GOVARDHAN PUJA: COMMEMORATING LORD KRISHNA'S HEROIC DEED
Place of celebration: Northern India
A day after the noisy midnight celebrations on Lakshmi Puja night, the festival of lights celebration goes on for the subsequent two days. Well, the families and friends meet one another, feast on delicious meals, and have a soothing. except for the North Indians, it's not an exception. They celebrate Govardhan Puja with zeal and enthusiasm.
What is Govardhan Puja?
Govardhan Puja is widely known just each day after Lakshmi Puja in North Indian states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This festival is an event to worship Lord Krishna and Govardhan Parbat. it's to commemorate the heroic act of lifting Mountain Govardhan, a small hillock near Braj, by Lord Krishna.What is The Legend Behind Govardhan Puja?
According to Vishnu Puranas, it's trusted that the human being of Gokul celebrated Govardhan Puja in honor of Lord Indra—the Rain God at the top of each monsoon season. During Krishna's growing up days, he instigated the people to prevent worshipping Indra to off His Divine Supremacy. Lord Indra, in revenge, wanted to point out his power over Krishna and caused a rainstorm, which send shivers on the local people. But Krishna confident them that no loss would overtake them. Krishna, miraculously, He lifted Mount Govardhan together with his tiny pinkie and sheltered men and beasts from the rain for seven days. This gave him the epithet Govardhan Dhari. After this, Indra accepted the supremacy of Krishna.
Information on Govardhan Puja - Celebrations
While the entire nation was busy bursting fireworks the night before, staunch believers of Lord Krishna, particularly in Mathura and Nathdwara, in Uttar Pradesh, stay up the entire night preparing 'bhog' (religious meals) of over fifty-six or hundred and eight sorts of food. The meals range from all types of Indian vegetarian menu like cereals, pulses, fruit, vegetables, chutneys, pickles, and salads This religious ritual is named as 'Annakut' meaning 'mountain of food'. Here, both men and ladies, prepare amorously and devotion the favorite meals of Lord Krishna.
The deities are bathed with milk and are attired in shimmering attires embellished in dazzling ornaments like diamonds, pearls, and rubies. Then they're worshipped, offered prayers and bhajans are sung melodiously in praise of Lord Krishna. Delicious sweets, fruits and eatables are ceremoniously raised within the sort of a mountain before the idols.
After the prayers, the prepared meals are distributed as prasad. In rural areas, there's s a practice of building trash hillocks, which symbolize the Mount Govardhan. After making such hillocks people decorate them with flowers then worship them. They move during a circle all around the trash hillocks and offer prayers to Lord Govardhan.
However, in other parts of the country, where devotees find it impossible to go to Krishna Temples, they celebrate in their own way reception. they provide gifts to Brahmins and seek his blessings. Cows and bulls also are decorated and worshipped.
Govardhan Puja Vidhi: Method of Worship
- On this day in the morning, with a concept, Govardhan Nath is made with the cow dung,
- which is decorated with flowers and tree branches.
- Then it is worshiped in the evening.
- Incense, lamp, milk, curd, naivedya, water, fruit, kheel, batasha etc. are used in the puja.
- And then revolve around the idol.
- Then Annakoot is offered to please God, Giriraj, who is called the God of Braj.
- In rural areas, cattle and animals are worshiped on this day by bathing them.
- Animals are shown wearing flower garlands, applying tilak, and incense to them.
- In particular, aarti is offered to the cow by feeding it sweets and it is performed.
Govardhan Puja Vrat Katha: Story Of Govardhan Puja
Once upon a time, Indra became pleased with his powers. Then Lord Krishna makes a play to crush their pride. In this, he saw all the Brajwasis and his mother preparing for a puja, then Yashoda asked the mother, "Mayya, what are you all preparing for?" Mata then tells him that "she is ready to worship Indradeva."Then Lord Krishna asked "Mayya, why can we all praise Indra? Then Mayya told us that 'Indra rains and from that we get foodstuffs and grass of our cow. Hearing this, Krishna Ji immediately said" Maia our cow If the grain grazes on Mount Govardhan, it should be revered for us. Indra Dev is arrogant, he never gives darshan.
Considering Krishna, all Brajvas worshiped Govardhan Parvat in situ of Indradev. Enraged at this, Lord Indra started torrential rain. Seeing the rain taking the shape of a flood, all the residents of Braj started cursing Lord Krishna. Then Krishna Ji lifted the Govardhan mountain on his finger to guard the people from the rain.
After this, everyone was asked to require shelter with their cow under the mountain. This made Indra Dev angrier and increased the speed of rain. so as to interrupt Indra's pride, Shri Krishna told Sudarshan Chakra that you simply stay top of the mountain to regulate the speed of rain and make a rag from Sheshnag and stop water from coming towards the mountain.
Indra Dev continuously showered night and day. After an extended time, he realized that Krishna isn't a standard person. Then he visited Brahma Ji, then he came to understand that Shri Krishna is none aside from Shri Hari himself as an incarnation of Vishnu. On hearing this, he goes to Shri Krishna and starts apologizing to him.
After this, Devraj Indra worshiped Krishna and offered him as an offering. Since then, the tradition of Govardhan Puja has been maintained. it's believed that Lord Krishna is pleased by worshiping Govardhan Parvat and cows on today.
