Dhanwantari Jayanti and Aarogyata Diwas being observed today

The Dhanwantari Jayanti and Aarogya Diwas (Day) are being observed throughout the country today by organizing various programs. The Day is marked in commemoration of the birth of the Hindu deity Dhanwantari who is believed to have propounded the Ayurveda. The Ayurveda is the ancient Vedic medical system based on treatment through herbal medicine.

Dhanwantari Jayanti and Aarogya Diwas are observed on the Kartik Krishna trayodashi (the 13th day of the new moon in the month of Kartik) as per the lunar calendar.

The Ayurveda doctors and practitioners celebrate this Day as an occasion to start their new projects and venture. The Day started to be formally celebrated after the establishment of the Ayurveda Campus at Naradevi of Kathmandu in 1985 BS.

The god of Ayurveda, Dhanwantari, is being worshipped in the morning today on the occasion.

Dhanwantari Jayanti or the birthday of Dhanwantari started to be marked as the Aarogyata Diwas (Wellbeing Day) since 2056 BS at the initiatives of prominent people associated with the Ayurveda sector.

Meanwhile, the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Kathmandu and Ayurveda Campus, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University jointly organized a webinar "Ayurveda for Well Being - Prospects and Challenges" on October 31 as a part of a week-long celebration of “Aarogya Saptaha” to observe 6th Ayurveda Day (Dhanwantari Jayanti) which is also celebrated as Rashtriya Aarogya Diwas in Nepal.

The event was attended by Professor Shiv Lal Bhusal, Rector of Tribhuvan University, Prof Dr Pradeep Vaidya, Assistant Dean, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Dr Shiv Mangal Prasad –Campus Chief, Ayurveda Campus, and other leading academicians.

Mr Naveen Kumar, First Secretary (Press Information and Culture), Embassy of India, Kathmandu also attended the event and highlighted the usefulness of Ayurveda particularly during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 200 experts and enthusiasts from India, Nepal, and other countries virtually participated in the webinar.

Prof Dr Alathiyoor Narayanan Nambi, Principal and Chief Physician Ashtangam Ayurveda Chikitsalayam and Vidyapeedham, Kerala, India, and Dr SMS Samarakoon from Institute of the Indigenous Medicine University of Colombo, Sri Lanka shared their views virtually as Key Note speakers.

The event was organized as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture, and achievements, the Embassy of India stated in a press release.