Vaishakha • Shukla Paksha • Tritiya
Akshaya Tritiya 2026
The day whose virtue never diminishes — most auspicious for new beginnings, gold purchase, and charity.
Date
Sunday, 19 April 2026
3 days away
Muhurat
Abujh Muhurat
Akshaya Tritiya is one of the three Abujh Muhurats of the year (along with Yugadi/Gudi Padwa and Vijayadashami) — the entire day is auspicious. Despite this, the most powerful purchase and puja window is between sunrise and the end of Tritiya tithi, with the peak Abhijit Muhurat (around midday) being especially favoured for gold buying.
Significance of Akshaya Tritiya
Akshaya means 'never diminishing.' Anything begun, given, invested or chanted on this day is believed to multiply forever. It is one of only three Abujh Muhurats in the year — the entire day is auspicious without needing a panchang. Buying gold, silver and property, starting a new venture, weddings, donations, and beginning the Char Dham yatra are all favoured. Farmers in Bengal and Odisha begin the agricultural year today (Halkhata).
History & Mythology of Akshaya Tritiya
Akshaya Tritiya — also called Akha Teej — falls on the Tritiya tithi of the Shukla Paksha of Vaishakha. According to the Puranas, this day marks the birth of Lord Parshuram, the sixth avatar of Vishnu. It is also believed that Veda Vyasa began dictating the Mahabharata to Lord Ganesha on this day, that the Treta Yuga began on Akshaya Tritiya, and that the holy Ganga descended to earth on this very date. Sudama is said to have visited Krishna in Dwarka on Akshaya Tritiya and received boundless wealth — establishing the day's association with Lakshmi.
Presiding Deity: Vishnu, Lakshmi, Parshurama
Akshaya Tritiya Puja Vidhi & Rituals
- 1
Take an early bath, ideally before sunrise; many devotees bathe in the Ganga, Yamuna or Narmada.
- 2
Worship Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi together — offer tulsi, yellow flowers, sandalwood, and rice.
- 3
Buy gold, silver or any precious metal during the muhurat window — even a small purchase symbolises the wish for unending prosperity.
- 4
Donate food, clothes, water pots (matka), umbrellas, sandalwood paste and money to Brahmins and the needy.
- 5
Chant the Vishnu Sahasranama, Lakshmi Stotra or 'Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya' 108 times.
- 6
Begin any new venture — business, education, investment, marriage discussion — without consulting a separate muhurat.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Akshaya Tritiya in 2026?
Akshaya Tritiya in 2026 falls on Sunday, 19 April 2026. The Tritiya tithi begins on the morning of Sunday, 19 April 2026 and continues into the early hours of the next day. The entire day is treated as auspicious (Abujh Muhurat).
Why is gold bought on Akshaya Tritiya?
Gold symbolises Goddess Lakshmi, and 'Akshaya' means never-diminishing. Buying gold on this day is believed to lock in prosperity that grows forever. Even a single coin or token purchase carries the blessing — it is the intent and the muhurat that matter, not the quantity.
What should you NOT do on Akshaya Tritiya?
Avoid arguments, anger, lying, and harming any living being — actions of this day also multiply. Do not borrow money, do not cut nails or hair, and avoid non-vegetarian food and alcohol. Karmic consequences (good or bad) are amplified.
What is the connection between Akshaya Tritiya and the Char Dham yatra?
The portals of Shri Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri (the Char Dham of Uttarakhand) traditionally open on Akshaya Tritiya. The Yamunotri and Gangotri kapat-opening is performed at the auspicious muhurat of Akshaya Tritiya every year.
Can I get married on Akshaya Tritiya without checking a muhurat?
Yes. Akshaya Tritiya is one of the three Abujh Muhurats — Vivah, Griha Pravesh, business inauguration and any auspicious sanskar can be performed without consulting a separate muhurat. The day itself is the muhurat.
Related Festivals
Buddha Purnima
The thrice-blessed full moon of Vaishakha — birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha.
Ganga Saptami
The day Ma Ganga re-emerged from Lord Shiva's matted locks — observed for purification and ancestral peace.
Ganga Dussehra
The day Ma Ganga descended from heaven to earth — ten dips wash away the ten cardinal sins.
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