How to Do Govardhan Puja at Home: 8 Easy Steps

How to Perform Govardhan Puja at Home in 8 Simple Steps

Follow the steps below, and do Govardhan Puja with key rituals and devotion:

1. 01

   Step 1 - Purify

   On the very day, firstly wake up in the morning and take a bath, preferably in Brahma Muhurat (before sunrise). Then wear fresh clothes, and then clean the puja altar of your home, corners and the place where you’ll set up the Govardhan parvat at home. After cleaning, sprinkle some gangajal all around your home to make the place pure and sacred.

2. 02

   Step 2 - Feed Cows

   Then, go out with your family and feed fresh green fodder or anything according to your family tradition to cows in your neighbourhood, or in a gaushala. Cows are most beloved to Lord Krishna and to his form (Girraj ji). By performing this, it is said that you can invite the divine blessings for a happy and prosperous life.

3. 03

   Step 3 - Make Govardhan Hill (Parvat):

   Now, in the afternoon, start preparing Govardhan parvat at home on the decided plain surface. First create an outline, a reclining human-like figure representing Govardhan Parvat.

   Then put on the fresh cow dung, wet soil or wheat flour as per the outline created, and gently give it a shape.

4. 04

   Step 4 - Decorate

   After fully making the Govardhan Parvat, adorn it with cotton wool, fresh flowers, and grass stems. Place toys like figures of cows, calves and cowherds and a small idol of Lord Krishna holding govardhan parvat to make the look more appealing.

5. 05

   Step 5 - Give the Parvat a Divine Look

   Mark the eyes and eyebrows using colourful paints. Place a crown made of cloth, or with the dung, put on flute, and apply tilak to give a realistic appearance of Girraj Maharaj. Wrap a fresh garland on the neck and put some fresh leaves or flowers on the raised hand signifying lifting of the mountain.

6. 06

   Step 6 - Place Annakut Offering

   In the evening, while setting up for the puja, place the grand Annakut or 56 bhog offering made for the Lord, near the Govardhan Hill. Do not forget to add on a tulsi leaf in every bhog item, because as described Padma Purana Krishna does not accept any food offered without Tulsi. Join your hands, and pray with sincerity and chant “Shri Girraj Dharan Prabhu Teri Sharan” a traditional chant, sung in Braj.

7. 07

   Step 7 - Start Worship and Parakrama

   After offering bhog, start worshipping by applying roli talk with uncooked rice grains (akshat), and tying a mauli (sacred thread). Then sprinkle clean water or gangajal through druva grass, meant as offering water to the deity. After that, with your whole family, take rounds preferably, 1, 4, 7 or 11, or as per your family tradition, signifying God as the centre of your life and worship.

8. 08

   Step 8 - Aarti and Prasad Distribution

   At last, perform Govardhan aarti with all your family members, offer prayers and seek blessing for protection and a happy life. Distribute the prasad among all the family members and to neighbours. This completed your Govardhan Puja at home, with all rituals and traditions followed.

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