INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
across the country would be celebrating Akshay Tritya on 18th April 2018
Also known as 'Akha Teej', the festival falls on the third lunar day of Shukla Paksha of Baisakh month
Akshay Tritya is considered to be one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar
'Akshay' in Sanskrit means imperishable and eternal, while Tritiya means "third"
For Jain community too, the day is of significant importance
Akshay Tritiya commemorates the first Tirthankara's (Rishabhanatha) ending his one-year asceticism by consuming sugarcane juice poured into
their annual construction of chariots for the Puri Rath Yatra festivities, in Odisha
Akshay Tritiya is considered to be very auspicious for beginning and buying something new
Businessmen often choose Akshay Tritiya to start their ventures
It is said that it was on this day, Lord Parshuram, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu was born
Some also believe, that on this particular day, Ved Vyas began reciting Mahabharata to Lord Ganesha
According to another legend, it was on this day, river Ganges first descended upon earth from heaven
When the Pandavas were living their lives in exile, they were visited by many sages
The cottage of Pandavas was also a spot for many counsels and meetings
One day Lord Krishna visited the Pandavas with a couple of his friends
They sat down and started talking, until Krishna noticed that Draupadi had not come out to greet them
He went around the cottage in search of her only to find her weeping in the kitchen
Upon asking, Draupadi showed him the pot in which she had cooked rice that morning, and said "This is all I have in my kitchen, Krishna."
The rice-pot was empty, and she had no more rice left in the cottage to serve the guests outside
Krishna took the pot and asked Draupadi to check again if the rice pot was really empty
Draupadi looked again and saw just one grain sticking to one side of the pot
Krishna told her that even a single grain of rice offered with humility is enough to satiate the universe
Lord Krishna took the grain and put it in his mouth and not just him, at that point, every human being present in the universe was satiated
It is said that Krishna gifted her an 'Akshay Patra', the inexhaustible vessel which would ensure that not just Pandavas, but even those
The divine vessel, could feed everyone on earth with unlimited rice and food
Until Draupadi, the last person to eat among the Pandavas feasted, the Akshaya Patra would not be emptied
The legend of Akshay Patra is one of the most renowned legends of Mahabharata, teaching values of humility and offering and sharing food
