Aksaya^[*] Trtiya^[*] [34]

The third day, the Trtiya^[*] of the waxing fortnight Bachalathwa (April/ May), is a very minor holiday in Bhaktapur, but is of interest in at least one other Newar community. In Hindu tradition it is an ancient vrata , "one of the 3 and 1/2 days popularly believed to be most auspicious in the year" (Kane 1968-1977, vol. V, p. 89). In Bhaktapur on this day Siva is worshiped in many homes with a special offering of a sugar and water syrup. The day has the peculiarity—a residual of its traditional auspiciousness—that marriages and other rites of passages can be done

on it without the necessity of determining astrologically the proper sait , the exact propitious day and time for the ceremony, which would otherwise be necessary.

According to Toffin, in the Newar town of Panauti, Aksaya^[*] Trtiya^[*] is the day on which the Ihi , the mock-marriage of young girls, is annually performed (1984, 403). (Minor.)