Akshaya Tritiya- A day of good luck and success
This is a contribution post by Anuradha Sowmyanarayanan
Akshaya Tritiya is a Hindu festival celebrated with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. It is a different festival from rest of the usual festivals celebrated around the world. This can also be termed as shopping festival or it is a day dedicated for shopping! A whole day dedicated for shopping makes people enjoy it thoroughly. Many follow Muhurth (Exact/ auspicious time to buy). Extra discounts and offers for Akshaya Tritiya are provided by the shops and showrooms. People flood in famous market places on this day. Many plan ahead and reach far places to buy the required item from an exclusive showroom.
What is Akshaya Tritiya?
“Vaisaakhe maasi raajendhra sukla pakshe trutheeyikaa l
Akshayaa saa thithif prokthaa krutthikaa rohinee yuthaa ll
Thasyaam dhaanaadhikam sarvam AKSHAYAM samudhaahrudham ll”
Akshaya Tritiya is a day which is said to confer undying religious merit. This festival falling on the third day of the bright half of Vaishaka” (the first day of satyayug) which is said to secure permanence to all action performed on the day.
Akshaya Tritiya is celebrated on the third day of the lunar days in the Chithirai month of Tamil calendar (April 14th – May14th). It also coincides with ‘Rohini Nakshtra” on that day. If this occurs on Monday or Friday it is considered very special. This year it falls on May 3rd Tuesday.
Akshaya is related to the vessel given by the Sun God to Yudhishthira during the exile of Pandavas, which Draupadi used to feed many number of saints. It is called Akshaya Patra, as it supplies endless food. Akshaya means “Never Getting empty.”
Likewise it is believed that buying, selling and donating on the Akshaya Tritiya day, too pours in prosperity in every way in the form of wealth, food and clothes etc.
Pujas performed on this day
This day is also linked to Maha Lakshmi and Kubera. People throng in large numbers in temple to offer prayers to Goddess Maha Lakshmi and Kubera (The Lord of Wealth). Many perform homam/havan at home on this day. These are performed in the auspicious timings stated in the almanac. Many donate food and clothes to the needy. Fasting is also observed.
Shopping on this day
On this day buying jewellery, property or investing money in new ventures, marriage, or any new beginning leads to or bring in prosperity, hope, joy, success and good luck. So people buy gold, silver, clothes, books, pen, pencil, grains and other items according to their affordability and interest. It is a common belief that anything bought on this day will multiple and brings in abundance.
After puja, prayers and shopping, comes the Bhog or prasadam to the Lord Kubera and Goddess Maha Lakshmi. Anything made of milk is the best offering to Lord on this day. Payasam, kheer, milk sweets or cakes are prepared. One such milk preparation is Ksheeranam. The name itself suggest that is made out of milk and rice. Let’s see in detail the method of preparation of Ksheeranam.
- Take some rice, wash and drain the water.
- Take a heavy bottomed pan and pour milk, bring to boil and add saffron.
- Add the washed rice, cook it stirring continuously till rice is cooked and all the milk is absorbed.
- Add sugar, sugar candy (made into pieces) and mix well. Stir it till the sugar is absorbed.
- Take a wok. Pour ghee, add cashew-nuts and fry till golden brown.
- Add it to the prepared Ksheeranam.
This is offered to the Lord and later distributed to the devotees. On this Akshaya Tritiya, pray to Lord, prepare Ksheeranam and pamper yourself with a shopping spree!
If you have something interesting like this to share, write to us and get featured on our site!
Anuradha Sowmyanarayanan is a tutor, blogger, poet, book reviewer and passionate reader. Her interest in reading and writing paved the way for her blog in 2016. Book Food Language is an amalgamation of the three elements.
