Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja is a Hindu festival that takes place on the fourth day of Diwali. It commemorates a great deed done by Krishna, the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Govardhan Puja Definition & Meaning
Govardhan Puja is a Hindu festival that is celebrated on the fourth day after the start of Diwali, which commemorates the event where Krishna, an avatar of the Hindu god Lord Vishnu, lifted a mountain now known as Govardhan Hill to provide shelter for the people of his village during a massive rainstorm.
This day is also known as Annakoot or Annakut which translates to the mountain of food as a reference to the mountain involved in the story and because of the huge variety of food prepared by the devotees in observation of this festival.
When Is Govardhan Puja?
While the date always varies every year, Govardhan Puja is always celebrated on the fourth day of Diwali, which usually falls during the autumn season. The reason Hindus observe this day is because they view it as a time to pass religious and cultural values to the children as well as express their devotion to God.
Govardhan Puja Purpose, Importance
Govardhan Puja is a significant day for a lot of Hindus especially since it is a part of the 5-day celebration of Diwali, and it is their way to celebrate their culture, ancient history, and their religion.
Gratitude
One of the key messages of celebrating Govardhan Puja is gratitude. Gratitude for the god’s protection and blessings, just as Krishna did for the people during the rain storms. This festival is the time when devotees would offer gatherings, the aforementioned mountain of food as a sign of thanks for Krishna’s benevolence.
Reaffirming One’s Faith
Celebrating this festival enables devotees to reaffirm their beliefs. Practicing the rituals and observing this holiday reminds them of the things that are important to their faith and strengthening it by celebrating it with fellow devotees.
Krishna’s Protection
This event commemorates the event where Krishna lifts a mountain with his little finger to provide protection for his followers from the rainstorms sent by the god Indra. The story states that Indra was jealous of the worship that was given to Krishna by the people, so he conjures rain that kept ongoing for days causing chaos. In response, Krishna lifts a mountain so that the people can hide underneath the space and wait out the rain in safety.
Passing Values
Another purpose of this festival is to pass on cultural and religious values to one’s child. This allows devotees to preserve their faith and beliefs by passing them on to the future generation. Sages would often give lectures to devotees during this day as well.
What’s in Govardhan Puja?
As Govardhan Puja takes place at the time of Diwali, this makes it a part of the huge celebration that happens annually in India. In contrast to parades and parties, Govardhan Puja is celebrated by offering a lot of food to idols of the Hindu gods and is observed by devotees offering prayers to them. The festival is primarily celebrated outside the home where devotees gather at the temples to perform the rituals.
How to Create a Govardhan Puja Social Media Post
We have a great selection of social media posts to showcase your festive mood on Govardhan Puja. With the easy tips we share below, you can craft professional social media posts to spread the joy of this festival.
1. Choose a Govardhan Puja Facebook Post Template.
Pick any of our Govardhan Puja Facebook post templates. Click on your chosen Facebook post template and edit it using our social media post Editor tool. You can do so by clicking the ‘Edit this Template FREE’ button or clicking on the image.
2. Click Fill Text to customize the text.
You can change the text of the template into your custom status by clicking the Fill panel and editing the Fill Text boxes. In those boxes, you can type your wishes, quotes, and messages about Govardhan Puja.
3. Add graphics related to Govardhan Puja.
If you want your post to be more animated, you can insert graphics to enhance them. Click the Graphics panel to search for full HD vectors. For example, you can type “mountain” on the search bar to find relevant results.
4. Alter the background color.
You can change the background color to enhance your template’s visual look. Select a color that compliments the color of your text. Open the Background panel and select a color in the Colors section. The changes should reflect right away.
5. Save your Govardhan Puja Facebook post.
Head to the three-dotted icon in the upper right corner and click Save. Your Govardhan Puja Facebook post is all set.
1. Pick a Govardhan Puja Instagram Post Template.
Select any of our Govardhan Puja Instagram post templates, perfect for your Instagram timeline. Pick the template you like and start customizing it using our Editor tool by clicking on the image.
2. Add your Govardhan Puja message.
Add your Govardhan Puja messages by clicking the Fill panel and customizing the default content in the Fill Text boxes. Keep it short and sweet.
3. Place Govardhan Puja images.
Enhance your Govardhan Puja Instagram post by adding images to the template. Simply go to the Uploads panel and select an image file to upload. Then click and drag the image and make adjustments if necessary.
4. Place Graphics.
You can also insert graphics into your post to make it a lot more appropriate for Govardhan Puja. Access the Photos panel and type related things about Govardhan Puja like “mountain” in the search bar under Unsplash. Click and drag it into the layout.
5. Save your Govardhan Puja Instagram post.
When you have finished, save your Govardhan Puja Instagram post by clicking the three-dotted icon in the upper right corner. Save your finished post and upload it to Instagram when Govardhan Puja begins.
1. Pick a Govardhan Puja LinkedIn Post template.
Choose our Govardhan Puja LinkedIn post templates. Open the template in our Editor tool by clicking the image. We designed the templates to look attention-grabbing on LinkedIn.
