Govardhan Puja (Annakut)

A Mountain of Food

Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut ("mountain of food"), falls on the first lunar day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of Kartik, the day after Diwali. It is the fourth day of the five-day festival. Devotees prepare a wide variety of vegetarian food and offer it to Krishna, shaped into a mound that stands for Govardhan Hill. In 2026 it falls on 10 November (9 November in places such as the USA), and in 2027 on 30 October.

The Story

According to the Bhagavata Purana, the cowherds of Vraja used to celebrate the autumn season by worshipping Indra, god of rain and storm. The young Krishna persuaded them to worship Govardhan Hill, whose grass fed their cattle, and to honour the cows. Angered, Indra loosed a torrential storm. Krishna lifted the whole hill on the little finger of his left hand and held it aloft like an umbrella so that people and cattle could shelter beneath it, until Indra gave up and bowed to him. The festival remembers this protection, and the gratitude owed to the land and the animals that feed a village.

What Happens

• The annakut. Huge quantities of rice, bread, sweets and vegetable dishes are arranged in a mound before Krishna's image and offered in the morning, then shared as prasad with everyone present.
• A hill of dung or clay. In many homes, a small Govardhan Hill is shaped from cow dung or clay and decorated with flowers, then worshipped.
• Cattle are honoured. Cows and oxen are washed, garlanded and fed.
• Govardhan parikrama. At Govardhan near Mathura, devotees walk the circuit of the hill, a route of about 21 km, and many bathe at Radha Kund.
• Bali Pratipada and the new year. The same day is observed as Bali Pratipada, when the benevolent king Bali is believed to return to his people by Vishnu's boon. In Gujarat and among Marwari communities it is also the new year (Bestu Varas), a day for new account books and family blessings.

Where to See It

Nathdwara in Rajasthan, the seat of the Pushtimarg tradition, holds the most renowned Annakut. The temple arranges a great mound of rice with a large sweet on top, and the image of Shrinathji, with its raised left hand, recalls the posture Krishna took when he lifted the hill. Mathura, Vrindavan and Govardhan hold major annakut offerings in their temples, and ISKCON temples across India and abroad hold their own.

Visitor Tips

Temples in Braj and Nathdwara are packed in the morning. Arrive early, and queue for darshan. Take part in the prasad respectfully; it is vegetarian and offered to all who attend. If you plan the parikrama at Govardhan, wear comfortable footwear, bring water, and expect crowds.