Akshaya Tritiya 2023: Famous Temples That Follow The Tradition Of Akshaya Tritiya

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Akshaya Tritiya is the day that has witnessed, from time immemorial, the spiritually significant events like Gangavataran, Rescue of Draupadi from Vastrapaharan, Birth of Parashu Rama, advent of Treta yuga to name a few. Several temples follow specific traditions on this day for worship.

AKshaya Tritiya is a day when you do not need to see or search for any specific muhurta to conduct auspicious activities as each moment on this day is sacred and amounts to a perfectly auspious muhurta. There is usually a crowd of devotees gathering at temples which are associated closely with Akshaya Tritiya.

1. Simhachalam Temple

Simhachalam (Andhra Pradesh) is the abode of Lord Narasimha. The Deity of Lord Narasimha is always covered with sandal paste and this has a mystical background. King Pururavas renovated this temple. Urvashi had a dream visitation of the lord wherein sandalwood paste should be dabbed on Varaha Narasimha for the entire year except on the Akshaya Tritiya day. Akshaya Tritiya occurs 11 days before Narasimha Jayanti. This tradition prevails even now. On the Akshaya Tritiya which occurs 11 days before Narasimha Jayanti, sandal paste is washed off and abhisheka is performed for the deity. This is the only day when devotees get to see him in his full form. Again as evening arrives the deity is covered again with the paste. Here, the childless couples who want progeny take up the giri pradakshina thrice around the main temple so that the Lord of Simhachala will help them realize their ambitions,

2. Jagannath Puri Temple

The festival of Puri Jagannath begins on Akshay Tritiya which is why this day is very important for people of Odisha. Every year the Ratha Yatra is observed at Jagannath Puri. The three chariots of Jagannath (Nandighosha), Baladeva (Taladvaja) and Subhadra (Darpadalana) are freshly built with the onset of every year using wood from specific trees every year. Raths or chariots are constructed on the day of Akshaya Tritiya.

3. Remuna Temple

In the Kshira-chora Gopinatha temple at Remuna, the deities are dabbed with sandalwood paste on the Akshaya Tritiya. This is a tradition that is being followed from the times of Acharayas of Gaudiya tradition. One of these Acharyas was instructed by Lord Krishna to apply the mixture of camphor and sandalwood to the idol of Gopinatha at Remuna. This deity is believed to have stolen a sweet rice pot for this devotee who applied on him the paste of sandalwood and camphor. Hence the god got the name Kshira-chora Gopinatha.

4. Badrinath Temple

Badrinath temple closes annually for winters. The temple of Gangotri and Yamunotri also close around this time. On the day of Akshaya Tritiya, the shrines reopen for the general public at the closing of winter.

5. Kumbakonam

Kumbakonam, Garuda-vahana Seva is performed for Vishnu Deities from 12 different temples: Garuda, is the vehicle for Lord Vishnu and also the king of birds. Vedas state that both of his wings represent the two divisions of samaveda and its mantras are based on the flapping sounds of Garuda's wings. This Dwadasha Garuda Seva happens on Akshaya Tritiya of every year at Kumbhakonam and hence connected with Akshaya Tritiya very closely.

6. Banke Bihari Temple

The feet of Banke Bihari of Vrinadavan,are always covered for pilgrims who are not allowed to see them for a major part of the year. It is only the day of Akshaya Tritiya that his feet are unveiled for darshan for the devotees. This deity has manifested on its own and given to Haridas, the ardent devotee of Lord Krishna and guru to the Singing stalwart Tansen. Banke Bihari is the richest temple of all in Vrindavan.

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