Celebrate Akshaya Tritiya By Multiplying Goodness Through Charity

By Author: The Akshaya Patra Foundation
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Akshaya Tritiya has become synonymous with the purchase of gold and silver. People choose the day to invest in these precious metals with the belief that it is auspicious. While the general narrative seems to suggest the same, it is interesting to note that giving is an important part of Akshaya Tritiya rituals and customs. People observe giving in different forms since it is believed that donating to charity on this day reaps the rewards. With annadanam considered to be one of the most noble forms of giving on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, you can contribute to feeding the children by donating to Akshaya Patra, an NGO that supports the nutrition and education of children by ensuring their continued access to hot, tasty and nutritious mid-day meals every school day.

Significance of Akshaya Tritiya

As one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar, Akshaya Tritiya, also called Akti or Akha Teej, is observed by both Hindus and Jains across the globe. In Sanskrit, ‘Akshaya’ means ‘never-ending’ or ‘inexhaustible’ and ‘Tritiya’ denotes the ‘third day;’ in this case, the third lunar day ...
... of the Vaisakha month (April–May) in the Hindu calendar. The festival is not just a day of celebration but a day of deep respect and reverence. It is associated with several significant events and activities. The story from Mahabharata of Draupadi receiving Akshaya Patra—an inexhaustible vessel that never runs out of food—from Surya Deva or the Sun God is one of the most well-known. It symbolises the infinite blessings associated with this day.

In addition to following the customary traditions of worshipping Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kuber, people participate in several other activities on Akshaya Tritiya. Since it is considered an auspicious day for all actions and because good deeds have a compounding effect, people look forward to initiating new ventures, getting married, investing in gold and other similar endeavours. It is a common sight to see people dressed traditionally swarming shops and businesses on this day to buy lentils, green veggies, grains, ghee, sandalwood, coconut, buttermilk and other items, as it is believed that the purchase of these items brings riches, good vibes and luck to the person and family. Interestingly, the true power lies in the intention to donate these items to others. By doing so, you become part of a larger cause, multiplying goodness and making an impact that lasts.

Akshaya Tritiya is also associated with new beginnings, and many people choose to start new ventures on this day, believing that it will bring the necessary luck. On Akshaya Tritiya, rice cultivation begins in many parts of eastern India. People pray to Mother Earth, the livestock and machinery to ask for blessings for an abundant crop. In several states, festivals are celebrated with much fanfare. On this day, the construction of chariot for the Rath Yatra begins in Puri, Odisha.

Donate to Akshaya Patra on Akshaya Tritiya

Akshaya Patra started with the vision, ‘No child in India shall be deprived of education because of hunger.’ The idea was to provide children a nutritious mid-day meal as an incentive for them to come to school, thus ensuring their nutrition and education. It provides “unlimited food for education” to children in government and government-aided schools, which is synonymous with the mythological ‘Akshaya Patra’ that the Pandavas had received from Surya Dev, which ensured them an endless supply of food.

Over the years, The Akshaya Patra Foundation has established itself as one of the top NGOs in India, implementing the government’s flagship PM POSHAN Abhiyaan. By donating to Akshaya Patra, you contribute to the Foundation’s efforts to provide nutritious meals to over 2.1 million children across 72 locations in 16 states and 2 UTs.

With each donation you make, you help a child by guaranteeing they have access to a minimum of one nutritious meal each school day, which plays a crucial role in their overall development. Additionally, providing a meal encourages children to attend classes daily and incentivises people to send their wards to school, increasing attendance and addressing school dropout rates. As a result of this meal, the number of children enrolled in schools has increased in several locations.

Furthermore, continued access to healthy meals boosts children’s attention span in the classroom and gives them the energy to participate in extracurricular activities. This, in turn, results in better academic outcomes and inspires young minds to persevere and pursue their goals.

By providing hot meals to children on this auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, you can multiply your benefits and inherit “unending good wishes.”
Akshaya Trititiya is a day to aim for the best outcomes possible, start over, try something different and do good. Akshaya Tritiya is a symbol of positivity, luck and hope.

Donate online to Akshaya Patra on Akshaya Tritiya and get a tax exemption of 50% on your donation.

Feed the children every day and assist in addressing classroom hunger by supporting Akshaya Patra’s efforts to implement the PM POSHAN Abhiyaan. Your donation today will encourage children to pursue their aspirations by ensuring their access to nutritious mid-day meals for an entire academic year.

I'm a social volunteer, lives in Bengaluru. I do work for NGOs to make society better. Currently I'm working for The Akshaya Patra Foundation. It's an NGO in India which provides wholesome nutritious mid-day meals to government school children to end classroom hunger. https://www.akshayapatra.org/