Agrarian festival Akshaya Tritiya was on Wednesday celebrated across Odisha with farmers performing ‘Akhi Muthi Anukula’, the ceremonial act of sowing seeds in their paddy fields after ploughing. The occasion marked the commencement of agricultural works.
As per rituals, farmers wearing new clothes carried decorated baskets of seeds to their fields where the seeds are offered to Goddess lakshmi praying for a rich harvest season.
The festival also marked the beginning of Chandan Yatra of deities at several temples. The construction of chariots for the Rath Yatra of lord Jagannath and His siblings in Puri also started on the day.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik greeted the people of the State on the occasion wishing for a good harvest season and prosperity of farmers.
Patnaik also participated in the Akhi Muthi Anukula ceremony at the State-level Krushak Divas organised at Nakachi in Angul district and inaugurated as many as 11 projects.
The Akshaya Tritiya is considered to be auspicious for new beginnings like weddings, buying property, making investments, etc. It is believed that things started on this day continue to grow and prosper.
Akshaya Tritiya is considered to be the day of the birth of lord Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of lord Vishnu. It is also considered to be the day when Vedvyasa and lord Ganesha started writing the Mahabharata.