VRINDAVAN, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA, May 6, 2011 (Daily India): Hundreds of devotees thronged the Banke Bihari Mandir in Uttar Pradesh’s Vrindavan town on Friday to mark the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. Akshaya Tritiya, known as Akshaya Teej in Uttar Pradesh, is the third day of the lunar fortnight of Vaishakh, which is considered one of the most sacred days of the year.
The day is marked with great festivities and people come to Vrindavan from all parts of the nation to have a peek of Hindu God Krishna’s feet, which is allowed only on this day in the year.
Gopi Goswamy, a priest, said that the wishes of devotees who worship lord Krishna today are fulfilled. “Today is the special occasion of worshipping lord Krishna. One, who performs it, is always rich. All the wishes come true and get prosperity. All the good work done today in the name of devotion will not go in vain and one will definitely achieve something,” he said.
[from Wikipedia’s article on Akshaya Tritya: Starting a new activity or buying valuables on this day is considered to bring luck and success. Many buy new gold jewelry on this day. Most jewelry stores offer new items for this occasion with “Lakshmi-inscribed” gold coins, diamond jewelry and golden dollars with the pictures of many Gods and Goddesses. There are vigorous campaigns conducted by banks, jewelry shops and financial institutions, giving Akshaya Tritiya prominence.
Akshaya Tritiiya is believed to be the day when Ganesha, the elephant-headed God of wisdom and obstacle removal, started writing the epic Mahabharata to Ved Vyas’s dictation. It is also traditionally observed as the birthday of Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of god Vishnu.]