Quick facts
- Date
- Tuesday, 10 November 2026
- Hindu date
- Shukla paksha Pratipada
Kartik - Tithi begins / ends
- 12:32 PM, 9 Nov → 2:00 PM
- Tithi at sunrise
- 6:40 AM
- Sunrise · Sunset (New Delhi)
- 6:40 AM · 5:30 PM
- Vikram Samvat
- 2083 (Gujarati: 2083)
Dates
| Year | Date | Hindu date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | Shukla paksha Pratipada | Open in calendar |
| 2027 | Saturday, 30 October 2027 | Shukla paksha Pratipada | Open in calendar |
| 2028 | Wednesday, 18 October 2028 | Shukla paksha Pratipada | Open in calendar |
Dates are for New Delhi. Dates that have already passed are not listed. Later years are added once they have been checked.
About Govardhan Puja
Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut, falls on Shukla Pratipada of Kartik, the first day of the bright fortnight after Diwali. It remembers the day Krishna lifted Govardhan hill on one finger to shelter the people and cattle of Vraja from the storms sent by Indra.
Families shape a small Govardhan of cow dung or clay in the courtyard, worship it, and offer Krishna a "mountain of food" (annakut) of many dishes. In Gujarat the same day is the Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varas), and in Maharashtra and Karnataka it is Bali Pratipada (Padwa).
How the date is decided
Govardhan Puja is kept on the day on which Kartik Shukla Pratipada is running at sunrise. When Amavasya is still running at sunrise on the morning after Diwali, the puja moves one day later, so there can be a gap of a day between Diwali and Govardhan Puja.
How it is observed
- Make a Govardhan of cow dung or clay and decorate it with flowers.
- Offer Krishna an annakut of many dishes, often 56 (chhappan bhog).
- Walk around the Govardhan, and worship and feed cows.
- In Gujarat, greet the new year; in Maharashtra, celebrate Padwa.
Puja vidhi: how to do the puja
- Bathe in the morning and clean the courtyard or puja place.
- Shape a small Govardhan hill of cow dung or clay, in the form of a reclining figure, and decorate it with flowers, leaves and small lamps.
- Place a picture or idol of Krishna beside it, and offer water, roli, akshat, flowers and milk.
- Offer the annakut: rice, kadhi, a mixed vegetable, puris and as many sweets and dishes as the family can make.
- Walk around the Govardhan seven times, pouring milk or water and singing Krishna’s name; then worship and feed the cows and share the prasad.
Puja samagri checklist
Tick things off as you gather them; your list is kept on this device.
Katha: Krishna lifts Govardhan
Every year the people of Vraja made offerings to Indra, the lord of rain. The young Krishna asked them why. “It is Govardhan hill that gives our cows grass and our village water,” he said. “Worship the hill, and the cows that feed us.” The villagers agreed, and carried their offerings to Govardhan instead.
Indra was furious and sent rain and storms for seven days. Krishna lifted the whole hill on the little finger of his left hand and held it up like an umbrella, and every family and every cow sheltered beneath it. When Indra saw that not a single person had come to harm, he came down and asked Krishna’s forgiveness. Since then Govardhan is worshipped with a mountain of food on this day.
Govardhan Puja 2026 in other cities
| City | Date | Compared with New Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| New Delhi | Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | same as New Delhi |
| London | Monday, 9 November 2026 | 1 day earlier |
| New York | Monday, 9 November 2026 | 1 day earlier |
| Toronto | Monday, 9 November 2026 | 1 day earlier |
| Sydney | Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | same as New Delhi |
| Dubai | Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | same as New Delhi |
| Singapore | Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | same as New Delhi |
| Johannesburg | Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | same as New Delhi |
Frequently asked questions
When is Govardhan Puja in 2026?
Govardhan Puja 2026 falls on Tuesday, 10 November 2026 (New Delhi). The tithi runs from 12:32 PM, 9 Nov to 2:00 PM.
When is Govardhan Puja in 2027?
Govardhan Puja 2027 falls on Saturday, 30 October 2027 (New Delhi).
When is Govardhan Puja in 2028?
Govardhan Puja 2028 falls on Wednesday, 18 October 2028 (New Delhi).
Why is Govardhan Puja sometimes two days after Diwali?
Diwali is kept on the Amavasya that covers the evening, but Govardhan Puja needs Shukla Pratipada at sunrise. If Amavasya ends after sunrise on the next morning, that day still belongs to Amavasya, and Govardhan Puja moves to the following day.
Is Govardhan Puja the same as Annakut?
Yes. Annakut means “a mountain of food”, the offering made to Krishna on this day, and the two names are used for the same festival.
Why does the date of Govardhan Puja change every year?
Govardhan Puja follows the Hindu lunisolar calendar. It is tied to Shukla paksha Pratipada of the month of Kartik, not to a fixed Gregorian date. A lunar year is about eleven days shorter than a solar year, so the date moves earlier by roughly that much each year, until a leap month (Adhik Maas) is added and it jumps back.
Is Govardhan Puja on the same day everywhere?
Not always. In London, New York, Toronto the date differs from New Delhi, because tithis are read at local sunrise or sunset and these places are many hours away from India. Use the city table above, or the calendar with your own location.