The cattle calendar
63 cattle fairs, festivals, pasture days, races and shows of the year, with the breeds at the centre of each. Dates are worked out afresh every day; those marked "about" follow the moon or local calendars and can shift by a day.
November 2026
about 5 Nov 2026Vasu Baras (Govatsa Dwadashi)The first day of Diwali in Maharashtra, when a cow and her calf are worshipped together in thanks for the milk that feeds the home.
about 8 to 9 Nov 2026Tihar: Gai Puja and Goru PujaIn Nepal's festival of lights, the cow is worshipped on Laxmi Puja morning, and the ox is honoured the day after.
about 9 Nov 2026Govardhan PujaThe day after Diwali, when Krishna's lifting of Govardhan hill is remembered and the cattle of Braj are bathed, painted and fed.
about 17 Nov 2026GopashtamiThe day Krishna is said to have first taken the cows out to graze: cows and calves are worshipped and gaushalas fill with visitors.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Vasu Baras: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Tihar Gai Puja: Sreekumar K. S., CC BY 2.0, source
- Royal Ploughing Ceremony: Xiengyod, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- St Anthony Blessing Of Animals: Michael Damaskinos, Public domain, source
- St Wendelin: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 2.5, source
- St Modestos: Spiritia, CC0, source