Govardhan Puja · Annakut, Padwa, Bali Pratipada
Annakut: thanks to Krishna and nature with a mountain of food.
In 15 days Kartika Shukla PratipadaTimes for New Delhi (IST)
Date, muhurat and timings
Rule: Kartika Shukla Pratipada, in the morning
Govardhan Puja timings, Tuesday, 10 November 2026, New Delhi
| Pratipada tithi begins | 12:32 pm (9 Nov) |
|---|---|
| Pratipada tithi ends | 2:01 pm |
| Morning (pratahkala) muhurat | 6:39 am – 8:49 am |
| Evening (sayankala) muhurat | 3:20 pm – 5:30 pm |
| Sunrise | 6:39 am |
| Sunset | 5:30 pm |
The time after that: Saturday, 30 October 2027
All times are for New Delhi, computed from the sidereal (Lahiri) panchang. They update themselves daily and roll over to the next date once the festival has passed. Today’s panchang for New Delhi
Govardhan Puja, or Annakut, falls the day after Lakshmi Puja. Families make a small Govardhan hill, often from cow dung or clay, offer a “mountain of food” to Krishna and share it with everyone. Here is this year’s date and muhurat for your city.
Meaning and story of Govardhan Puja
The story goes that Lord Krishna persuaded the people of Braj to honour Govardhan hill, which fed their cows and gave them rain, instead of Indra alone. When Indra sent a week of storms, Krishna lifted the hill on his little finger and sheltered everyone beneath it.
The festival is a thank-you to nature and to the farmers, cows and land that feed us. In Gujarat and Maharashtra it is also the New Year (Bestu Varas) and Bali Pratipada, and in many homes it is Padwa, a day for husbands and wives.
Puja vidhi, step by step
- In the morning muhurat, make a small Govardhan hill with clay, cow dung or even rice and flowers, with a figure of Krishna.
- Decorate it with flowers and small lamps.
- Offer the annakut: as many dishes as you can, often 56 (chhappan bhog), or a simple spread of vegetables, rice, kadhi and sweets.
- Walk around the Govardhan (parikrama) while singing or chanting.
- Share the food with family, neighbours and those in need.
What you will need
- Clay or cow dung for the hill (or rice and flowers)
- Image of Krishna
- Flowers and small lamps
- Annakut dishes and sweets
- Milk, curd and tulsi leaves
Do
- Cook together as a family; the shared work is part of the puja.
- Feed cows or give to a gaushala if you can.
- Distribute extra food the same day.
- Thank farmers and those who grow your food.
Avoid
- Avoid wasting food; cook what can be shared.
- Don’t skip the parikrama if you are able to walk.
- Avoid harsh words with family on Padwa.
- Avoid plastic decorations that end up in drains.
A small note for each rashi this Govardhan Puja
Gentle, general suggestions for your Moon sign, not predictions. Every sign is welcome at every festival.
- Mesha Aries
Your gift: initiative, comfortable going first. Take the lead in bringing everyone together, and leave space for the quieter ones to speak.
- Vrishabha Taurus
Your gift: patience and staying power. Your steadiness holds the family together; a small thank-you to an elder will mean a lot.
- Mithuna Gemini
Your gift: fast learning and adaptability. Call a sibling or cousin you have not spoken to in a while; a light, funny chat can heal distance.
- Karka Cancer
Your gift: empathy and emotional intelligence. Your care is felt deeply today; make sure to rest as well as look after everyone.
- Simha Leo
Your gift: natural authority and presence. Take the lead in bringing everyone together, and leave space for the quieter ones to speak.
- Kanya Virgo
Your gift: analytical precision. Your steadiness holds the family together; a small thank-you to an elder will mean a lot.
- Tula Libra
Your gift: diplomacy and tact. Call a sibling or cousin you have not spoken to in a while; a light, funny chat can heal distance.
- Vrishchika Scorpio
Your gift: depth and focus. Your care is felt deeply today; make sure to rest as well as look after everyone.
- Dhanu Sagittarius
Your gift: optimism and faith. Take the lead in bringing everyone together, and leave space for the quieter ones to speak.
- Makara Capricorn
Your gift: discipline and patience. Your steadiness holds the family together; a small thank-you to an elder will mean a lot.
- Kumbha Aquarius
Your gift: original, independent thinking. Call a sibling or cousin you have not spoken to in a while; a light, funny chat can heal distance.
- Meena Pisces
Your gift: compassion and kindness. Your care is felt deeply today; make sure to rest as well as look after everyone.
Questions about Govardhan Puja
When is Govardhan Puja?
The next Govardhan Puja is on Tuesday, 10 November 2026: Kartika Shukla Pratipada, in the morning. For New Delhi, morning (pratahkala) muhurat: 6:39 am – 8:49 am. Times change by city; choose yours above.
What is Annakut?
Literally “a mountain of food”: many dishes offered to Krishna and then shared. Temples often prepare 56 dishes, but a small home spread made with love is just as traditional.
Is Govardhan Puja always the day after Diwali?
Usually, but not always. It falls on Kartika Shukla Pratipada in the morning, so when Amavasya runs late, there can be a gap day between Lakshmi Puja and Govardhan Puja.
Can it be done in a flat without cow dung?
Yes. Many city families shape the hill from clay, rice, flour or flowers. The gratitude is what counts.
What is the evening muhurat for?
Families who cannot do the puja in the morning use the late-afternoon (sayankala) window shown above.
How are these dates worked out?
Every festival is fixed by a rule: the lunar month, the paksha, the tithi, and the part of the day (such as pradosh, madhyahna or nishita) in which that tithi must fall. Our engine finds the next time that happens from the sidereal (Lahiri) Sun and Moon and computes the muhurat from your city’s sunrise and sunset. Dates are checked against Drik Panchang. Where traditions differ, such as Smarta and Vaishnava reckoning, we say so above; your family custom or local priest always comes first.
Pair the festival with your own chart
Complete Life Kundli: Your full Vedic birth chart, explained area by area: personality, career, relationships, wealth and timing.
The weekly letter, every Saturday
The week’s festivals and muhurats, an outlook for all 12 rashis, one transit and a small idea to keep. Free, one email a week.