What Govardhan Puja is
After Diwali's Amavasya, Kartika's bright fortnight begins, and its first tithi, Pratipada, is Govardhan Puja. It is also called Annakut (‘a mountain of food’), because many dishes are offered together.
Dharmasindhu lists several observances for this Pratipada: Bali puja, lamps, decorating and playing with cows, Govardhan puja, garlands across the road, new clothes and aarti by the women. In Maharashtra and Gujarat the same day is ‘Padwa’ and the new year.
How the date is decided
Shastra (Dharmasindhu): the Pratipada is taken on the day it runs at sunrise. But if after that sunrise it lasts less than nine muhurtas (a muhurta is about 48 minutes), Bali puja, the cow festivities and Govardhan puja move to the previous day. New clothes and aarti can still be on the sunrise Pratipada.
In 2026 the Pratipada runs from 12:32 pm on 9 November to 2:00 pm on 10 November. After the sunrise of the 10th it lasts about 7 h 22 min, roughly 10 muhurtas, so the exception does not apply: Govardhan Puja is Tuesday, 10 November. This year there is a one-day gap after Diwali.
The story: tradition / Purana story
Tradition tells that the people of Braj held a yearly offering for Indra. The boy Krishna said their cows grazed on Govardhan hill, the rain and grass came from it, so the worship should be Govardhan's. Indra, displeased, sent heavy rain. Krishna lifted Govardhan on his little finger and for seven days sheltered all of Gokul, people and cows, beneath it. In the end Indra yielded and honoured Krishna.
Dharmasindhu's puja mantra carries the story: Krishna is called ‘the one who stopped Indra's festival’ and ‘who made Govardhan an umbrella’.
Bali Pratipada: King Bali is also worshipped today; Vamana sent him below but blessed his generosity. Dharmasindhu gives a mantra for worshipping a drawn image of Bali.
How families celebrate
In Mathura, Vrindavan and Govardhan it is the biggest festival: people walk around Govardhan hill and temples offer the chhappan bhog. In north Indian homes a reclining Govardhan figure is shaped from cow dung in the courtyard, decorated with flowers, lamps and puffed rice, and the family walks around it.
In Maharashtra it is ‘Bali Pratipada’ and ‘Diwali Padwa’: the wife does aarti for the husband and traders open new accounts. In Gujarat it is the new year, ‘Saal Mubarak’. In villages cows and bullocks are bathed, painted and decorated, and rested from work.
A simple puja
Dharmasindhu says: if the real Govardhan is not near, make one of cow dung or of Annakut and worship it with Gopala.
- Shape a small Govardhan from cow dung, clay or cooked food in the courtyard or on a plate.
- Place a picture of Krishna, light a lamp, offer flowers and tulsi.
- Set out the homemade dishes, however many: that is the Annakut.
- Walk around it together, seven times or once.
- Give the cows fodder and jaggery, then share the prasad.
Safety and health
With many dishes, share leftovers with people in need rather than throwing them away, and don't leave cooked food out too long. Don't give cows fried or very sweet food, or anything in plastic. The Govardhan parikrama is long (about 21 km): carry water, wear comfortable shoes and rest; older people can choose a shorter round. Keep lamps away from dry grass.
In ePandit
In ePandit: our calendar shows the festival day with your city's sunrise and sunset. The day is decided once, for Ujjain; your city's times are shown separately. We don't compute muhurta yet, and we never call a festival good or bad for anyone.