India is a country of festivals and there is no denying it. Every season brings with it a variety of festivals which are vibrant and colourful, adding to the excitement of the season. Keeping up with the tradition, the spring season brings along Holi, Bihu, Rath Yatra and other festivals. Another popular festival is Akshaya Tritiya. Also known as Akti or Akha Teej, it is an annual spring festival celebrated by Hindus and Jains throughout India (and abroad). The Sanskrit word Akshaya Tritiya literally means ‘never-decreasing (akshaya)’ and ‘third phase (tritiya) of the moon’ – which refers to the “third day of eternal prosperity”. Every year, Akshaya Tritiya falls on the third tithi (lunar day) of the Shukla Paksha of Vaishakh as per the Hindu calendar. And if you follow the Gregorian calendar, it falls around April or May.
Akshaya Tritiya 2022: Date, Time and Puja Date:
This year, Akshaya Tritiya is falling today (on 22 April 2023) and coincides with the festival of Eid al-Fitr.
- Akshaya Tritiya Puja Muhurat – 05:10 am to 07:47 am
- Duration – 02 hours 37 minutes
- Tritiya date starts – 22 April 2023 at 07:49 am
- Tritiya Tithi ends – 23 April 2023 at 07:47 AM
(Source: www.drikpanchang.com)
Akha Teej 2023: How Akshaya Tritiya is celebrated in India:
As mentioned earlier, Akshaya Tritiya is a symbol of never-ending prosperity. On this day, people worship, observe a fast and prepare ‘Akshat’ to be offered to Lord Vishnu for good luck. For the uninitiated, ‘akshat’ are unbroken rice grains coated with turmeric and kumkum. Apart from this, people also buy gold, silver, electronics, cars etc. on this day as a symbol of happiness and prosperity in their lives.
Besides this, devotees also prepare naivedyam (bhog) and offer it to Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesha and household deities. While the naivedyam thali varies from place to place, what remains constant is milk or milk products. Keeping this in mind, we bring you some classic desi sweets that you can prepare and offer as bhog during Akshaya Tritiya.
Here are 5 milk-based sweets (mithai) for Akshaya Tritiya 2023 festivities:
1. Mango Pudding:
Kheer is probably one of the most common sweets prepared during any festival in India. Hence, we thought of sharing this popular recipe with a summer-y twist. Here’s a mango kheer recipe that includes freshly cut mangoes. Click here for the Mango Kheer recipe.
2. Paal Payasam:
A South Indian-style pudding, payasam is a rich and creamy dish that includes the goodness of rice, milk, dry fruits and ghee. It is often offered as ‘Prasadam’ in various South Indian temples. You will also find different variations of payasam recipes – including moong dal payasam, pineapple payasam, coconut payasam and many more. Here we bring you the classic paal payasam recipe. Click here for the recipe.
3. Rabdi:
Rabri is another popular dish prepared during Akshaya Tritiya. It is hassle free, easy to make and adds a rich flavor to your food. All you need to make rabdi is milk, sugar, dry fruits and cardamom – that’s all. Click here for the Rabdi recipe.
4. Rasmalai:
Rasmalai needs no introduction; Correct? It is rich, flavourful and elevates the dining experience in no time. All you have to do is make small rasgullas and dip them in condensed milk boiled with saffron, sugar and some basic flavorings of your choice. Click here for the recipe,
5. Aamras:
Akshaya Tritiya celebration in Gujarat and Maharashtra is not complete without a bowl of aamras. in fact, it holds a constant position in a traditional Maharashtrian naivedyam thali. Keeping in mind the popularity, here we have found the traditional aamras recipe for you. Click here for the recipe.
Happy Akshaya Tritiya 2023, everyone!