Govardhan Puja is celebrated on the fourth day of Diwali (Kartik Shukla Pratipada) — the day after the main Amavasya Diwali night. It commemorates one of Krishna's most beloved miracles: the lifting of Mount Govardhan to protect the people of Braj from Indra's devastating storms. The festival is inseparable from the Annakut (mountain of food) — a spectacular display of cooked dishes piled into a mountain shape, offered to Krishna and then distributed to the entire community. In Gujarat, this day is also Bestu Varas — the Gujarati New Year.
The Story — Krishna vs Indra
The people of Braj (the region around Mathura and Vrindavan) traditionally worshipped Indra, the rain god, with annual puja and offerings to ensure good monsoon rains. Young Krishna argued against this practice — Indra, he said, was not the real sustainer of the people of Braj; it was Mount Govardhan that provided grass for the cows, clean water from its springs, shelter from wind and rain, and medicinal herbs. The people should worship Govardhan, not Indra. Persuaded by Krishna's logic, the villagers redirected their worship to the mountain.
Indra was furious. He sent devastating storms — nine days and nights of torrential rain designed to destroy Braj. Krishna responded by lifting Mount Govardhan with his little finger, holding it aloft like an umbrella over all the people, cows, and animals of Braj for the entire storm. Humiliated, Indra finally relented. This story encodes a profound philosophical and ecological teaching: the true provider is not the distant sky god but the local mountain, river, and earth — the immediate natural world that sustains daily life.
The Annakut — Mountain of Food
The Annakut (Anna = food, Kut = mountain) is the ritual offering of an enormous variety of cooked dishes to Krishna. At major Vaishnava temples — particularly in Nathdwara (Rajasthan) and Vrindavan (UP) — the Annakut offering runs to hundreds or thousands of dishes, piled before the deity in a spectacular display. The variety and abundance represent both gratitude for the harvest and the devotee's recognition that all food ultimately comes from the divine.
In homes, the Annakut is performed by cooking all the dishes one can manage — every vegetable dish, every sweet, every dal — and arranging them before the family's Krishna or Vishnu image. The more varied and abundant the offering, the better. After the puja, the food is distributed to family, neighbours, and the poor — Annakut distribution is considered extremely auspicious.
Govardhan Parikrama
The Govardhan Hill in Braj (Uttar Pradesh) is itself a sacred pilgrimage site — worshipped as the physical body of Krishna. The Govardhan Parikrama (circumambulation of the hill — 21km) is performed by millions of devotees annually, particularly on Govardhan Puja day when the numbers reach lakhs. The entire Braj region experiences its most sacred day on this occasion, with the Mathura-Vrindavan-Govardhan corridor packed with pilgrims from across India.
💡 Celebrate Govardhan Puja the day after Diwali
In the rush of Diwali preparations and celebrations, Govardhan Puja is often overlooked — but the day after Diwali has its own specific meaning and practice. Make an Annakut with your family, even a small one, and distribute the food.