Akshaya Tritiya 2018: Significance, importance and timing

Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej, is a festival celebrated by the Hindus and Jains. According to the Hindu calendar, this auspicious festival falls on the third day of the Hindu month of Vaisakha. 

This festival is also celebrated as the birthday of Lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. One might also find it interesting that on this day, Ved Vyas commenced writing the Mahabharata.

This year it is being observed on April 18.

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Hindus believe that the day of Akshaya Tritiya is an auspicious one for buying gold and jewellery. One anticipates good fortune and success in financial areas while shopping or investing in gold during this time.

While Pandavas were in their exile, it was on this holy day that Lord Krishna blessed them with the Akshaya Patra or the vessel that never goes empty. Several notable personalities including Basaveshwara, Ramanujacharya, Adi Shankaracharya and Swami Chinmayananda were all born on Akshaya Tritiya.

Once Sudhama, the childhood friend of Krishna wished to meet Krishna later in his life after having fathered several children and suffering in poverty. Sudhama knew that Krishna always liked beaten rice (poha). Therefore he bundled some of it in a cloth and hung it on his back during a long and tedious journey to Krishna’s abode. Krishna gave his friend a royal welcome and had three mouthfuls of the poha that Sudhama got for him.

Sudhama did not ask for any favour during that time and thus returned home. To his utter surprise, the entire household was found transformed like a heaven overflowing with all wealth and prosperity that would suffice for more than a lifetime. Thus, it was on Akshaya Tritiya that Krishna blessed his poor devotee with such an incomparable wealth.

The auspicious timings for purchasing gold are as follows:

Morning 5.57 am to 9.09 am
Morning 10.45 am to 12.21 pm
Afternoon 3.33 pm to 06.45 pm
Evening 8.08 pm to 12.20 am