Bhubaneswar,Apr 20(BNP): Farmers across Odisha are celebrating the agricultural festival of Akshaya Tritiya on April 20, 2026, by performing the traditional ritual of Akhimuthi Anukula, marking the auspicious beginning of the new farming season. The sacred ceremony involves the ceremonial sowing of the first seeds in paddy fields, accompanied by prayers to Goddess Lakshmi for a prosperous harvest.
However, the celebrations are overshadowed by growing concerns over climate change. Irregular and erratic rainfall, along with the increasing frequency of droughts and floods, has significantly disrupted farming schedules across the state. In several regions, farmers have also reported a shortage of seeds for the traditional ceremony, while unpredictable weather patterns continue to pose serious challenges to agriculture and the traditional farming calendar.
Observed annually on the third day of the bright fortnight in the month of Vaishakha, Akshaya Tritiya is considered a “swayam siddha muhurta,” meaning the entire day is inherently auspicious for initiating new ventures without the need for a specific muhurta.
