Divine wishes of Akshay Tritiya to all the friends! :- ) Akshay Tritiya is in the Vaishakh month according to the Hindu Lunar Calendar, it’s the third day of Vaishakh Shukla Paksha.
Akshay Tritiya is celebrated in the summer. Indian culture is the
culture of celebration and making others happy by giving, so we celebrate
summer by this festival. The rituals of
Akshay Tritiya are mainly Jaap, Daan and Homam.
The Jaap, Dan and homam performed
on this day becomes Akshay which means the Punya gained by the positive fruit
of these holy Karmas never end. It is emphasized in the Puranas that Daan
during Vaishakh is very important. Daan can be something which will help others
to stay protected from the summer.
Punya brings all that moments which brings us bliss, which
fulfill our desires, which bring us the inner satisfaction. Obviously, good
Karma results in happiness and the cycle continues.
Akshay Tritiya is about giving. It is suggested to give small
pitcher to Brahmins filled with water. In addition, hand fans can be given.
People follow this tradition enthusiastically. This tradition is basically to keep
the balance in the society by helping others to stay protected during the
summer. But I think the purpose of this festival is not achieved completely as
one person gets many Ghagars or Matkis which they do not need at all. (I am also
a Brahmin, so I have written this, not against Brahmins.) If a Brahmin who
doesn’t need pitchers tell the Yajman to give to someone needy, the Yajman won’t
accept it. These faiths followed too blindly that even sometimes-poor Brahmins
Daan, is not done to poor Brahmins because they are not much famous. The
rituals, Vratas and traditions given in the Puranas of Hinduism are the guidelines
to create an ideal life, ideal society and ideal world, not all traditions can
be followed today in the form they are written. We can adapt them with time
keeping the purpose behind alive.
Many folks use fridge nowadays to cool the water, so for
them also getting pitchers must not be important. There are many people in
India, who still can’t afford to buy a fridge or even a pitcher; we can do the
Daan by giving to them who desperately need it. They will be happy and the
Punya – good Karma created by this will be truly Akshay. Why should the Daan,
limited to just humans? We can celebrate Akshay Tritiya by arranging water for
birds, dogs, cats, and cows. They do not have fridge, air conditioners, we can
do some arrangement to get them water during summer and some shade which can
save their lives.
This summer in many areas of India, temperature is 40 degree
centigrade or more. We read the news of deaths of people due to sunstroke. One
of that news was about a man who was serving meals to officers on election
duty. These deaths are happening due to lack of awareness about heatwave and
sunstroke and lack of help in the emergency. Sunstroke can be avoided. Many
times the symptoms of sunstroke are not taken seriously, which may damage
brain, kidneys. We can celebrate the summer by staying cool and safe from
scorching sun and making others aware of symptoms of heatstroke, first aid, and
emergency steps. Be vigilant; help your family, friends, and people around you
to stay safe and protected during scorching temperature.
People who can’t afford to buy coolers, fans can make common
efforts for this in colonies, communities which will be helpful in emergency.
Request, hospitals to keep special immediate help for sunstroke affected
patients. If a patient has one or more symptoms like trouble in breathing,
increased body temperature, high blood pressure gets immediate help; they can
be saved without significant health damage.
The essence of Indian culture and traditions is about making
someone happy, about giving something very small it may be, whatever we can.
The quantity or amount of our donation is not important but the feeling of love
and equality is!
Comments