Akṣaya Tṛtīyā · Vaiśākha · the third bright tithi
What is Akṣaya Tṛtīyā?
Akṣaya Tṛtīyā, also called Akhā Tīj or Akha Teej in several regional settings, is an annual occasion on Vaiśākha Śukla Tṛtīyā. Hindu and Jain traditions share the calendar date while preserving distinct sacred histories, meanings, and practices.
The name and the calendar date
Akṣaya suggests enduring abundance; Tṛtīyā is the third tithi.
Many meanings on one date
Generosity, beginnings, worship, and remembrance vary by tradition.
Hindu participation may include worship of Viṣṇu, Lakṣmī, or another sacred focus; charity and service; prayer; beginning a venture; or gathering for a wedding. In Odisha, documented regional observances include ceremonial sowing, an offering to Lakṣmī, and the beginning of Jagannātha's Ratha Yātrā chariot construction.
In Jain traditions, this is an important day in the remembered life of the first Tīrthaṅkara, Ṛṣabhadeva. Paraśurāma Jayantī and Basaveśvara Jayantī may also share the civil date in some calendars. Each remains a distinct observance with its own sacred history and meaning.
Sunrise, grain, water, new growth, and three lotus blossoms symbolize nourishment, generosity, a new beginning, and Tṛtīyā.
Official references: Press Information Bureau, charity and service · Press Information Bureau, Hindu and Jain contexts · Government of Odisha, regional agricultural and Jagannātha traditions
How Open Pañcāṅga identifies the date
These are the rules we use to identify Akṣaya Tṛtīyā.
Śukla Tṛtīyā must prevail at sūryodaya, local sunrise, and the named amānta lunar-month calculation must give the regular month Vaiśākha. When both conditions match, the report identifies Akṣaya Tṛtīyā and explains the local calculation.
The rule used here checks sunrise as its controlling time. Regional, temple, Hindu, or Jain calendars may apply additional duration or precedence rules and may therefore select a nearby civil date.