Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja (IAST: Govardhana-pūjā), also known as Annakut or Annakoot (meaning a “mountain of food”), is a Hindu festival celebrated on the first lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartika, on the fourth day of Diwali. Devotees worship Govardhan Hill and prepare and offer a large variety of vegetarian food to Krishna as a mark of gratitude. For Vaishnavas, this day commemorates the incident in the Bhagavata Purana when Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill to provide the villagers of Vrindavan shelter from torrential rains. This incident symbolizes God offering protection to devotees who take singular refuge in him. Devotees offer a mountain of food, metaphorically representing the Govardhan Hill, to God as a ritual remembrance and to renew their faith in taking refuge in God. The festival is observed by most Hindu denominations all over India and abroad.
| Govardhan Puja | |
|---|---|
Annakut feast | |
| Also called | Annakoot |
| Observed by | Hindu |
| Type | Hindu |
| Date | Pratipada Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Kartik |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Related to | Diwali |
It is an important festival in Vaishanava sects, such as the Pushtimarg Sampradaya, Gaudiya Sampradaya and Swaminarayan Sampradaya.