The festival of lights, better known as Diwali is preceded and followed by number of festivals. Govardhan Puja is celebrated on the next day after Diwali. This year Govardhan Puja falls on 8th November, 2018.
The festival is celebrated with pomp and gaiety in Hindu households, and is an extremely special day for the devout followers of Lord Krishna, who is also known as Govardhan dhari. The puja is tied to the great legend of Krishna and mount Govardhan.
Govardhan Puja 2018: Govardhan Puja Date and Time
Govardhan Puja is also referred to as the Annakut Puja by the devotees.
Govardhan Puja Pratahkal Muhurat = 6:45 AM to 08:57 AM
Govardhan Puja Sayankal Muhurat = 3:32 PM to 5:43 PM
Pratipada Tithi Begins = 9:31 PM on 7/Nov/2018
Pratipada Tithi Ends = 9:07 PM on 8/Nov/2018 (Source: Drikpanchang.com)
Govardhan Puja 2018: Significance and History of Govardhan Puja or Annakut Puja
According to the scriptures, the village men of Vrindawan followed a custom of making sumptuous feasts and offering it to Lord Indra, the God of rain and storm, to seek his blessings in the form of timely rainfall and a bountiful harvest.
Little Krishna found the practice to be unfair towards for the small-time farmers, and so he convinced them to cease making such offerings and feed their families instead. On not finding his ritualistic offerings, a furious Indra struck Vrindawan with his fury in the form of incessant rain and thunderstorm.
Fearing for their lives, the villagers approached Krishna for help who then asked everyone to proceed to the Govardhan hill. Once there, he lifted the whole hill with his little finger, and people trickled under the hill to take shelter from the storm.
Krishna stood there for seven days, holding the mountain on his little finger without moving. Ultimately Indra had to bow to the might of Krishna and stop the rains. After this incident, the women of Vrindawan cooked 56 dishes for Krishna. It is said that Krishna took 8 meals in a day. Since he stood for seven days without a single morsel of food, the women decided to make up for it with a lavish chappan bhog (a meal consisting 56 items like halwa, ladoos,mishri and peda).
Annakut Prasad And Bhog
On this auspicious day, several pilgrims go to the Govardhan hill and offer food and delicacies to Lord Krishna.
Devotees celebrate Govardhan pooja by making food offerings to the mountain in the name of Lord Krishna called Annakoot.
Some of the common items found in the chappan bhog are makhan misri, kheer, rasgulla,jeera ladoo, jalebi, rabri, mathri, malpua, mohan bhog, chutney, murabba, saag, dahi, rice, dal, kadhi, ghewar, chila, papad, moong dal ka halwa, pakoda, khichadi etc.
There is also a common ritual of making small mounds of cow dung to represent Govardhan Mountain, which is then beautifully decorated with flowers.
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