Issue 8.5 - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia

zeal and enthusiasm in the states of Punjab,
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In this Pooja,
there is a tradition of building cow dung hillocks,
which symbolize the Mount Govardhan, the
mountain which was once lifted by Lord Krishna.
After making such hillocks people decorate them
with flowers and then worship them. They move in
a circle all round the cow dung hillocks and offer
prayers to Lord Govardhan.
Legends
‘Govardhan’ is a small hillock situated at ‘Braj’,
near Mathura. The legends in ‘Vishnu Puraan’ have
it that the people of Gokul used to worship and
offer prayer to Lord Indra for the rains because
they believed that it was he who sent rains for their
welfare but Lord Krishna told them that it was
Mount Govardhan (Govardhan Parvat) and not
Lord Indra who caused rains therefore they should
worship the former and not the latter. People did
the same and it made Lord Indra so furious that the
people of Gokul had to face very heavy rains as a
result of his anger. Then Lord Krishna came
forward to ensure their security and after
performing worship and offering prayers to Mount
Govardhan lifted it as an umbrella on the little
finger of his right hand so that everyone could take
shelter under it. After this event Lord Krishna was
also known as Giridhari or Govardhandhari.
Anna-Koot
The fourth day of Diwali celebrations is also
observed as Anna-Koot, which literally means
‘mountain of food’. On this auspicious day the
people prepare fifty-six or one hundred and eight
different varieties of delicious dishes to offer Lord
Krishna as ‘Bhog’. In the temples, specifically in
Mathura and Nathdwara, the deities are given milk
12 | Bhavan Australia | Nov 2010
bath, dressed in new shining attires and decorated
with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls,
rubies and other precious stones and metals. They
are worshipped, offered prayers and bhajans and
also offered delicious sweets, fruits and eatables
that are ceremoniously raised in the form of a
mountain before the idols.
Padwa
The day following the ‘Amavasya’ is ‘Kartik Shuddh
Padwa’, which is also the day when the King Bali
would come out of the ‘Patal Lok’, the nether land
and rule the ‘Bhoo Lok’, the world as per the boon
given to him by ‘Batu Waman’, Lord Vishnu.
Therefore this day is also known as ‘Bali Padyami’.
‘Padwa’ or ‘Varshapratipada’ also marks the
coronation of King Vikramaditya as ‘Vikaram-
Samvat’ was started from this Padwa day.
Gudi Padwa
The day of Gudi Padwa has special significance for
the Hindu families. There is a custom in which on
this holy day the wife applies the ‘Tilak’ on the
forehead of her husband, garlands him, performs
his ‘Aarti’ and also prays for his long life. Then the
husband gives her a gift in appreciation of all the
tender care that his wife showers on him. Thus the
Gudi Padwa is festival of celebrations and respect
of love and devotion between the wife and the
husband. People invite their newly married
daughters with their husbands on this day of Gudi
Padwa for special meals and give them gifts.
Bhai Dooj
According to the legends, Lord Yamraj, the God of
Death, visited his sister Yamuna on the ‘Shukla
Paksha Dwitiya’ day in the Hindi month of ‘Kartik’.