Govardhan Puja in Ambaji

Date and timing in this city

In Ambaji (अंबाजी), India, Govardhan Puja falls on Tuesday 10 November 2026. The following year it falls on Saturday 30 October 2027. These dates are computed for Ambaji's own sunrise, in the Asia/Kolkata time zone.

The observance is tied to Kartik Shukla Pratipada — the first tithi of the bright fortnight of Kartik. Because the tithi is reckoned from the local sunrise at the place of observance, the day assigned to Govardhan Puja in Ambaji is the one that follows the local calculation, not a single national date applied everywhere.

The deity honoured is Krishna, and the observance is Annakut — the offering of a mountain of food, a name that literally means "a heap of grain."

Why the date can differ from India

It is common to see one date printed for "India" and a different one used locally. This is not a contradiction. Tithi boundaries fall at specific moments, and different panchangas may reckon the day from sunrise in one city, from moonrise, or from a regional convention. Where the tithi begins or ends close to a sunrise, a neighbouring city — or a different panchanga tradition — can arrive at the adjacent date.

Ambaji's date above is the one computed for Ambaji's own sunrise. Readers in other cities should use the date calculated for their own location rather than assuming it matches.

Traditions also differ in how the Kartik month itself is counted. North India generally follows the purnimanta system, in which the month ends at the full moon; parts of South India and some Smarta and Vaishnava communities follow the amanta system, ending at the new moon. Both are valid within their own lineages, and this can shift the naming of the month even when the tithi is the same.

Where and how the community celebrates

Govardhan Puja is observed across North India, and Ambaji sits within that broad region. The general form of the day is consistent: Krishna is worshipped, and Annakut is prepared and offered.

In household practice, families arrange a variety of cooked foods — often many dishes — as the Annakut offering. Some build a small representation of Govardhan hill from food or clay, and circumambulate it. In temple settings, the Annakut is laid out before the deity and shared afterwards as prasad.

Because customs vary by family, community and region, the specific dishes, the order of ritual, and whether the puja is done at home or at a shrine are best confirmed with your own family tradition or local priest.

Practical tips

• Note the date for your own city, not only the national listing — Ambaji's sunrise calculation gives Tuesday 10 November 2026 and Saturday 30 October 2027.
• Prepare the Annakut according to what your household normally offers; there is no single required menu.
• If you follow a particular sampradaya, ask your family elder or priest which month reckoning — amanta or purnimanta — your tradition uses.
• For anything concerning your personal chart or individual observance, consult a qualified jyotishi.