Govardhan Pooja

Manyanshi Joshi
Oct 22, 2025
5 min read

Govardhan Pooja, also known as Annakut, is a Hindu festival celebrated on the fourth day of Diwali, which usually falls on the first lunar day (Pratipada) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Kartik (October–November). It commemorates the story of Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill to protect the villagers of Vrindavan from torrential rains caused by Indra, the god of rain.

🕉️ Significance of Govardhan Pooja

It celebrates Lord Krishna's victory over Lord Indra’s pride.
Symbolizes the power of devotion and faith over ego and natural forces.
Emphasizes eco-conscious living and gratitude to nature, especially the Govardhan Hill, considered sacred.

📜 Mythological Background

According to the Bhagavata Purana:

The people of Vrindavan used to offer prayers and sacrifices to Indra, seeking good rains.
Lord Krishna questioned this tradition and encouraged the villagers to worship Govardhan Hill, as it provided them with grass, shelter, food, and resources.
Angered by this, Indra unleashed heavy rains and thunderstorms.
To protect the villagers and cattle, Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill on his little finger, creating a massive umbrella.
This continued for seven days, after which Indra realized his arrogance and surrendered.

🪔 Rituals and Celebrations

Govardhan Puja is done using a replica of Govardhan Hill made from cow dung, decorated with flowers, grains, and sweets.
Devotees perform parikrama (circumambulation) around the hill or the replica.
The Annakut (meaning "mountain of food") is prepared—dozens or even hundreds of vegetarian food items are cooked and offered to Lord Krishna.
Temples like ISKCON and Dwarkadhish organize grand feasts and celebrations.
In Mathura and Vrindavan, the festival is celebrated with special rituals, bhajans, and dramas reenacting the lifting of Govardhan.

🙏 Symbolism Today

Promotes sustainable practices, honoring nature and livestock.
Encourages humility, devotion, and community bonding.
Stresses the idea that God protects his devotees when they act with righteousness and faith.

🏔️ History and Significance of Govardhan Pooja

🔱 Historical & Scriptural Background

Govardhan Pooja, also known as Annakut Pooja, finds its roots in ancient Hindu scriptures, especially the Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana. It revolves around a famous episode in Lord Krishna's early life when he challenged traditional rituals and emphasized devotion and nature worship.

📖 The Story:

The people of Vrindavan traditionally offered annual prayers and sacrifices to Lord Indra, the god of rain, to ensure a good harvest.
Krishna, still a young boy, questioned this practice. He argued that it was not Indra, but Govardhan Hill and nature (cows, rivers, forests) that directly nourished and supported their lives.
Krishna convinced the villagers to worship Govardhan Hill instead.
Enraged, Indra sent thunderstorms and torrential rains to punish Vrindavan.
To protect the villagers, Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill on his little finger like an umbrella, giving shelter to people and cattle for seven days.
Humbled, Indra realized Krishna’s divine power and surrendered, acknowledging Krishna as the Supreme Lord (Vishnu avatar).

🌄 Govardhan Hill: The Symbol

Govardhan Hill, located in Uttar Pradesh near Mathura and Vrindavan, is considered sacred.
Devotees perform Govardhan Parikrama (circumambulation of the hill), which is about 21 km long, on this day or during Kartik month.
It is seen as a manifestation of Krishna himself.

🌾 Significance of Govardhan Pooja

🧘‍♂️ 1. Spiritual Significance

Faith over ritualism: Krishna teaches that inner devotion and gratitude are more important than blind ritual.
Demonstrates God’s protection of his devotees.
Shows the power of bhakti (devotion) and dharma (righteous action) over arrogance and ego (as seen in Indra).

🌱 2. Environmental Significance

Celebrates nature and ecology — hills, cows, trees, and rivers.
Highlights sustainable living, grazing land preservation, and the importance of livestock.

🧡 3. Cultural and Social Importance

Annakut: Offering hundreds of vegetarian dishes to Krishna promotes community sharing and gratitude.
Encourages unity, humility, and charity.
Teaches respect for food, nature, and divine grace.

