As a ceremony of gratitude to the most adored God, Krishna, Govardhan puja originated in Brijbhoomi and spread all over India.
The Hindu calendar places Govardhan Puja between October and November. The day after the great Diwali festival, Hindus celebrate this holy day. People revere Lord Krishna and the Govardhan Mountain as reminders of the triumph of good over evil.
People celebrate this day from many locations of their long-standing customs. Because Mathura and Gokul are where Lord Krishna was born and spent most of his boyhood, Govardhan Puja is grandly observed there. The Bhagavat Purana tells the lovely tale of Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill with his tiny finger for seven days and nights to protect the Gokul villagers from the deluge of rain.
Govardhan puja originated in Brijbhoomi and spread all over India
People celebrate this day from many locations of their long-standing customs
Govardhan Puja, or Annakut Puja, is an auspicious ceremony that devotees observe with the greatest dedication
Govardhan Puja, or Annakut Puja, is an auspicious ceremony that devotees observe with the greatest dedication. This festival is celebrated in Brijbhoomi, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, with a lavish ceremony. In the temples of Mathura and Vrindavan, the idols of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha are milk bathed, adorned in new garb, and accessorised.
The puja begins with devotees creating piles of cow dung in the shape of a hill symbolising Mount Govardhan and decorating it with various hues and flowers.
After that, while singing Kirtans, devotees move around the mountain in a process known as "Parikrama" (around the mountain).
They pray to the Govardhan parvat (mountain) for their family's safety and well-being and perform aarti there.
To commemorate this festival, Lord Krishna temples all over the nation recite bhajans and Kirtans, offer various food, sweets, and flowers to the gods, and distribute prasad to all the worshippers.
As per ritual, as a sign of respect for Mother Nature, worshippers make and present "Chappan Bhog" to the Govardhan mountain.
Several more rituals and traditions have a link with the Govardhan puja festival. People all around India observe this holy day by praying to Lord Indra, the rain God, and Lord Vishwakarma, the God of Divine Architecture, for their grace and assistance in leading happy lives on Earth.
Since this incident, Govardhan has become a trip site where followers love the mountain and offer food and prayers. The Govardhan Mountain, which is close to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, attracts worshippers from all over the world who practise Hinduism.
Devotees present Lord Krishna with 56 sweet dishes known as "Chhappan Bhog" on this auspicious day. With complete devotion, devotees worship Lord Krishna and "Govardhan Parvat," They engage in kirtans, aartis, bhajans, etc. People who have the uttermost confidence in and love for Lord Krishna pray to him and ask for his blessing for a life free from difficulties.
According to the Vishnu Puran, Lord Krishna once questioned his mother, Yashoda, about the significance of worshipping God Indra. According to Mother Yashoda, people worship God Indra since he is in charge of bringing rain to Earth. Young Krishna begged the peasants to quit worshipping the God Indra in opposition to his mother's wishes.
Because Mount Govardhan is the one who provides the locals with natural resources for their subsistence, he had asked them to revere it. The people all agreed with Krishna since they admired Krishna for His wisdom and outstanding ability.
As a result of the little boy Krishna's deed, Deity Indra became enraged and commanded Varuna Deva (the rain god) to pour heavy rain continuously for seven days. The residents of Gokul begged Lord Krishna to preserve their lives because of the intense flood. As soon as the child God Krishna uprooted and removed the mountain, He told the inhabitants to gather close to the Govardhan hill.
The villagers sought refuge beneath the Govardhan mountain and their cows and other livestock. Lord Indra conceded defeat and halted the storms after seven days of nonstop storms when he learned the small boy was an avatar of Lord Vishnu. You celebrate this day as a festival to honour Mount Govardhan.
People are participating in Govardhan puja celebrations around the nation. The occasion, which occurs on the pratipada tithi in the month of Kartik, is also called Annakut puja. When Lord Krishna destroyed the God Indra's attitude, it was noted.
The creation of annakuts is one of the rituals that are part of the puja. Additionally, cow dung is manufactured in the form of Govardhan. Along with the puja, various unique bhog food is made and offered to the Lord Krishna statue, including wheat, rice, curry, and green vegetables.
This day is famous for Bali Pratipada or Bali Padwa in Maharashtra. According to the Hindu religion, Vamana marks the commencement of this puja, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu, forcing King Bali to the Patal Lok to win the cultural triumph.
Additionally, it's thought that King Bali visits Prithvi Lok on this day. The Gujarati New Year, which is on Shukla Paksha Pratipada of the Kartik month, falls on the same day as this occasion.