Govardhan Puja & Annakut

Significance and when it is done

Govardhan Puja, also written in Sanskrit as गोवर्धनपूजा, is a festival puja belonging to the category of festival pujas. It is offered to Krishna (Govardhan). The purpose is the worship of the Govardhan hill made of cow dung or food, with an annakut offering. In Hindi the occasion is known as गोवर्धन पूजा व अन्नकूट.

The hill is shaped from cow dung or from food, and the annakut — the mountain of cooked offerings — is placed before the deity. The puja is done in the home or in a courtyard, and it is a family observance rather than a temple rite. Typical duration is about 1 h 30 min. There is no havan as part of this puja. It is in person only; it is not performed online.

Because different communities follow different calendars, the exact day is fixed locally. Where traditions differ — North and South, Smarta and Vaishnava, amanta and purnimanta reckonings — the family follows its own custom. The date and any muhurat are shown on the page from data, not stated here.

Who performs it and who should attend

A pandit conducts the vidhi, and the family joins in the offerings and the aarti. In many homes the eldest member or the householder leads the sankalpa while the pandit recites. Children are usually present for the annakut and the prasad, since the offering of food is the heart of the day.

Anyone in the household may attend. There is no bar on guests or neighbours joining the aarti. If a family keeps a particular family tradition, it is best to tell the pandit in advance so the outline below is adjusted to it.

Vidhi step by step (outline)

The following is an outline only; the pandit will set the exact order and the mantras according to tradition.

• Purification of the space and of the samagri.
• Lighting the diya and placing the kalash.
• Sankalpa by the householder, naming the occasion.
• Preparation and installation of the cow-dung Govardhan.
• Invocation of Krishna (Govardhan) and offering of flowers and garland.
• Offering of roli, haldi, akshat and moli.
• Offering of supari, paan leaves, coconut and fruits.
• Ghee lamp and camphor aarti with incense.
• Placement of the 56 bhog (annakut) and the milk offering.
• Parikrama of the Govardhan and final prayers.
• Aarti, prasad distribution and daan.

Expect the whole sequence to run about 1 h 30 min. If the family adds bhajans or a longer annakut, it can run longer.

Preparing the samagri and the space

Keep everything within reach before the pandit begins. The usual samagri list is:

• Roli (kumkum)
• Haldi
• Akshat (unbroken rice)
• Moli (sacred thread)
• Supari
• Paan leaves
• Coconut
• Ghee
• Diya and cotton wicks
• Camphor
• Incense sticks
• Flowers and garland
• Fruits
• Sweets for naivedya
• Ganga jal
• Kalash
• Cow-dung Govardhan
• 56 bhog (annakut)
• Milk

Clean the area where the Govardhan will be placed. Set the annakut where it will not be disturbed during the puja. Keep a separate plate for prasad and a small bowl for daan.

Regional variations

Customs differ across regions and sampradayas. The shape and size of the Govardhan, the number of items in the annakut, and the order of the aarti all vary. Some families make the hill from cow dung, others build it from cooked food. North Indian households often keep a larger annakut; in other regions the offering is simpler. Smarta and Vaishnava households may follow slightly different sequences. Amanta and purnimanta calendars can place the observance on adjacent days. None of these is treated here as the only correct form — the family's own tradition decides.

After the puja: prasad, daan, dos and don'ts

After the aarti, the annakut and the milk are distributed as prasad. Share it with those present and with neighbours if the family wishes. Daan may be given to the pandit or to a temple as the family decides.

Do keep the Govardhan and the annakut undisturbed until the family's custom allows their removal. Do treat the leftover prasad with respect. Don't begin the puja without the samagri assembled. Don't rush the aarti or the parikrama.

Typical dakshina is £101–201 in the UK, $151–301 in the USA and ₹2,100–5,100 in India, excluding samagri and travel. Each pandit sets their own fee.

For questions about personal charts or timing, consult a qualified jyotishi. This page describes the puja only and makes no promises about outcomes.