Govardhana Puja and Go Puja

What is Govardhana Puja and Go Puja?

Govardhana Puja is the worship of Govardhana Hill, offered with a great feast called Annakuta, meaning a heap of food. Go Puja is the care and honouring of the cows, go meaning cow. In 2026 both fall on Tuesday, 10 November, the day after Dipavali.

Significance

The cowherd men of Vrindavana were preparing a sacrifice to Indra, the king of heaven. Lord Krishna asked His father, Maharaja Nanda, to use the same materials for the cows, the brahmanas and Govardhana Hill instead. Srila Prabhupada writes that Krishna wanted to teach Indra, a devotee puffed up by his position, and to establish exclusive devotional service. He told His father:

Such a sacrifice will be very dear to the cows, the brāhmaṇas and Govardhana Hill, and also to Me.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.24.30

How to observe it

Krishna asked for many kinds of food, from sweet rice to fried and baked cakes and milk preparations, then for the cows to be decorated, fed grass and circumambulated along with Govardhana Hill. Devotees follow this today with Annakuta, a mountain of prasadam offered and shared widely. The same day carries Bali Daityaraja Puja and the appearance day of Sri Rasikananda.

Read more: Govardhan Puja