Varanasi 13 May: Devotees took holy dip in northern India on the occasion of the auspicious day when people began new ventures and purchased gold as well.
Hindu devotees thronged to the banks of the river Ganges on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Akshay Tritiya on Monday (May 13) morning in the holy city of Varanasi in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state and took holy dip.
Apart from taking a dip in the river, the devotees also performed religious rituals as they hoped to fulfill their wishes. .
“Making donations on this day brings in lot of good luck. People donate according to their capacity. Making donation on this day is like an investment. On this day of Akshay Tritiya if one donates, then it brings good luck and one is blessed by the gods,” said Jugal Kishore, a priest, while explaining the importance of donation.
Akshaya Tritiya, the third day of the lunar fortnight of 'Vaishakh' - the second month according to Hindu calendar, is considered one of the foremost sacred days of the year.
The word Akshaya means, 'which never diminishes'. Hence it prompts people to buy valuables particularly gold.
People also turned up on the river bank of the river Ganges in large numbers in the state's Allahabad city.
“Today any venture that is started does not go waste. Good deeds done on this day are always fruitful. Today people should buy gold,” said Kanchan Srivastav, a local woman.
Allahabad being at the confluence of the Indian sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Saraswati, derives more importance on the occasion because of a sacred 'Akshayvat' tree.
The Akshaya Tritiya festival is one of the two most auspicious days of the year to buy the yellow metal in the world's largest gold market, as Hindus believe they can get lasting prosperity by buying precious metals on the day. The other festival is Dhanteras in November.
