Govardhan Puja 2026: Why Did Lord Krishna Lift Govardhan Hill on His Little Finger?

Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakoot, is celebrated on the first day of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Kartika, following Diwali. In 2026, the festival falls on November 10, Tuesday. According to the Delhi Panchang, the Kartika Shukla Pratipada Tithi begins at 12:31 PM on November 9 and ends at 2:00 PM on November 10. The morning puja muhurat is from 6:40 AM to 8:50 AM. According to Hindu mythology, the people of Braj traditionally worshipped Lord Indra for rainfall and prosperity. However, Lord Krishna explained that mountains, forests, cattle and nature were their actual sources of livelihood and encouraged them to worship Govardhan Hill instead. Angered by this decision, Indra unleashed heavy rainfall across Braj. To protect the people and cattle, Lord Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill with the little finger of his left hand and provided shelter to everyone for seven days and seven nights. Eventually, Indra realised his mistake, gave up his arrogance and stopped the rainfall. Since then, Lord Krishna has been worshipped as Govardhanadhari.

An important tradition of Govardhan Puja is Annakoot, in which devotees prepare a variety of vegetarian dishes and offer them to Lord Krishna. Several temples follow the tradition of presenting 56 different food items, known as Chhappan Bhog, which are later distributed among devotees as prasadam. People also create symbolic Govardhan hills using cow dung or soil, decorate them with flowers, perform cow worship and undertake Govardhan Parikrama. Beyond its religious significance, the festival conveys an important message about environmental protection, gratitude and humility. It reminds people of their dependence on nature, including land, water, trees, cattle and other natural resources. The story also teaches that true strength lies in protecting others rather than displaying power or arrogance. Govardhan Puja encourages devotees to appreciate nature's blessings and recognise the importance of living in harmony with the environment.