Govardhan Puja 2024: Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakut Puja, is a Hindu festival celebrated the day after Diwali. This year, Govardhan Puja falls on Saturday, November 02nd, 2024. Govardhan Puja marks the day Lord Krishna defeated Indra, the god of rain and thunderstorms. On this day, Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan hill to provide shelter to the villagers of Vrindavan from torrential rains caused by Indra. Govardhan Puja celebrates the triumph of Krishna over Indra and is symbolic of people's victory over ego and pride.
When is Govardhan Puja 2024?
Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakut Puja, is an important Hindu festival celebrated the day after Diwali. In 2024, Govardhan Puja falls on Saturday, November 02nd. This festival marks Lord Krishna's victory over Indra when he lifted Govardhan Hill to protect the people from rain. On this day, devotees prepare an elaborate variety of vegetarian delicacies as an offering to Lord Krishna.
Elaborate rituals, prayers, and celebrations are held in temples and homes to commemorate this legend and show devotion to Lord Krishna. Govardhan Puja conveys the spiritual message of protecting the environment along with the virtues of devotion, humility, and righteous living.
Govardhan Puja 2024 Date and Puja Time
- Govardhan Puja 2024 - Saturday, November 02, 2024
- Govardhan Puja morning time - 06:34 AM to 08:46 AM
- Pratipada date start - 06:16 PM November 01, 2024
- Pratipada date ends - November 02, 2024, at 08:21 PM
Mythological story related to the Govardhan festival
According to Hindu mythology, when Krishna was living in Vrindavan, the people were planning to perform a ritual for Indra, the god of rain. Krishna stopped them and asked them to worship Govardhan Hill and cows instead, which angered Indra. To punish the villagers, Indra flooded Vrindavan with continuous rains.
To protect the people, Lord Krishna lifted the massive Govardhan hill on his little finger and provided shelter to the people and cattle under it for 7 days, till Indra calmed down. This legend shows how Krishna protected his devotees from Indra's wrath. Since then, to commemorate this event, Hindus have celebrated Govardhan Puja.
Also Read: When is Diwali in 2024? Date, History, Significance, and Puja Muhurat
Story related to Govardhan Puja
The story associated with the celebration of Govardhan Puja dates back to Lord Krishna's childhood days in Vrindavan. Once, the residents of Vrindavan were preparing to perform a ritual puja to appease Lord Indra, the god of rain, to bless them with good rainfall.
Lord Krishna, however, convinced them that instead of Indra, they should worship the Govardhan hill and cows, which provide and sustain life. This made Indra angry, and he punished the people by sending torrential rains and thunderstorms to destroy Vrindavan and its inhabitants.
To protect the people and cattle, Krishna miraculously lifted the massive Govardhan hill on his little finger and held it up like an umbrella over the people and cattle for seven days and nights, giving them shelter under it. Finally, Indra accepted his mistake and apologized to Krishna. Lord Krishna came to be known as 'Govardhandhari' after this incident.
This legend is remembered through the celebration of Govardhan Puja every year, where devotees remember Krishna's kindness in saving his devotees and also worship the cows and nature.
Govardhan Puja Puja Vidhi
- Devotees wake up early and take a bath before sunrise on Govardhan Puja day.
- The idol of baby Krishna is given a ceremonial bath with panchamrita made of milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar. The idol is dressed in new clothes and decorated with flowers and jewelry.
- A small mountain-like structure is made using cow-dung which symbolizes Govardhan Hill. This is called Govardhan Puja.
- 56 or 108 different food delicacies are offered to the Lord as bhog. These food items are later distributed as prasad.
- Arati is performed, and bhajans dedicated to Lord Krishna are sung.
- In temples, the Govardhan puja ceremony is performed by the priest, who offers food to the deity while reciting mantras and singing devotional songs.
- At home, the puja room is decorated with flowers, diyas, and rangoli. The food prepared as prasad is first offered to Krishna before consumption.
Legend and Significance of Govardhan Puja
According to legend, Lord Krishna, as a child, was grazing his cattle on the Govardhan Hill, when suddenly the weather changed. It grew dark and stormy. Heavy rains started pouring incessantly. All the people and cattle living in Gokul were terrified. They approached Lord Krishna for help.
To protect the people, Krishna lifted the massive Govardhan hill with his little finger and sheltered the people under it for seven days till the rains stopped. By doing this, Krishna defeated Indra's pride. From then on, in commemoration of this incident, people celebrated Govardhan puja.
