Which God is Worshipped on Akshaya Tritiya day?

Akshaya Tritiya is one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar as it is the harbinger of good luck, wealth, and prosperity. Also called Akha Teej, devotees believe that that the occasion is ideal for conducting various rituals and ceremonies.

One of the important traditions associated with Akshaya Tritiya is the buying of gold and silver. People believe that buying gold jewelry on this day will attract good luck and prosperity. Akshaya Tritiya 2021 is on May 14.

Akshaya Tritiya is dedicated to the worship of Vishnu. Devotees pray to Lord Vishnu for wealth and prosperity. Also, on this day, Parashurama was born. He was one of the many incarnations of Vishnu. Another belief is that Goddess Ganga arrived on earth on this day from her heavenly abode. People also worship Goddess Annapoorna on this day. She is the Hindu goddess of food.

It was on this day that Lord Krishna's friend Sudama went to visit him. Sudama was poor, and he was hoping that Krishna would see his pitiful plight and give him some help. On seeing Krishna, he was so happy that he forgot to ask for help. But Krishna knew everything and blessed him with wealth and prosperity. This day also supposedly marks the start of a new yuga. When Satya Yuga came to an end, Treta Yuga followed, and it began on this day, says mythology. 

Hindus believe that Kubera, the Hindu God of wealth, propitiated Goddess Lakshmi on this day, and she, in turn, blessed him with great wealth and money. This is the reason why people buy gold or new property on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. People start new business ventures or take up a new job on Akha Teej, too. This day is considered ideal for various auspicious occasions like thread ceremonies, buying property, etc. Many people also choose to tie the knot on this auspicious day. Sundaresa, an incarnation of Siva, is said to have married Goddess Madhura on this day. The line of destiny is said to change on this day, and it adds auspiciousness to it.

‘Akshaya’ means “never depleting”, and ‘Tritiya’ indicates the fact that the festival is on the third day of Shukla Paksha, or the bright half of Vaisakha month. Jains celebrate the festival as an occasion to remember Tirthankara Rishabha’s year-long fast, which ended on Akshaya Tritiya day. 

Akshaya Tritiya has different names in different parts of India. It is called Akti in Chhattisgarh, while in the Western states like Rajasthan and Gujarat, it is called Akha Teej.