Govardhan Puja 2026: Date, Annakut & Significance
The fourth day of Diwali
Govardhan Puja is celebrated on the day after Diwali, the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartik. It is the fourth day of the five-day Diwali festival.
The day commemorates Lord Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan, and is also known as Annakut — “a mountain of food” — when a great variety of dishes is prepared and offered to the deity.
Govardhan Puja 2026 Date
Govardhan Puja 2026 is on Tuesday, 10 November 2026. It is observed on Kartik Shukla Pratipada — the Pratipada tithi of the Shukla paksha in the lunar month of Kartik.
Hindu festival dates follow the lunar calendar and can vary by a day between regions and traditions. Always confirm the date and timings with your local panchang.
The Significance of Govardhan Puja
The story comes from the Bhagavata Purana. The people of Vrindavan used to worship Indra, the god of rain, with a grand annual offering. The young Krishna urged them instead to honour Govardhan hill and their cattle, which truly sustained them.
Angered, Indra sent a torrential storm to flood Vrindavan. Krishna lifted the entire Govardhan hill on the little finger of his left hand and held it up like an umbrella, sheltering the villagers and their cattle for seven days until Indra’s pride was humbled.
Govardhan Puja celebrates this act and its lesson — that devotion and gratitude to nature matter more than fear of power. The Annakut offering, a mound of vegetarian dishes piled before the deity, expresses thanksgiving for the abundance of the earth.
Govardhan Puja Puja Vidhi
- Make a small hill of cow dung or clay representing Mount Govardhan, and decorate it with flowers.
- Worship the Govardhan hill, Lord Krishna and the cattle with lamps, flowers, incense and water.
- Prepare a wide variety of vegetarian dishes and arrange them as the Annakut offering before the deity.
- Circumambulate the symbolic hill and offer prayers of gratitude.
- Distribute the Annakut prasad among family, neighbours and the community.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Govardhan Puja in 2026?
Govardhan Puja in 2026 falls on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, on Kartik Pratipada.
Why is Govardhan Puja celebrated?
Govardhan Puja commemorates Lord Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan to shelter the people of Vrindavan from a storm sent by Indra. It celebrates devotion, humility and gratitude to nature.
What is Annakut?
Annakut means “a mountain of food”. On Govardhan Puja a large variety of vegetarian dishes is prepared and arranged as an offering before the deity in thanksgiving for the abundance of the earth.
When is Govardhan Puja in relation to Diwali?
Govardhan Puja falls on the day after Diwali and is the fourth day of the five-day Diwali festival, followed by Bhai Dooj.