For devotees of Krishna, Govardhan Puja has several significances:
- It conveys an important message that God will protect his devotees from any adversities of life.
- It signifies the importance of protecting the environment. The Govardhan Hill here represents nature and the environment.
- It teaches devotees to curb the ego, adopt humility, and help others.
- It underlines the fact that with firm faith in God, one can achieve impossible feats.
- It emphasizes living in harmony with nature.
Therefore, on this day, devotees worship nature and cows while praying for Lord Krishna's protection from natural calamities. Sweets are prepared from milk and milk products to highlight the importance of cows and food from nature.
Why is Govardhan Puja celebrated?
Govardhan Puja is celebrated to commemorate the legend of Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill to provide shelter and protect the people of Vrindavan from torrential rains caused by Indra. When Krishna was living in Vrindavan, he convinced people to stop worshipping Indra and instead worship Govardhan Hill and cows. Angered by this, Indra flooded Vrindavan with rain. To save the people, Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill on his little finger for 7 days, giving them refuge under it.
This event signifies how God protects those who surrender to him with loving devotion. It also propagates worship of nature and the animals that sustain us. Since then, people have celebrated Govardhan Puja every year by preparing elaborate food offerings for Krishna and decorating cows. For Hindus, this festival reinforces faith in the divine and the values of selfless service, humility, vegetarianism, and environmental consciousness. Govardhan Puja and its rituals remind devotees of Krishna's teachings and of taking refuge in the Supreme in difficult times.
Importance of Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja holds great significance for Hindus across India and the world. It commemorates the legend of Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill to protect the people from Indra's wrath. Beyond celebrating this legend, Govardhan Puja conveys many important messages:
- It represents the importance of faith in God, as Krishna protected his devotees who took refuge in him.
- It emphasizes living in harmony with nature. Govardhan Hill symbolizes nature and the environment.
- It propagates the virtues of selfless service, humility, and righteousness over ego and arrogance.
- It underlines the significance of cow worship and vegetarianism in Hinduism.
- It highlights duty and charity as core Hindu values.
- It fosters social unity and communal harmony as all sections of society celebrate together.
Therefore, celebrating Govardhan Puja with devotion makes us imbibe Lord Krishna's teachings and enrich our lives with moral values, devotion, and harmony with others.
Celebrations and Festivities of Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja is celebrated with much joy and enthusiasm all over India. Here are some of the common Govardhan Puja celebrations:
- Annakut Ritual: As part of the ritual, devotees prepare Chhappan Bhog, which constitutes 56 food items, representing the Govardhan hill. The bhog is offered to Lord Krishna before he consumes it as prasad. This food includes an array of sweet and savory items made from milk, cereals, and seasonal vegetables.
- Decorating Cows: Cows are considered an incarnation of Mother Kamadhenu as per Hindu mythology. On this day, cows are beautifully decorated with garlands, paints, and flower motifs, and dressed up. They are worshipped and fed special food and sweets.
- Parikrama or Circumambulation: At places associated with Krishna - like Mathura, Vrindavan, and Goverdhan - devotees circumambulate the entire Govardhan hill. It is considered highly auspicious.
- Dance and Music Celebrations: In several parts of India, dance and music performances depicting Lord Krishna's life are organized. Raslila, a folk dance drama about Krishna's childhood, is enacted in many places.
- Feasting on Delicacies: People prepare a variety of delicacies and enjoy feasting with family and friends on this day. Since Govardhan Puja follows Diwali, elaborate feasts and Mithai are prepared.
Popular legends related to Govardhan Puja
Some interesting legends are associated with the celebration of Govardhan Puja:
Why did Krishna lift Govardhan Hill?
There are two versions of this legend. As per one story, Krishna wanted to teach Indra a lesson that natural forces like rain and thunderstorms are under divine control and should not be worshipped or feared irrationally.
The second version states that the people of Vrindavan were performing a Yagya to please Indra, the rain god. Krishna convinced them to stop the Yagya and instead worship Goverdhana Hill and cows. This made Indra angry, so he brought thunderstorms to destroy Vrindavan. To protect the villagers, Krishna lifted the hill to provide them shelter.
Lord Krishna as Govardhanadhari
Post the Govardhan Puja incident, Krishna came to be known as 'Govardhandhari' meaning one who held Govardhan hill. There are ancient stone carvings and idols found depicting baby Krishna lifting the massive hill with his left hand.