🪔 Summary

Aspect	Significance
Religious	Krishna’s divine act and victory over Indra
Moral	Devotion, humility, protection of the innocent
Environmental	Respect for nature, Govardhan Hill, cows, and sustainable practices
Cultural	Celebrated through rituals, feasts (Annakut), parikrama, and folk traditions

Celebrating Govardhan Pooja can be done at home or in temples with devotion, simplicity, and gratitude. It typically follows the day after Diwali (Padwa) and involves worshiping Govardhan Hill (or its symbolic form) and offering a large variety of food to Lord Krishna.

Here’s a simple guide on how to celebrate Govardhan Pooja:

🌿 Step-by-Step: How to Celebrate Govardhan Pooja at Home

🕖 1. Choose the Right Time (Muhurat)

Govardhan Pooja is performed during Pratipada Tithi of Kartik Shukla Paksha.
The auspicious time (muhurat) changes yearly. It usually falls one day after Diwali, so check the current year’s panchang or ask me for the 2025 timing.

🧼 2. Clean Your Home and Puja Space

Clean the area where you’ll perform the pooja.
Decorate it with rangoli, flowers, and diya (lamps).

🐄 3. Create a Govardhan Hill (Symbolic Form)

Make a small hill structure from cow dung (traditional way) or mud. You can also:
- Use clay, sand, or even sweets to form a small hill.
- Decorate it with flowers, grains, grass, toys, and small idols.
Place figures of cows, Krishna, and villagers around it to recreate Govardhan Leela.

🕯️ 4. Perform the Puja

Light diya and incense sticks.
Offer flowers, Tulsi leaves, roli, and rice to the Govardhan hill model.
Recite Govardhan Pooja mantras or Krishna bhajans.
Sprinkle Gangajal or clean water around the setup.

🍛 5. Prepare and Offer Annakut (Mountain of Food)

Cook or arrange a variety of vegetarian dishes, such as:
- Sweets: laddus, halwa, peda
- Savories: poori, sabzi, kachori, khichdi
- Fruits, dry fruits, and homemade snacks
Arrange them around the hill as a mountain of food (Annakut).
Offer it to Lord Krishna and then distribute as prasad.

🙏 6. Sing Bhajans and Aarti

Perform Krishna Aarti and Govardhan Aarti (if available).
Sing or play devotional songs about Govardhan Leela and Krishna’s pastimes.

🚶 7. (Optional) Parikrama (Circumambulation)

If you are near Govardhan Hill, people perform a 21-km parikrama around it.
At home, you can do symbolic parikrama by walking around your hill model 7 times.

🎉 8. Celebrate with Family

Share the story of Govardhan Leela with children.
Light diyas in the evening, enjoy the food, and visit nearby temples if possible.

🙌 Simple Puja Items You’ll Need:

Item	Purpose
Cow dung/clay	To make Govardhan hill
Flowers & Tulsi	For decoration and offering
Grains & food	For Annakut offering
Diya & incense	For puja and aarti
Krishna idol/photo	For worship
Water/Gangajal	For purification

📝 Tip:

If you're unable to perform the full pooja, simply offer food (naivedya) to Lord Krishna, chant his names, and express gratitude to nature. That’s the heart of the festival.

Govardhan Pooja is much more than a ritual—it's a powerful reminder of the importance of faith, humility, and gratitude toward nature. Rooted in the story of Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill to protect the people of Vrindavan, the festival symbolizes God’s love and protection for his devotees.

It teaches us to:

Honor nature and the environment, represented by Govardhan Hill and cows
Reject ego and pride, as shown by Indra’s defeat
Value devotion over blind ritual, following Krishna’s wisdom
Celebrate food and sharing, through the Annakut feast
Come together in community and joy, especially after Diwali

By celebrating Govardhan Pooja, devotees reconnect with values that are timeless—devotion (bhakti), service (seva), and harmony with nature. Whether celebrated with grandeur or simplicity, what matters most is the spirit of thankfulness and devotion behind the act.