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The fourth day of Diwali celebrations is ‘Padwa’ or ‘Varshapratipada’. In North India, it is called Govardhan Puja. Govardhan Puja is also known as Annakut or Annakoot (“mountain of food”), in which devotees’ worship Govardhan Parvat (a hill) and offer 56 varieties (Chappan Bhog) of vegetarian food and sweets as a mark of gratitude. This pooja is performed with great zeal and enthusiasm in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In this pooja, there is a tradition of building cow dung hillocks, which symbolize Mount Govardhan, the mountain which was once lifted by Lord Krishna. After making such hillocks people decorate them with flowers and then worship them. They move in a circle all round the cow dung hillocks and offer prayers to Lord Govardhan.
Etymologically, Gou i.e. is Go in Govardhan means cow and Vardhan means prosperity. It is believed that this festival brings peace and prosperity to our lives. Govardhan Puja is celebrated to offer gratitude to Lord Krishna for being the saviour.
Why it is celebrated?
‘Govardhan’ is a small hillock situated at ‘Braj’, near Mathura. The legends in ‘Vishnu Puraan’ tells that the people of Gokul used to worship and offer prayer to Lord Indra for the rains because they believed that it was he who sent rains for their welfare but Lord Krishna told them that it was Mount Govardhan (Govardhan Paevat) who provides natural resources to the villagers for their livelihood and not Lord Indra therefore they should worship the Govardhan and not the Indra. People did the same and it made Lord Indra so furious that the people of Gokul had to face very heavy rains as a result of his anger. Then Lord Krishna came forward to ensure their security and after performing worship and offering prayers to Mount Govardhan lifted it as an umbrella on the little finger of his right hand so that everyone could take shelter under it. After this event Lord Krishna was also known as Giridhari or Govardhandhari.
Since this episode, Govardhan has turned into a pilgrimage and devotees’ worship and offer prayers and food to the mountain. Hindu devotees around the world come to worship Govardhan mountain, which is located near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.
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How is Govardhan Puja Celebrated?
Devotees celebrate this auspicious ritual Govardhan Puja or Annakut Puja with utmost devotion. The birthplace of Lord Krishna – Brijbhoomi celebrates this festival with a grand ceremony. The idols of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha are given milk baths and dressed in new clothes and ornaments in the temples of Mathura and Vrindavan.
• The puja starts with devotees making heaps of cow dung in the form of a hill which represents a symbol of mount Govardhan and decorates it with different colors and flowers.
• Then, devotees perform ‘Parikrama’ (moving around the mountain) around the cow dung hillocks while doing Kirtans (a combination of music, dance, and devotional hymns).
• They offer prayers and aarti to the Govardhan parvat for the protection and happiness of their family.
• The temples of Lord Krishna all across the country celebrate this festival by reciting bhajans, Kirtans and by offering different foods, sweets, and flowers to the deities and distributing the prasad among all devotees.
• As per the tradition, devotees prepare and offer ‘Chappan Bhog’ (56 different food items made up of delicacies, sweets, or savories) to the Govardhan mountain as a respect towards Mother Nature.
The festival of Govardhan puja is associated with several other rituals and traditions. People living in different parts of India, celebrate this holy day while worshiping Lord Indra, the God of Rain, and Lord Vishwakarma, the divine architecture god for their blessings and support to live a comfortable life on earth.
Govardhan Puja is celebrated with lots of enthusiasm and excitement in the country. People in many parts of our country create heaps of grains to represent Mount Govardhan.
In some parts of India is it also created with the help of cow dung. The curated mountain is then worshiped by moving around in circles.
In the rural parts of India, Govardhan Puja is celebrated by worshiping cattle. People decorate their cattle by putting garlands around their necks and applying henna on them. After decorating their cattle they worship them in the hope of better crops. Worshipping cows on this day is supposed to please Lord Krishna.
Significance of Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja is an auspicious festival that upholds the powerful bond of faith, devotion, and protection between Gods and devotees. The story behind Govardhan Puja educates every human to respect the forces of nature and to always remember that, being a mortal, we are dependent on Mother nature and must be grateful for all the blessings bestowed on us. The story of Lord Krishna, lifting the mountain and saving the lives of thousands of devotees describes that bhakti or devotion is the only way to connect with divinity.
Lord Krishna lifted and sheltered all living beings of Gokul village under the large mountain, Govardhan. So, the significance of Govardhan puja also rests on the belief of the devotees in their Lord and how the Lord will protect them against all odds and in every critical situation.