How Mount Govardhan Became a Hill from a Mountain
According to mythology, Mount Goverdhan was originally very tall and huge. But over time, as devotees came in large numbers to collect its soil as Krishna's prasad, the size of the mountain decreased. It eventually became a small hill. The proof of this lies in the remnants of marine animal fossils found there, indicating Govardhan Hill was once underwater.
Indra's Apology: It is believed that Lord Indra, after getting defeated by Krishna, realized his mistake. He apologized and promised to never disturb the people of Vrindavan again. Since then, Indra and Krishna have become friends. To commemorate this incident, a temple dedicated to Indra was built on Govardhan Hill.
Govardhan Puja Celebrations Across India
Govardhan Puja is celebrated with great zeal and excitement across different states in India:
In Northern India: In Mathura, Vrindavan, and Nathdwara, the festival is celebrated as a grand spectacle. Elaborate prayers, aartis, dance dramas, and processions are organized in temples. Pilgrims from all over visit to participate in the Govardhan Parikrama.
In Rajasthan, special bazaars are set up to sell toys and idols of Krishna. People decorate their homes and prepare lavish feasts.
In Eastern India: In Odisha, delicious chenopods, chhenagaja, and other sweets are prepared to offer Lord Krishna on this day. Intricate sand artworks depicting Govardhan puja are made as part of the celebrations.
In West Bengal, it is known as Kartik Puja. People decorate their homes with diyas and offer bhog to the Tulsi plant, which represents Vishnu.
In Southern India: In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, people arrange innovative displays of Govardhan Hill and Radha-Krishna idols using flowers, fruits, sweets, and savory foods. Temples are lit with lamps, and devotional songs are played.
In Western India: In Gujarat and Maharashtra, Govardhan puja is celebrated along with Diwali. Chappan bhog is prepared and offered to Krishna. In Mumbai, a famous Dahi Handi event is organized, re-enacting Krishna's act of stealing butter.
Govardhan Puja Celebrations around the World
Owing to the International presence of ISKCON temples, Govardhan Puja is celebrated with pomp across many countries:
- In the US, cultural programs, plays, and authentic prasad are offered at ISKCON temples in New York, Los Angeles, and several other cities.
- In the UK, events are organized in London where devotees come together and make a symbolic Govardhan hill. Chappan bhog is prepared and offered to the deities.
- In Australia, ISKCON temples in Sydney, Melbourne, and other cities host large prayer meetings and prasad distributions on Govardhan Puja. Cultural performances are also organized.
In this way, Hindus across the globe celebrate Govardhan Puja with great devotion to Lord Krishna. It is a day to remember the Lord's teachings and foster a love for nature and animals.
Govardhan Puja Significance and Teachings
The festival holds great spiritual and cultural significance. Here are some of the key lessons and messages of Govardhan Puja:
- Victory of humility and righteousness over ego and arrogance
- God protects those who have unwavering faith in him
- The importance of living in harmony with nature
- Significance of cow worship and vegetarianism
- Elderly people and children should be taken care of
- Fulfillment of duties should be prioritized over rights
- Charity and sharing bring divine blessings
Govardhan Puja reminds devotees of Lord Krishna's love and protection. By instilling faith, love, and humility, this festival brings about social unity beyond class and creed.
Conclusion
Govardhan Puja is one of the most popular festivals celebrated widely by Hindus across India and the world. It signifies the spiritual message of valuing devotion, humility, and harmony with the environment. The legends and celebrations remind devotees of Lord Krishna's divine presence and protection.
By worshipping the symbolic Govardhan hill, nature is revered and cared for. The festive celebrations with prasad, sweets, and rituals bring people together. Govardhan Puja teaches important life values, especially for children, while commemorating Lord Krishna's childhood tales.
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FAQs
When is Govardhan Puja in 2024?
In 2024, Govardhan Puja will be celebrated on Saturday, November 02th. It is celebrated on the day after Diwali.
What is the story and importance of Govardhan Puja?
It celebrates Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill to protect locals from Indra's wrath. It signifies the importance of devotion, righteousness, and environmental consciousness.
How is Govardhan Puja celebrated?
Devotees bathe the Krishna idol, make cow dung Govardhan hill models, prepare chhappan bhog, sing bhajans, and circumambulate the Govardhan hill.
What is offered to Lord Krishna during Govardhan Puja?
56 or 108 different vegetarian food items called 'chhappan bhog' are prepared and offered to Krishna on this day. Sweets made of milk and milk products are a specialty.
Why are cows worshipped during Govardhan Puja?
Cows are considered sacred and worshipped on this day as they provide life-sustaining milk. They are bathed, decorated, and fed special food.
