Dr. Avnish Jolly, Chandigarh, 26th October, 2008 :Dhanvantri Jayanti celebrated at Chandigarh, the function was started while lighting candled and Hawan was also performed on the occasion Senior Ayurvedic Physicians performed the Hawan. A galaxy of Ayurvedic Physicians beside the para medical staff attended the function on the occasion and took oath to work with Zeal and zest for delivering best medicare facilities to the masses under the guidance of Dr. Bhupinder Gupta, Patron, Ayurved Sharnm, and CEO, BHC Ayurvedic Hospital and Pharmacy, Chandigarh.
Dhanvantari is an avatar of Vishnu from the Hindu tradition. He appears in the Vedas and Puranas as the physician of the Gods (devas), and the God of Ayurvedic medicine. It is common practice in Hinduism for worshipers to pray to Lord Dhanvantari seeking his blessings for sound health for themselves and/or others.
Dhanvantari was an early Indian medical practitioner and one of the world’s first surgeons. Based on Hindu traditions, he is regarded as the source of Ayurveda. He perfected many herbal based cures and natural remedies and was credited with the discovery of the antiseptic properties of turmeric and the preservative properties of salt which he incorporated in his cures.
Being a very skilled surgeon according to the standards of his time, he is widely believed to be the pioneer of modern medical practices like plastic surgery. All his surgeries were performed without anesthetic, however in spite of his crude methods he was reported to have had a very high success rate. As a result of the brilliance and achievements he displayed in the field of medicine he was chosen as one of the Nine Gems in early Indian ruler Vikramaditya’s court.
According to traditions, he taught surgery methods and procedures to Susrutha, the Father of Ayurvedic Surgeon. Dhanvantari is depicted as Vishnu with four hands, holding medical herbs in one hand and a pot containing rejuvenating nectar called amrita in another. The Puranas state that Dhanavantari emerged from the ‘Ocean of Milk’ and appeared with the pot of nectar during the story of the Samudra or Sagar manthan whilst the ocean was being churned by the devas and asuras, using the Mandara mountain and the serpent Vasuki. The pot of Amrita was snatched by the Asuras or Demons, and after this event another avatar, Mohini, appears and takes the nectar back from the Asuras.
Birth day celebration of Lord Dhanvantari, the God of health, healing and cure, is celebrated with great enthuiasm and happy environment, by the practitioners of the Ayurveda every year, on Dhan Teras, two days before Deepwali, the Hindu festival of Lights. In the Samudra Manthan, Lord Dhanvantari appeared with the keeping Amrit Pot, Shankha, Chakrra and Jalauka each one in his four hands.
In Northern India no permanent temple is established for Lord Dhanvantari. The reason is not yet known, but in Varanasey Sanssakrit Vishvavidyalaya, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, one statue of Lord Dhanvantari is present in the Museum of the University. Two statues, small and big, are seen in the head-quarters of the Central council for Research in Aurveda and Siddha at New Delhi. One big statue is inside the premises of Ayurveda Maha Sammelan office, Dhanawantari Bhawan at New Delhi. However there are few dedicated temples to the Lord Dhanwantri, in South India especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where Ayurvedic medicine is highly practised and patronised.
In Tamil Nadu, in the courtyard of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam), is the Dhanvantari Temple where daily worshipping of the deity is performed. In the front of this temple there is an engraved stone believed to date around the 12th Century. The writing on the stone contains the details that Garud Vahan Bhattar, who was a great ayurvedic physician , established the statue inside the temple. As a ‘Prasad’ or ‘Teerth’, a decoction of the herbs is given to the visitors.
Birth Anniversary of Lard Dhanvantri, the originator of the ancient Indian hospital Jammu was celebrated with traditional enthusiasm in a function organized by the all officers/officials of the department of Indian systems of Medicine & staff of government Ayurvedic Hospital Jammu. Director ISM Dr. Abdul Kabir Dar announces on the occasion that they soon the Government Ayurvedic Hospital will be upgraded to 50 bedded from 25 bedded Hospital. He further added that long pending demand of the ISM employed for the third time promotion will be fulfilled very soon.
While paying rich tribute to the God of Ancient Science Lord Dhanvantri at Barnal , Punjab in the function organized by Barnala Vaid Mandal, Dr Sanjeev Goel, Registrar, Punjab State Facuilty of Ayurved and Unani systems called upon the doctors from Indian systems of Medicine (ISM) to strictly adhere to their method so that people of the state could get the benefits of this ancient science so called the Indian Medicine Science. On this occasion Vaid Jagjit Singh, Member, CCIM and Vice Chairman, Board of Ayurvedic Education stressed on the exclusiveness of each system of medicine and need of the our was to improve health care delivery through Indian systems of medicine to most vulnerable segment of the population adding that measures need to be takes while making policies programmes under health sector for providing good health care to focused group of patients in the backward & remote parts of the state. Both these eminent physicians were also honored by Barnala Vaid Mandal in this function.
Dhanvantri Jayanti was also celebrated at International Bhramrishi Mission,Virat Nagar Pinjore, the function was started while lighting candled and Hawan was also performed on the occasion Senior Vaid Shastri Ji performed the Hawan and with the blessings of Swami Bhakti Mani Didiji.Havan was performed and discussion on the role of Havan and Yagaya in Indian culture and medical field was held, Kishore Kumar Sharma CEO Vashisht’s Ayurvedics demanded that this particular day should be declared as "World Health Day" instead of some other day as our dedication and gratitude to Bhagwan shri Dhanwantryji as He first floated the idea of Nirogi Kaya (diseases free body).
On this precious day of Ayurvedic Physicians Dr. Madan Gulati, Deputy Director,AYUSH, Chandigarh Administration shared that Dhanwantari is believed to be the father of medical science. He is the pioneer of ayurveda and he is the first ayurvedic surgeon known. He is believed to be the brother of Goddess of wealth Laxmi. The origins of the ancient healing science known as Ayurveda are lost in cosmic antiquity. According to the ancient text Caraka-samhita, this "Science of Life and Longevity" is eternal and is revealed in each universe in each of its infinite cycles of creation and destruction. Great sages or demigods generally reveal this healing science. Occasionally, the Supreme Lord Himself descends as the avatara (incarnation). Dhanvantari and re-inaugurates the tradition of Ayurveda. This extremely rare appearance of God is recorded in the Vedic literature of ancient India. Dhanvantari`s appearance is celebrated each year on the 13th day (trayodasi) of the waxing moon a few days before the Diwali.