2. Insert your company logo.
Insert your company logo into it to brand your post. To do that, open the Logo panel of our Editor tool. Upload a JPG/PNG image file of your logo and then place your logo around the heading.
3. Add your Govardhan Puja message.
Add your Govardhan Puja message in the Fill Text boxes within the Fill panel. Make sure that your message is easy to read.
4. Change the background color.
You can change the background color to match the theme of Govardhan Puja. Open the Background settings panel, select the Colors section, and click a color of your choice such as blue.
5. Save your Govardhan Puja LinkedIn post.
When you’re done, click the three-dotted icon in the upper right and select the Save option. Your LinkedIn post is ready for upload once Govardhan Puja starts.
Govardhan Puja Traditions
Goverdhan Hill ritual
One of the notable rituals of this festival is the building of an image/miniature of the Govardhan Hill through the use of cow dung while placing cow figures as decoration.
Annukut Festival
During this event, a large variety of food is arranged in tiers in front of the statues of the gods. The tiers of food are usually categorized as sweets, savory, and so on with sweets being placed close to the gods. A mound of cook grains is placed in the center which serves as a symbol of Mount Govardhan.
Milk Bath
During this day, devotees would give a milk bath to an idol of Krishna, and then adorn him with elegant clothing and ornaments.
Govardhan Puja vs. Janmashtami
Govardhan Puja is a Hindu festival where people who practice the faith worship Govardhan Hill as well as offer all sorts of vegetarian food to Krishna as a way of giving thanks for the incredible feat he did of lifting the hill.
Janmashtami is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, which is important as he is the eighth avatar or reincarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Govardhan Puja Ideas & Examples
If you’re wondering what you can do during Govardhan Puja, we got some ideas of what you can do during this festival as shown below.
Govardhan Puja Ideas
Below are ideas of some exciting things that you can do during Govardhan Puja:
- Make rangoli which is a decorative drawing on the ground by using colored rice, sand, and flower petals.
- Make an offering of food to the gods at the temple and express gratitude.
- Enjoy tasty dishes during the Govardhan festival like lassi, samosas, bhatoora, dhokla, kadai paneer, and tandoori roti.
- If you are a devotee, then send prayers of gratitude to Krishna for saving Braj Bhoomi from the floods sent by Indra.
- Sending greetings and wishes to your friends and family on this day.
- Have a party with the family at home.
- Since this festival takes place during Diwali as well, you can participate in the other festivities that involve Diwali too.
- Share stories about the tale of how Krishna lifted a mountain with his little finger to protect the people from Indra’s rain.
- Go to the place where Govardhan Hill is located.
- Share spiritual and religious values with the children so that the tradition passes on to the next generation.
Govardhan Puja Examples
If you want to design content such as logos, social media posts, posters, wallpapers, or quotes, you can check out these examples for inspiration.
1. Happy Govardhan Puja Youtube Banner Template
2. Happy Govardhan Puja Flyer Template
3. Happy Govardhan Puja Snapchat Geofilter Template
4. Happy Govardhan Puja Whatsapp Post Template
5. Happy Govardhan Puja Linkedin Post Template
6. Happy Govardhan Puja Instagram Story Template
7. Happy Govardhan Puja Instagram Post Template
8. Happy Govardhan Puja Facebook Post Template
FAQs
What is the reason for Govardhan Puja?
Govardhan Puja is celebrated because it commemorates the tale of Krishna protecting the people from Indra’s rainstorms by lifting a mountain with his little finger.
What do you do on Govardhan Pooja?
On Govardhan Puja, devotees observe this event by offering a large variety of food (or a mountain of food so to speak) and offering prayers of gratitude to the deities.
Why is Govardhan made of cow dung?
The Govardhan is made of cow dung because according to Hinduism, cow dung is considered sacred.
What should be done on Govardhan Puja?
On Govardhan Puja, devotees should prepare a large variety of food that they offer to the idols of the gods in gratitude.
Why do we worship cows on Govardhan Puja?
In Hinduism, Govardhan puja grants happiness and prosperity in life, and this festival is heavily associated with cows Lord Krishna who is the central figure of this festival, used to raise calves when he was a child.
Why do we do Govardhan Puja after Diwali?
Govardhan Puja is done after Diwali as it is a part of a series of celebrations over various events of the forces of good being victorious over various hardships.
What is the significance of Govardhan Puja?
Govardhan Puja’s significance lies in the belief that this event shows how Krishna protected the people who all put their faith in him, which reaffirms a practicing Hindu belief.
How do you explain Govardhan puja to children?
By sharing stories of the origins of how Govardhan Puja started, you can explain to the children why it is so important.
What do we learn from Govardhan Puja?
Through Govardhan Puja, we learn about having gratitude for all the blessings we received in life and that god protects those who put their faith in him.
Who is worshipped on Govardhan Puja?
On Govardhan Puja, it is Krishna who is worshipped during this festival.
Why did Krishna lift Govardhan mountain?
Krishna lifted the Govardhan mountain to provide protection to the people in Braj who have been suffering torrential rainstorms due to the wrath of the god Indra.
What is the history of Govardhan Puja?
Govardhan Puja was described in the Bhagavata Purana which is one of Hinduism’s Sanskrit texts.
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