Govardhan Puja and Annakut: Krishna, the Hill and the Mountain of Food

The day after the main night of Diwali, many parts of India observe Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut, meaning "mountain of food". It falls on Pratipada, the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartika.

The story

The tale is told in the Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana. The people of Vrindavan used to perform a yearly sacrifice to Indra, god of rain. The young Krishna asked them why. Their prosperity, he argued, came from the cows, the pasture and Govardhan hill, which fed them. He suggested honouring the hill instead. Offended, Indra sent a violent storm. Krishna lifted Govardhan on the little finger of his left hand and sheltered the whole village beneath it for seven days. Indra finally accepted defeat and bowed to Krishna.

The story is understood as a teaching on humility and gratitude to the natural world, as well as on protection of the vulnerable.

How it is observed

• Annakut: temples, especially Vaishnava ones, arrange dozens or hundreds of dishes before the deity. In Mathura, Vrindavan and Nathdwara, the offering may include 56 items, called Chappan Bhog. After the ritual, the food is distributed as prasad.
• Govardhan models: at home, a small hill is made from cow dung, clay or sweets and decorated with flowers, grass and small figures of cows. The family circumambulates it.
• Cow worship: cattle are washed, decorated and fed, honouring their role in rural life.
• Govardhan Parikrama: pilgrims walk around the sacred hill in Mathura district, about 21 kilometres.

Regional meanings

In Gujarat and parts of western India, the same day marks the start of the new year in the Vikram Samvat calendar, called Bestu Varas. People visit relatives, exchange greetings with "Saal Mubarak", and begin new business accounts. In Maharashtra, the day coincides with Bali Pratipada and Padwa, honouring the king Bali and the bond between spouses. In Karnataka and elsewhere in the south, Bali Padyami is observed.

A festival of sharing

What links all these customs is the idea of generosity. The mountain of food is a reminder that abundance is meant to be shared. The next day, siblings come together for Bhai Dooj, completing the five days of Diwali.