GUWAHATI: Dhanteras marked the beginning of the five-day celebration of Diwali on Tuesday, October 29, with families preparing to welcome good fortune. Known as Dhantrayodashi, this day is dedicated to Lord Dhanvantari, the deity of health and Ayurveda, who, according to legend, emerged from the churning ocean (Samudra Manthan) bearing the potion of immortality.
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Among the traditional purchases, an item takes centre stage: Broom. Buying a broom on Dhanteras is believed to invite the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, ensuring her presence in the household and warding off debts and bringing home prosperity.
Brooms are used to clean our homes regularly. It is said that a clean house attracts Goddess lakshmi.
In Guwahati, vendors reported an impressive surge in broom sales, with prices ranging between ₹100 and ₹150, depending on quality. Brooms are sold at marked-up prices, yet the demand remains high as people line up to make this symbolic purchase.
Speaking to GPlus, a vendor at Fancy Bazaar shared, "I’ve sold brooms worth ₹ 3,000 and by the evening, I expect it all to be sold. But, this year the sale is less than the previous year."
Another vendor at Maligaon said “ Till now, I have sold brooms of ₹ 8,000, expecting to sell more. Maybe sell half of my broom stock by evening.”
In addition to brooms, families buy gold, silver coins, and idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha, welcoming luck and abundance for the year ahead.
