Colourful Celebrations of Dhanwantri-Mahotsava at Pentavox
Desi Vedic rituals mesmerize Videshi-Visitors
Ludhiana: Like every year, The Incarnation of Lord Vishnu and The originator of Ayurveda, Lord Dhanwantri’s Jayanti celebrations in a colourful manner, were organized by the local Ayurvedic Drugs Manufacturing Company, Pentavox Herbals, at Dhanwantri Temple situated in its factory premises. Ayurvedacharya Dr Pradeep Nagrath, group CEO of Pentavox Herbals informed that the ritualistic programme, that lasted for 4 days from 15th to 18th October, began with religious purification of ceremony site with Panchgavya (Five essential items from cow i.e. Cow\'s milk, ghee, curd, cow-dung & cow\'s urine) & gangajal (holy water from river Ganges), Ved mantra chanting, poojan (religious prayer), havan (prayer by burning mango-wood, incense sticks and various aromatic herbs, camphor & guggul) & offering of aarti (religious singing of Lord\'s hymns). The incarnation of Lord Dhanwantri was celebrated with shankhnaad (pleasing noise obtained by blowing large sized sea shells). 56-bhog (food items comprising of sweet as well as salty mouth watering dishes) platters were offered to the Lord by devoted families, which were later on distributed to the devotees as Prasadam (Lord\'s blessings).
On the concluding day, the ceremonies started with offering of prayers by 108 devoted families before Holy Basil plant (Tulsi - The most worshipped plant of India). The celebrations concluded with Group Maha-Aarti (Final hymn singing) performed with 108 jyotis (flamed cotton buds dipped in mustard-oil placed in holy containers). Dhanwantri temple, situated in the factory remained open for four days for the general public for darshan (paying obessaince) as well as offering of prayers. The total event concluded with grand fireworks & crackers. Dr Rakesh Sharma, Director Ayurveda Punjab, Chandigarh, was the Chief Guest on this auspicious occasion.
Attended by a large number of citizens and Ayurvedic physicians, with the special attraction of the celebrations – a group of foreigner devotees of Ayurveda who had specially arrived from Europe, under the leadership of Dr Anil Mehta, an NRI Ayurvedic Practitioner based in Holland, to be a part of the celebrations who were getting highly emotional during entire ceremonial procedures. The musical chanting of religious dhun (tunes) and the beats of Dhols made all the foreigner devotees, present, emotional and dancing on the tunes & beats.Thousands of people, including leading doctors, drug manufacturers and dignitaries of town offered their prayers to Lord Dhanwantri during these 4 day religious ceremonial celebrations.
