Govardhan Puja 2023: Date, history and significance

Govardhan Puja 2023: From significance to history, here is all that you need to know about Govardhan Puja.

Govardhan Puja 2023: It is the season of festivals. Every year, Diwali is celebrated with a whole lot of pomp and grandeur all over the country. The festival of lights is one of the most-awaited festivals of the year. Diwali festivities start with Dhanteras and end with Bhai Dooj. The five-day festivities are full of lights, colours, rituals and the joy of togetherness. This year, Dhanteras will be observed on November 11. Diwali falls on November 12. Even though Chhoti Diwali is usually celebrated on the day before Diwali, this year, Chhoti Diwali falls on the same day as that of Diwali. A day after Diwali, Govardhan Puja is celebrated.

Govardhan Puja 2023: Date, history and significance (Pinterest)

As we gear up to enjoy the festivities, here are a few things about Govardhan Puja that we should know.

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Date:

Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakoot, celebrates the child form of Lord Krishna. This year, Govardhan Puja falls on November 13 – a day after Diwali.

History:

According to Hindu mythology, lord Krishna once encouraged people to worship the Govardhan mountain instead of offering their prayers to Lord Indra. He believed that Govardhan mountain provided fodder to the cows and should be worshipped instead of Lord Indra who gave us rain. He told his mother Yashoda that it was Lord Indra's responsibility to give us rain. To this, Lord Indra got angry and caused so much rain that it led to floods in the region. However, Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan mountain with his single finger and gave shelter to everyone under the mountain and protected them from floods. This surprised Lord Indra, and he stopped the rain. Since then, Govardhan Puja is celebrated a day after Diwali.

Significance:

Govardhan Puja is a way of expressing our gratitude to the earth's bounty and how we can live in interconnectedness and unity. It encourages people to respect and appreciate the natural resources of the world and help in saving the environment. On this day, devotees make heaps of cow dung cakes to represent the mighty Govardhan mountain. They also move around in their areas chanting hymns and mantras.