Govardhan Puja 2030
गोवर्धन पूजा
Govardhan Puja falls on Sunday, 27 October 2030 in New Delhi, on Shukla Pratipada.
Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut, “mountain of food”, recalls Krishna lifting Mount Govardhan to shelter the people of Braj. On the same day, other regions mark King Bali's return or the Gujarati new year.
Why this date
CalculatedIt falls on Kartika Shukla Pratipada, the first lunar day of the bright fortnight, usually reckoned in the morning. That makes it normally the day after Diwali. When Amavasya runs long, you can get a one-day gap between Diwali and Govardhan Puja. Bright-fortnight names are the same in both northern and southern reckoning.
That’s 10 days earlier than 6 November 2029 last year.
- Pratipada begins
- 27 Oct, 1:47 AM
- It ends
- 27 Oct, 10:38 PM
2030 date by city
| New Delhi | Sun, 27 Oct |
|---|---|
| Mumbai | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Kolkata | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Chennai | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Bengaluru | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Hyderabad | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Ahmedabad | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Pune | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Jaipur | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Lucknow | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Patna | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Varanasi | Sun, 27 Oct |
| London | Sun, 27 Oct |
| New York | Sun, 27 Oct |
| San Francisco | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Toronto | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Sydney | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Singapore | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Dubai | Sun, 27 Oct |
| Port Louis | Sun, 27 Oct |
Dates in bold differ from New Delhi’s. Calculated by rule; local practice can differ.
One festival, many stories
BrajKrishna holds up the mountain
Krishna persuades the people of Braj to honour Mount Govardhan, which feeds their cattle, rather than Indra. Indra sends storms in anger, and Krishna holds the mountain up as an umbrella for seven days. The story is in the Bhagavata Purana (10.24–25), and Lochtefeld notes that the festival's mountain of sweets recalls those offerings.
Maharashtra and KarnatakaBali Pratipada
The same tithi is Bali Padyami or Padwa, for the generous demon-king who gave up his kingdom to Vishnu's dwarf avatar, Vamana. The tradition is that he's allowed to return on this day each year to see his people. The Vamana story is in the Bhagavata Purana (8.18–22), and the return on this day comes from regional practice.
GujaratBestu Varas
In Gujarat, this is new year's day, the first day of the Vikram Samvat as reckoned there. It's why Gujarati business families close their books at Diwali and start fresh, and why you'll hear “Saal Mubarak” the next morning.
Modern readingWorship what feeds you
Some people today read the Govardhan story as an argument for honouring the land over a distant sky-god. It's an attractive idea, and the text does have Krishna make a practical case for the hill and the cows. But “ecological” is our modern word, and we shouldn't assume that the text meant it.
Common questions
What people do
- Building a small Govardhan from cow dung or food, and worshipping it
- Preparing dozens of vegetarian dishes for the Annakut offering
- Walking the circuit of Mount Govardhan, in Braj
- Decorating and honouring cows and bulls
Why is Govardhan Puja the day after Diwali?
Because it belongs to the first lunar day after the new moon, and Diwali belongs to the new moon itself. If the new moon runs long, you may see a gap of a day between them.
What's the difference between Annakut and Govardhan Puja?
They're usually the same day. Annakut, “mountain of food”, is the offering, and Govardhan Puja is the worship of the hill it commemorates.
Why do Gujaratis celebrate new year after Diwali?
Because the Vikram Samvat as used in Gujarat begins with Kartika's bright half. It's one of several Indian new years, each following its own calendar.
Ask your elders
“Ask your family how many dishes went into the Annakut at their temple, and who got to eat what was left. If you're Gujarati, ask who you visited first on new year's morning.”
Sources
- Bhagavata Purana 8.18–22 and 10.24–25
- James G. Lochtefeld, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism (Rosen, 2002), entry “Govardhan Puja”
- Drik Panchang, Govardhan Puja timing rules
- Spasht calendar engine (festival rule)