Akshaya Tritiya 2023: Know significance, history and rituals of agrarian festival

‘Akshaya Tritiya’ is a popular agrarian festival. It is one of the most important days in the Hindu calendar and occurs on the third lunar day of the bright half of the Hindu month of ‘Vaishakha’.

As per the traditional rituals of the farming festival, the farmers perform ‘Akhi Muthi Anukula’, the ritual of sowing seeds in their paddy fields after ploughing their lands.

It is a festival that celebrates wealth, prosperity and good fortune. It is believed that any investments made on this day will bring prosperity and good fortune.

Farmers in the State wear new clothes, carry a basket of seeds and sow those in their fields as part of the rituals during the festival. It is also observed as ‘Siddhi and Suddhi Dibasa’. As per the popular belief, the seeds sown during the festival are considered as offerings to Goddess Lakhmi. Farmers in the State believe that by following the ritual, they will get rich harvest.

The word ‘Akshaya’ has a deep meaning and it signifies something that never diminishes. Popular belief is that things started on the day of Akshaya Tritiya continue to grow and prosper.

Moreover, construction of the chariots for the famous Rath Yatra in Puri begins on this auspicious day. Carpenters start constructing chariots for Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabadra and Goddess Subhadra.

The farming festival also marks the beginning of the popular ‘Chandan Yatra’ of the Holy Trinity of Srimandir in Puri. Madan Mohan, the representative idol of Lord Jagannath, along with the representative idols of Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra, Bhudevi, Sridevi and five Shivalingas known as Pancha Pandavas are taken out of the sanctum sanctorum. The deities are placed on lavishly decorated palanquins, known as ‘bimanas’ and taken out in a grand procession to the Narendra tank. 

The farming festival is also considered to be auspicious for new beginnings like weddings, buying property, making investments, important purchases, new ventures etc. This festival is a special occasion for Hindus because of the many customs and rituals that are associated with it, such as buying jewelry made of gold and silver, performing special pujas, and donating to the poor. 

Akshaya Tritiya is also considered to be the day of the birth of the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu- Lord Parsurama. It is also considered to be the day when Ved Vyasa and Lord Ganesha started writing the great epic Mahabharata.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted the citizens on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.

“Many many good wishes for Akshaya Tritiya. May this auspicious festival related with offerings, virtues and new beginnings bring happiness, prosperity and good health in everybody’s life,” tweeted Modi.