Govardhan Puja
Also known as: Annakut
A mountain of food for the boy who lifted a mountain — gratitude to the land itself.
Why is Govardhan Puja celebrated?
Govardhan Puja thanks the hill, the cattle and the land that feed us. Its centrepiece is Annakut — "mountain of food" — hundreds of vegetarian dishes heaped before Krishna, mirroring the hill he lifted. The festival teaches ecological gratitude: worship what actually sustains you.
The story behind Govardhan Puja
Braj traditionally offered lavish worship to Indra for rain. Young Krishna argued the true benefactor was Govardhan hill — its grass, water and shelter. Furious, Indra unleashed seven days of deluge; Krishna lifted Govardhan on his little finger, sheltering all of Braj beneath, until Indra surrendered his pride.
How Govardhan Puja is celebrated
Homes shape a Govardhan of cow dung or cooked rice in the courtyard, adorn it with flowers, and circumambulate; temples build the Annakut of 56 (chhappan bhog) to hundreds of dishes; cattle are bathed and garlanded; in Gujarat the day is the Vikram new year — Bestu Varas.
Govardhan Puja across India
Mathura-Vrindavan’s temples stage vast Annakuts; the 21-km Govardhan parikrama draws lakhs; Gujarat combines it with new-year account-books (chopda pujan continues); Swaminarayan and ISKCON temples worldwide keep Annakut as their grandest food festival.
Govardhan Puja in housing societies
A society Annakut is the best potluck design ever invented: every flat brings one vegetarian dish for the common offering, the "mountain" is arranged and photographed, then everyone shares everything. Costless, spectacular, and the ultimate participation metric — one dish per home.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Krishna lift Govardhan?
To shelter Braj from Indra’s seven-day deluge — and to make the point that the hill, not the distant sky-god’s ego, was the community’s real provider.
What is Annakut?
"Mountain of food" — a massed offering of dozens to hundreds of vegetarian dishes to Krishna on this day, later shared as prasad by everyone.
How does a society run an Annakut?
One vegetarian dish per household toward the common offering, a decorated tiered display, a short puja, then a grand shared meal — participation is the budget.