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Vaishakha shukla tritiya (April-May) · pan-india
(1) Treta Yuga began this day; (2) Parashurama's birth; (3) Veda Vyasa began composing the Mahabharata; (4) Krishna gifted Sudama with eternal wealth; (5) Ganga descended; (6) Pandavas received the Akshaya Patra (inexhaustible vessel) from Surya.
Akṣaya Tṛtīyā — Vaiśākha śukla tṛtīyā (April-May) — is the day on which Tretā Yuga began, on which Ved Vyāsa began composing the Mahābhārata, on which Sudāmā met Krishna and received eternal wealth, on which Gaṅgā descended to earth, on which Pāṇḍavas received the Akṣaya Pātra (the inexhaustible vessel) from Sūrya, and on which Bhagīratha completed his tapas. The word 'akṣaya' itself means 'imperishable' or 'undecaying' — anything done on this day is said to never diminish.
Modern Akṣaya Tṛtīyā is dominated by gold-buying. Hindu folk tradition holds that gold purchased today multiplies indefinitely; the Indian gold market is the world's largest single-day gold-buying event annually. Jewellery houses across India advertise their entire annual sales on this day. Beyond the commercial aspect, Akṣaya Tṛtīyā is also one of the three sun-moon-conjunction days when the moon's brightness is exactly equal to the sun's at midnight — an astronomical alignment used by ancient astronomers as a calibration point.
Religiously, the day is also Parashurāma's birthday. The famous Parashurāma Jayantī coincides with Akṣaya Tṛtīyā. In Vrindavan, Banke Bihari's lotus feet are seen in full only on this day each year — usually they are covered. In Puri (Odisha), Lord Jagannātha begins the annual Chandan Yātrā on this day.
Akṣaya Tṛtīyā celebrates the principle of ākṣayatva — that some acts are imperishable. Every gift given today, every prayer offered, every charitable act — these are said in tradition to multiply through every subsequent yuga. The festival is therefore the supreme dāna day: more than the act itself, the intent and the day combine to create eternal merit. The folk-association with gold is a misreading: the real teaching is about giving. The Pāṇḍavas received the Akṣaya Pātra not to fill their own kitchen but to feed visitors who came to them in the forest. Akṣaya Tṛtīyā is therefore the festival of ākṣaya-dāna (imperishable charity) — what we give now grows forever.
Pre-dawn
Bath. Visit Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu temple.
Morning
Lakṣmī Pūjā at home. Recite Sri Suktam, Lakṣmī Aṣṭottara. Light a diya specifically for Lakṣmī.
Midday
Buy gold, silver, or property if you can. Even a single small gold coin counts. Lakṣmī's blessing follows the buying.
Afternoon
Tarpaṇa for ancestors. Visit elders.
Evening
Distribute dāna — give to the poor, donate to a temple. The Sudāmā-Krishna katha is recited in many households tonight.
Kheer · Coconut barfi · Akshat (akshaya — unbroken rice) preparations
Tell children the Sudāmā story — the poor brahmin who came to his childhood-friend Krishna, the king of Dvārakā, with nothing but a handful of beaten rice. Krishna gave him imperishable wealth. The story embodies Akṣaya Tṛtīyā's teaching: small offerings to the divine receive infinite returns. Have children select one toy or book to give to a less-fortunate child today; explain that this gift will keep multiplying its merit for them. Many families give children their first piece of gold (a small chain or ring) on Akṣaya Tṛtīyā as a tradition.
Akṣaya Tṛtīyā is well-supported in the diaspora. Indian-American jewellers run major Akṣaya Tṛtīyā campaigns; Costco and other major retailers in NRI-dense cities now stock gold for this day. For families far from temples, the home Lakṣmī Pūjā with even one small gold purchase, plus a charitable donation, fulfills the festival fully.
hindi
अक्षय तृतीया की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं · Akṣaya Tṛtīyā kī Hārdik Śubhakāmnāyeṃ
tamil
அக்ஷய திருதிய நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள் · Akṣaya Tṛtīya Nalvāḻttukkaḷ
Vaiśākha śukla tṛtīyā. The most-auspicious muhūrta is sunrise to midday. Tarpaṇa is also performed in the afternoon — ancestors are particularly receptive on this day.
| 2026 | April 19, 2026 (Sunday) |
| 2027 | May 9 (Sunday) |
| 2028 | April 27 (Thursday) |
| 2029 | May 16, 2029 (Wednesday) |
| 2030 | May 5 (Sunday) |
Devotional Text · Vishnu mantra
Om Namo Narayanaya
Ashtakshara mantra of Vishnu/Narayana for Vaishnava remembrance.
Devotional Text · Lakshmi hymn
Shri Suktam
Vedic hymn to Lakshmi for Lakshmi-Narayana worship contexts.
Panchang · Confirm local timing
Daily Panchang
Check tithi, nakshatra, rahu kaal, sunrise, and daily ritual timing.
Panchang · Auspicious timing
Muhurat Finder
Find auspicious windows for puja, sankalpa, and important beginnings.
Answer · Deeper guide
Hartalika Teej Vrat: Parvati-Shiva Puja, Fasting Caveats, and Regional Practice
Conservative Hartalika Teej Vrat guide with Bhadrapada Shukla Tritiya, Parvati-Shiva worship, fasting caveats, regional variants, and samagri checklist.
parashuram jayanti · chandan yatra · banke bihari darshan
Mahabharata, Vana Parva Akshaya Patra narrative
Used for the Akshaya Patra and inexhaustible-giving narrative baseline.
Bhagavata Purana Krishna-Sudama tradition
Used for the Krishna-Sudama devotional giving and humility context.
Jagannath Chandan Yatra temple tradition
Used for Puri and Chandan Yatra regional observance context.
PujaKit Hindu Festival Calendar 2026
Internal calendar baseline lists Akshaya Tritiya on April 19, 2026, with local panchang caveats for tithi and muhurat.