fire crackers without taking due precautions and creating a lot of air pollution