Akshaya Tritiya, also popularly known as Akha Teej, is just around the corner. This festival is auspicious and of great significance for devotees of Jainism and Hinduism. During this auspicious day, devotees make new investments, buy rice, and deposit money in the bank, and not just that there is a huge demand for gold too. However, there is confusion as to when is Akshaya Tritiya. April 29th or April 30th.
Akshaya Tritiya 2025 Date:
While the official date for the celebration of Akshaya Tritiya is scheduled on April 30th this year, however, the Tritiya Tithi timings begin from the second half of April 29th.
The Tritiya Tithi Timings will start at 05:31 PM on April 29 and will end at 2:12 PM on April 30th. The Puja Muhurat timings are 05:58 AM at sunrise, 06:50 PM on Sunset, 07:43 AM on Moonrise, and 10:03 PM on Moonset on April 30th.
Last year, Tritiya was celebrated on May 10th.
Akshaya Tritiya 2025 History:
Akshaya Tritiya is a festival that represents Krishna's Akshaya Patra to Draupadi, during his visit in numerous sages including sage Durvasa. The story revolves around the Pandava princes, who were famished during their period of exile in forest, due to a lack of food. Taking advantage of the situation, Duryodhana deliberately sent the sages to them, in the prediction that the Pandavas would not be able to offer hospitality. However, Duryodhana was not aware that the eldest Pandava had prayed to the god Surya, who in return gave them a magical bow called Akshaya Patra which will continue to be full till Draupadi eats from it.
However, the situation turned dire when sage Durvasa happened to visit Pandavas right after Draupadi finished eating from the Askhaya Patra, leaving only three grains of rice in the bowl. Anxious by the situation, the Pandavas sought time as they offered sage Durvasa to take bath in the nearby lake before eating. While they were gone, Draupadi urged Lord Krishna for help, who was also her friend. Krishna arrived and ate the grains from the bowl, which resulted in quenching the hunger of all beings in the universe including the sages. And just like that, Pandavas were saved from a curse.
Akshaya Tritiya 2025 Significance:
The significance of Akshaya Tritiya is that it is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama, who was the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The festival is popular in Jainism and Hinduism. Also, the day of the festival refers to the onset of Treta Yuga after Satya Yuga.
On a regional basis, Akshaya Tritiya is of great significance in Maharashtra, as it is one of the Sadetin Muhurtas --- a three nd a half auspicious and holiest festival days in the Marathi calendar. Further, in Odisha, Akha Teej is auspicious to sow rice paddy for the ensuing Kharif season, while in states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the festival signifies as prosperity and charity.
Akshaya Tritiya 2025 Rituals:
Rituals to be performed on Akshaya Tritiya, as per Rudra Life are:
- Devotees of Lord Krishna embalm the deity with sandalwood paste on this day. It is believed that by doing so, the person is bound to reach heaven after death.
- On this day, many people buy gold and gold jewelry. As gold is symbolic of good fortune and wealth, buying this is considered pious on this day.
- Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are worshipped before starting a new audit book for the next financial year. This is known as 'halkhata'.
- Devotees of Lord Vishnu worship the deity on this day by keeping a fast. Later, charity is done by distributing food, fruits, and clothes to the poor.
- This day is considered to be the most auspicious day to start a new venture, as any business started on this day is believed to flourish.
Akshaya Tritiya Celebrations 2025:
Celebrations take place across India, with each region observing the day in unique ways. In Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, on Akshaya Tritiya devotees at the Banke Bihari Temple are allowed to see the Krishna murti's feet, which remain covered for the rest of the year. In Odisha, farmers begin sowing paddy crops, and construction of the chariot for the Rathayatra ("chariot procession") festival commences in Puri. In Maharashtra married women offer each other haldi (turmeric) and kumkum (red powder to make a mark on the forehead) and pray to the goddess Gauri (Parvati) for their husbands' long lives. In West Bengal merchants and traders worship Lakshmi and perform Halkhata, a practice where new accounting ledgers are opened, symbolizing a financial beginning. Tamil Nadu sees special prayers at Vishnu temples, with devotees offering charity and food to Brahmins. At the Akshayapureeswarar Temple in Vilankulam, a village in Tamil Nadu, rituals honour Akshayapureeswarar (Shiva) and goddess Abhivruddhi Nayaki, as per Britannica.
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