Govardhan Pooja and Anna Kootha

The next day to Diwali Amavasya is Pratipada. On this day, Govardhan Pooja is performed by making a small mountain out of cow dung with a red flag. Cow idols are also worshipped on this day with cow dung placed near them. This is a city-specific activity. But, in villages, people go to cow sheds to perform the pooja of real cows.

On the same evening, 56 dishes (Chappan Bhog or 56 Bhog) are made and placed like mountains on plates. Then, using turmeric-laced cotton Gajavastra is made and offered to the Anna Koothas. It is decorated with rose flowers. If people can afford, they even offer kesar to the Anna Koothas. These Anna Koothas are offered as naivedyam to Lord Krishna. Nowadays, fewer Anna Koothas are made, if at all they are made.

Oil lamps are lit all around the Anna Koothas and the Govardhan and perform as many circumambulations as possible. If raw, wet cow dung is used, then that is plastered on walls of the house. The naivedyam is distributed to everybody and then we have to partake of it.

We also performed these 3 poojas at home. But, we are just 3 people at home. So, we did not make too many dishes. For us, Anna Kootha was a sweet dish and a fritter. I am sharing the photographs in this post.

There is a story connected to this, which I will share in the next post.

To be continued…