Akshaya Tritiya Date

Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, is one of the most auspicious days for Hindus and Jains and they celebrate it with much vigor and reverence. It's a special occasion that happens once every year whereby the Sun and the Moon are in exalted positions, at the peak of their brightness, which usually happens in the month of late April to early May on the Third (Tithi) of Bright Half of the pan Indian month of Vaishakha according to the traditional Hindu calendar. Derived from the Sanskrit word Akshaya, which means never diminishing, imperishable, and eternal, the day is believed to bring in good luck and success. However, it's the Akshaya Tritiya which falls on a Rohini Star Monday that is considered the most propitious. It's also believed that sacred deeds (Punya Karya) performed on this day never go unnoticed and that starting a new venture or investing in valuables like gold and diamonds doesn't end without fruitful rewards.

There are many mythological legends that are attached to the day. One legend has it that it was on this day that Lord Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu: the Preserver God in the Hindu Trinity was born. According to another legend, it was on this very day, that the Treta Yug began and the sacred river Ganges descended from heaven onto the earth. Lord Ganesha, the obstacle-remover, started writing the epic Mahabharata to Rishi Ved Vyasa's dictation on this day. And then there's the most famous of Hindu mythological legend, according to which, Sudama: a poor Brahmin friend of Lord Krishna was treated like a king, when the former came to the latter to seek some financial help. Upon his return, Sudama found that not only had his old hut been transformed into a palace, but found his whole family dressed up in royal clothing.

On this day, people conduct special Pujas (worship rituals), bathe in holy rivers, make a charity or donation, offer eatables to the burning fire, and worship various Hindu deities. Praying to Lord Ganesha before starting any new venture on this day is believed to remove any incoming obstacles or hurdles. Devotees also pray to Lord Shiva for health, marriage, and saubhagya (good luck); Lord Krishna for moksha (salvation); and Devi Laxmi for wealth. They specifically wear gold and other jewelry on this day to invite Devi Laxmi into the house; charity in the form of rice, ghee, salt, sugar, vegetables, tamarind, fruit, clothes, and money is done by many people. Being an important festival for the Jain community as well, people who observe a year long fasting on alternative days finish their Tapasya on this day with sugarcane juice.

Akshay Tritiya 2018 : Wednesday Apr 18