Akshaya Tritiya Festival

Akshaya Tritiya is one of the four most auspicious days of the Vedic calendar and a widely celebrated Hindu festival, the other three being Ugadi, Vijayadashami and Balipaadyami. On this day, the sun and the moon are simultaneously at their peak of brightness.

Akshaya Tritiya legend.

The mythology originates from the Mahabharata. When the Pandavas were in exile, Lord Krishna gave Draupadi a bowl called the Akshaya Pathram. The word Akshaya means that which never diminishes and this bowl is said to have given infinite food to the Pandavas. Just by turning it upwards a day, the pot will provide unlimited amounts of food for the satisfaction of the Lords. This is why this day is considered to be a good time to bring home Goddess Lakshmi, in any form, gold, silver or platinum. Valuables that are acquired on this day are said to be replenished endlessly.

The birth of Lord Parshurama.

Akshaya Tritiya is also known as Akha Teej and is celebrated as the birthday of Parshurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu. This marked the beginning of the Golden Age. Parshuram is considered to be the personification of valour and of devotion. His father’s name was Jamadagni, and his mother’s Renuka. Jamadagni was very hot-tempered and Parshuram inherited this quality from him. One day, Jamadagni got angry with his wife Renuka and commanded Parshuram to kill her. Parshuram, in obedience to his father’s command, killed his mother. Jamadagni was satisfied and told his son to ask him whatever he wanted. Parshuram asked that this mother be brought back to life. Thus Renuka became alive again. In this way Parshuram proved his devotion to his father and mother.

The victory of good over evil.

It was on this day that the Pandavas unearthed weapons that decided their victory over the Kauravas. Also, it is also believed that Goddess Vijaya Chamundeshwari killed Asura on this day. It is on this day that Veda Vyasa, along with Lord Ganesha, started writing the Mahabharata. According to the Puranas, this day marks the beginning of the Treta Yug.

A day when our good deeds are blessed abundantly.

Many believe that it is on Akshaya Tritiya that our good deeds are rewarded multifold. This is the reason why many people make donations, give alms and guru dakshina on this day, in the hope of earning punya (merit) for life. According to the Dharamashastras, this day is considered sacred for Vishnu puja and for donating certain items such as umbrellas, fans or sandals to the Brahmins. People perform special pujas to invoke the blessings of Lord Vishnu. Roadside watersheds are erected and travellers are given diluted butter milk spiced with lime, salt, coriander leaves, etc.