GOVARDHAN PUJA CELEBRATED

GOVARDHAN PUJA CELEBRATED

11-NOV-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

SASARAM-------------------------Govardhan Puja was celebrated with great fervor across the district, featuring the worship of cows. Govardhan Puja takes place on the morning following the night of Diwali—when Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped—coinciding with the first rays of the sun on the *Kartik Shukla Pratipada* (the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartik). In 2026, this falls on November 10th. According to the *Panchang* (Hindu calendar), the *Pratipada Tithi* began at 12:31 PM on November 9th and lasted until 2:00 PM on November 10th. Based on the timing of sunrise, the worship is considered valid today. This is also known as 'Annakut'—literally a 'mountain of food' (*anna* meaning food, *kut* meaning a heap or mountain). However, this is more than just a festival; it represents the first environmental movement in Indian history.

The *Shrimad Bhagavata Purana*, *Vishnu Purana*, and *Giriraj Mahatmya* all recount the same narrative. The people of Braj used to perform an *Indra-yajna* (a ritual sacrifice to Indra) every year. Indra is the deity of rain and the king of the heavens; the people believed that crops could only grow if it rained. The young Krishna questioned this, asking, "Why should we worship Indra? Who provides us with fodder? Mount Govardhan. Who provides us with water? Mount Govardhan. Who provides shelter for our cows? Mount Govardhan. Therefore, it is the mountain that should be worshipped, not a king residing in some distant realm." This was an ideological rebellion. The people ceased the *Indra-yajna* and began worshipping Mount Govardhan instead. Enraged, Indra unleashed a catastrophic deluge that lasted for seven days. In response, Krishna lifted Mount Govardhan upon the little finger of his left hand, holding it aloft like an umbrella for seven days. All the people and animals took shelter beneath it. Ultimately, Indra was forced to yield. Mount Govardhan still exists today in the Mathura district—a small, 21-kilometer-long mountain range—which, in the Vaishnava tradition, is revered as a manifestation of Krishna himself.

First, it signifies a shift from Vedic ritualism toward a folk-based spirituality (*lok-dharma*). Indra is a Vedic deity; Vedic *yajnas* were characterized by an alliance between the ruling class and the priesthood. Krishna dismantled this alliance, asserting that the mountain before them—and the cows they tended—were their true deities. In sociology, this is termed the "de-centering of power"—bringing authority down from the heavens to the earth.

Second, it embodies an ecological philosophy. The term 'Go' does not merely mean 'cow'; it encompasses the senses, the earth, light, and water. 'Vardhan' signifies nourishment. Thus, 'Govardhan' refers to that which nourishes our senses and our very lives. This is why, even today, cows, oxen, cow dung, and the earth itself are worshipped during Govardhan Puja. It represents India’s earliest form of 'eco-theology.' Long before the German philosopher Alexander von Humboldt declared that "Nature is a living whole," Krishna had already articulated this 5,000 years ago.

Thirdly, consider the economics of 'Annakoot.' On this day, households prepare the 'Chhappan Bhog' (the offering of 56 varieties of food). This signifies diversity—a multitude of grains and vegetables harvested from the same land. When the food from an entire village is gathered in one place, forming a mountain-like heap, it becomes a powerful symbol of collectivity. It is a celebration of cooperation, standing in contrast to capitalism; it shifts the perspective from "my food" to "our food."

Why do we worship Indra? Because Indra is distant and formidable—he holds the power to withhold rain or strike with lightning. In psychology, this is termed 'fear-based worship.' Conversely, why do we worship Govardhan? Because it is near, it provides, and it endures. This is 'gratitude-based worship.' Krishna guided humanity away from fear and toward gratitude—a principle that lies at the very heart of the Gita. Today, as the world grapples with climate change and global warming, Govardhan Puja has become all the more relevant. While we may discuss the environment from the comfort of our air-conditioned rooms, the act of building a mountain out of cow dung and circumambulating it serves as a poignant reminder that we originate from the earth itself.

Therefore, Govardhan Puja is more than just a story; it is a warning. The day we forsake the mountains, rivers, cows, and the harvest—choosing instead to worship only 'Indra' (symbolizing the market, power, and distant, detached deities)—the catastrophic rains of destruction will return. And on that day, to save us, another Krishna will have to lift a mountain upon his finger once again.