This year, Wednesday, May 11, is the holy day of Akshaya Tritiya, called Akha Teej in North India. Akha Teej has a bad name for mass child marriages and government agencies have rightly announced a ban on such practices. Meanwhile, Akha Teej draws more flak as a commercial event for jewellers, since many believe it’s lucky to buy gold this day.Under the commotion lurks the question: just why is this particular day so favoured for weddings, griha pravesh and the shubh arambh of any venture, personal, professional or commercial? It falls on the third day (tritiya) of the bright half of the month Vishaka. The sun and moon are believed, astrologically, to be at their most exalted brightness that day. It’s also the birthday of Mahavishnu’s sixth avatar, Parashurama. Our ancestors passed on the belief that with such good vibrations in the universe, any project or relationship begun that day would be long lasting (‘akshaya’ means ‘eternal’). But it’s praying to Mahalakshmi this day and donating to charity that’s considered most auspicious and lucky for individuals and companies.However, the saints and seers also urge that any day that comes from God, meaning all days and every minute in them, are good. Which puts me in mind of a small story you might like.Earlier this year, around Lohri, I think, a rare event took place. A babaji from Lahore sang shabad at the India Habitat Centre. The hall was packed early, without even standing room. But how nicely everyone made place as people kept pouring in. The organisers appealed to the audience’s charity because the babaji, not surprisingly, found it hard to make ends meet in Pakistan singing the Gurbani. They placed a large bowl at the edge of the stage. You should have seen how everyone quietly filed up to put in money, like one does at the gurdwara when kirtans are being sung. The bowl soon overflowed with hundred rupee notes and more.Again, last Friday evening, Kapil Dev’s (rather disorganised) benefit concert for disabled children had Delhi rocking to Rabbi and fainting in coils when Shafqat Ali Khan, the dazzling eleventh-gen chirag of the now-Pak Shyam Chaurasi gharana, roared like a young lion. It’s another matter that the performer between them, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, nephew of the late Nusrat, yowled and screeched like a cat and a dog tied together in one sack. Sounds uncharitable, but hearing’s believing. Anyhow, several people spontaneously put money for the kids into waiting fishbowls.Since giving is good for us, what if we celebrated Akha Teej by giving and not buying? The gods promise more bounty that way. Grain (an euphemism for food), clothes and money for learning/livelihood top the auspicious list: cooperative social responsibility disguised as a donor benefit!
