Govardhan Puja

Cattle at Govardhan Puja

The story tells how the young Krishna, a cowherd of Braj, persuaded the people to worship the hill that fed their cattle rather than Indra, and how he lifted Govardhan on one finger to shelter the herds from Indra's storm. On the day after Diwali, households build a small hill of cow dung, decorate it with flowers and grass, and walk round it; temples prepare annakut, a mountain of dozens of vegetarian dishes. Cows and bullocks are washed, painted with henna and ochre, and fed. In Braj, pilgrims walk the parikrama round the real hill. In Maharashtra and Gujarat the day is also the start of the new year for many traders.

The breeds

HarianaThe white dual-purpose breed of the plains around Braj.MewatiThe draught cattle of Mewat, just west of the Braj country.GirThe favourite cow of temple gaushalas across north and west India.SahiwalA red dairy breed widely kept in north Indian gaushalas.