Govardhan Pooja

जो काम करे उसका ही हो नाम
बिन किए कुछ भी अनोखा, क्यूँ ले जाए कोई इनाम ?
श्री कृष्ण ने समझाया, सच्चाई का रास्ता दिखाया
हिम्मत से जीना सिखाया!
गोवर्धन पर्वत की बनके आवाज़,
नाइंसाफी से लड़ना सिखाया!
इन्द्र का अहंकार
तहस नहस कर रहा था जब संसार,
नही होने दी भगवान ने इंसाफ और इंसानियत की हार!
कर्म करो सच्चे दिलसे
बना रहेगा तुम पर ईश्वर का आशीर्वाद और प्यार!
-श्रीया कत्याल

The Story

Krishna spent most of his childhood in Braj.

According to the Bhagavata Purana, forest-dwelling cowherds living close to Govardhan used to celebrate the autumn season by paying respect to Indra, the God of rain and storm. Krishna did not approve of this since he desired that the villagers worship Mount Govardhan with the reason that Mount Govardhan is the one that provides natural resources to the villagers for their livelihood. Trees provided oxygen, the grass provided food for the cattle and provided natural beauty. The mountain was responsible for the natural phenomena that occur in the city of Gokul. 

Indra got angry with this advice. Shri Krishna, though being younger than almost everyone in the city, was respected by everyone due to his knowledge and immense power. So, the people of Gokul agreed with Shri Krishna's advice. Indra was angered upon seeing the villagers' devotion diverted away from him and toward Krishna. Indra decided to initiate thunderstorms and heavy rains in the city in reflex of his egoistic anger. 

To protect the people from the storms, Shri Krishna lifted the Govardhan mount on his little finger and provided shelter to all the people and cattle of the city. After 7–8 days of continuous storms, seeing the people of Gokul being unaffected, Indra accepted defeat and stopped the storms. This day is therefore celebrated as a festival that paid respect to Mount Govardhan by preparing a 'giriyajna' - a "great offering of foods and delicacies to the mountain".

Govardhan has since become a major pilgrimage site in Braj for devotees of Krishna. On the day of Annakut, devotees circumambulate the hill and offer food to the mountain—one of the oldest rituals in Braj. The circumambulation consists of an eleven-mile trek dotted along the way with several shrines, before which devotees place flowers and other offerings.

Families create an image of Giriraj Govardhan (the mountain) from cow dung, adorning it with miniature cow figures as well as grass as twigs, representing trees and greenery. In the days leading up to Annakut, fifty-six food items (chappan bhog) are typically prepared and offered in the evening.