Written by Adweita Panigrahi, a grade 2 student.

Akshaya Tritiya is the festival of abundance and prosperity. According to the Hindu calendar, it falls on the third day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Vaishakh. This year Akshaya Tritiya was celebrated on the 14th of May across India and Nepal.

So, what does the name mean?

Akshaya means everlasting or never destroyed. Tritiya means the third day.  People make the most of this super auspicious day by performing puja, giving charity, buying gold or a house, starting the sowing season, and even getting married. Different regions and communities celebrate Akshaya Tritiya in their own unique ways. In some places, it is also celebrated as Parasuram Jayanti.

In Odisha, Akshaya Tritiya marks the beginning of the Kharif or summer crop season. Here, it is also called Akhi Muthi Anukula. Farmers plough the field and sprinkle a handful of rice as they pray for a good harvest. The construction of the chariots for the famous Rath Yatra of Puri also begins on this day.  

Akshaya Tritiya is special for other reasons too.

• On this day, River Ganga is believed to have come down to the Earth 
• The temples of Gangotri and Yamunotri, after being shut for winters, open their doors to devotees
• Sudama received the gift of a palace from Krishna for sharing a handful of beaten rice 
• Surya, the Sun God, gave Yudhishthir the Akshaya Patra, a magical vessel in which food never finished. 

Akshaya Tritiya is a day to pray for wealth and luck. It is also a day to share what we have with those who need a helping hand. 

Want to write for us? We publish children’s writing Click Here