Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge extends wishes on occasion of Akshaya Tritiya

Taking to social media X, Kharge in a post wrote, "Hearty greetings to all the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. We wish that this auspicious occasion brings happiness, prosperity, progress, success and well-being in the lives of all of you."

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended warm greetings on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, wishing prosperity, success, and happiness for all citizens.

In a post shared on the social media platform X, the Prime Minister wrote, "Infinite good wishes to all of you on Akshaya Tritiya. May this sacred festival dedicated to humanity bring success, prosperity, and happiness to everyone, and give new strength to the resolve of a developed India."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended his wishes, " Infinite best wishes for Akshaya Tritiya, the festival symbolising the confluence of nature and culture. I wish that this holy festival brings eternal virtue, good fortune and prosperity in everyone's life.

Akshaya Tritiya, also known as Akha Teej or Akshaya Tritiya, is a significant Hindu festival observed throughout the country. Celebrated on the third lunar day of the bright half of the month of Vaisakha, it is considered an auspicious day for beginning new ventures, buying gold, and making charitable donations.

Following the festival, gold demand in India is expected to remain strong despite the surge in prices, as buyers are drawn by the high returns seen over the past two years.

Experts say that despite a surge in rates, there will be accelerated consumer interest in the yellow metal with people moving towards lightweight and studded jewellery.

Meanwhile, lakhs of devotees arrived in Vrindavan and Mathura on the occasion to catch a glimpse of Lord Banke Bihari's feet- a special darshan which happens only once a year.

The temple doors opened at 6 am instead of the usual 12 pm. The temple will close at 12:30 pm today for the afternoon break. In the evening, the temple will reopen at 4:30 pm, one hour earlier than the regular time. Also, the temple will close for the day at 10:30 pm, an hour later than usual.

To manage the crowd and ensure safety, senior officials, including Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Shailesh Pandey, District Magistrate Chandraprakash, and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shlok Kumar, visited the temple area to review preparations. A meeting was also held with temple authorities to review safety measures for devotees. (ANI)