The Dhanvantari Temple in Dapoli, located in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, is a revered shrine dedicated to Lord Dhanvantari—the divine physician and the progenitor of Ayurveda. Lord Dhanvantari is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
The temple belongs to Dongare family and is owned and run by Vaidya Aniruddha Dongare. Many devotees from Konkan and rest of Maharashtra visit the temple and offer their prayers.
According to Hindu scriptures, Lord Dhanvantari is known as the God of Medicine and is considered the divine healer of gods and the universe. It is believed that once, the deities (gods) and demons churned the ocean to obtain nectar and gain immortality. They worked together, using Vasuki, the serpent, as the churning rope and Mount Mandara as the churning pole. In the form of a tortoise, Lord Vishnu carried Mount Mandara on his back, while the deities and demons pulled Vasuki to churn the ocean.
During this process, several divine and valuable objects emerged from the ocean. First, Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow, appeared. Seeing this, the deities and demons became even more excited and pulled the churning rope with greater force. After Kamadhenu, Airavata (a divine elephant), Kaustubha Mani (a rare and precious diamond), Kalpavriksha (the wish-fulfilling tree), and Parijaat Vriksha (a celestial tree) also emerged. Many other precious and divine treasures followed, bringing joy to the deities and demons.
One day, Goddess Lakshmi appeared from the ocean, holding a Kalash (pot) of wealth, and joined her husband, Lord Vishnu, in the churning process.
Finally, Lord Dhanvantari emerged from the ocean, radiant and divine. He had a majestic personality, wore yellow garments, and held a pot of nectar (Amrita) in his hands. His bluish complexion, broad chest, lion-like appearance, red eyes, and powerful arms made him look strong and divine.
Lord Dhanvantari temple at Dapoli celebrates Dhanteras, which falls two days before Diwali, with special rituals and offerings. Devotees participate in ceremonies seeking the deity’s blessings for health and prosperity.
