Reply #74: What Is Akshaya Tritiya? [View All]

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/05/06/what-is-akshaya-tritiya/?mod=mktw

Depending on whom you’re consulting, Akshaya Tritiya, which falls on Friday this year, is the day the Hindu goddess of food was born (there’s a reason many Indian restaurants are called Annapurna after her), the beginning of the period of eternity that Hindus call the Age of Truth (in case you’re wondering, apparently we’re in the Age of Strife now), or the birthday of an incarnation of the god Vishnu, the preserver.

The first word—Akshaya—means “that which never diminishes.” The second word—derived from the Sanskrit root for “three”—specifies when in the lunar calendar it falls.

It has also become the focus of a major marketing initiative by the World Gold Council in recent years.

“It’s part of a strategy to deseasonalize the demand for gold,” said Vasudha Jha, India spokeswoman for the gold mining industry body, the World Gold Council, which works with sellers to encourage gold demand. “It’s a huge marketing opportunity to really support our partners…the belief is that if you buy, what you buy on Akshaya Tritiya can never get destroyed.