Akshaya Tritiya / Chandana Yatra Begins
Sri Krishna — Madana-mohana, who receives the cooling sandalwood paste
ISKCON / Gaudiya VaishnavaGet a reminder before the next Akshaya Tritiya / Chandana Yatra Begins
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Akshaya Tritiya — Vaisakha Shukla Tritiya — the first day of the 21-day Chandana Yatra at Sri Jagannatha Puri and at ISKCON temples worldwide. Cooling sandal paste is applied to the deities daily through the summer heat until Sri Nrsimha Caturdasi. The day is auspicious for beginning any vow, charity, or spiritual practice — the merit is 'akshaya' (inexhaustible).
Dates 2026–2027
Mantra
गोविन्द दामोदर माधवेति / Govinda Damodara Madhaveti
Govinda Damodara Madhaveti — the cooling triple name of Krishna
O Govinda! O Damodara! O Madhava! — names that cool the heart of the devotee in summer
How to recite
Begin the 21-day Chandana Yatra — apply sandalwood paste to your home Krishna deity daily from today through Sri Nrsimha Caturdasi. Offer cooling foods (yogurt, sugarcane, mango) at every offering. Chant 16 rounds of Hare Krishna. Akshaya Tritiya is also the day to begin any vow — whatever is started today bears 'akshaya' (inexhaustible) fruit.
Benefits
The Skanda Purana declares that any spiritual practice begun on Akshaya Tritiya yields imperishable merit. The Chandana Yatra at Sri Jagannatha Puri (and at every ISKCON temple) begins today and culminates at Sri Nrsimha Caturdasi — 21 days of cooling the Lord with sandal paste through the heat of summer. Charity given today multiplies infinitely.
✦ Special Note
Per the Mayapur Vaishnava Calendar. ISKCON Mayapur, Vrindavan, and Bhubaneswar host the most elaborate Chandana Yatra. Devotees worldwide begin the 21-day vow of daily sandalwood offering. Initiation (diksha), beginning the chanting of 16 rounds, or any new devotional commitment made today is said to bear inexhaustible fruit.
Foods Allowed
Foods to Avoid
Meal Idea
Yogurt rice with cucumber and mango pickle, fresh sugarcane juice, ripe mango with mishri — all offered to Krishna with sandalwood-anointed flowers
🪔 Aarti
Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki
आरती कुंज बिहारी की, श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की ॥ गले में बैजंती माला, बजावे मुरली मधुर बाला । श्रवण में कुण्डल झलकाला, नंद के आनंद नंदलाला ॥ गगन सम अंग कांति काली, राधिका चमक रही आली । लतन में ठाढ़े बनमाली, भ्रमर सी अलक, कस्तूरी तिलक, चंद्र सी झलक, ललित छवि श्यामा प्यारी की ॥ कनकमय मोर मुकुट बिलसे, देवता दरसन को तरसे । गगन सों सुमन राशि बरसे, बाजे मुरचंग, मधुर मृदंग, ग्वालिन संग, अतुल रति गोप कुमारी की ॥ जहां ते प्रगट भई गंगा, कलुष कली हारिणि श्री गंगा । स्मरण ते होत मोह भंगा, बसी शिव सीस, जटा के बीच, हरे अघ कीच, चरण छवि श्री बनवारी की ॥ चमकती उज्ज्वल तट रेणु, बज रही वृंदावन बेणु । चहुं दिसि गोपी ग्वाल धेनु, हंसत मृदु मंद, चांदनी चंद, कटत भव फंद, टेर सुन दीन भिखारी की ॥
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