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Govardhan: A Celebration of Faith, Gratitude and Nature

Kamlesh Tripathi

Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakut, is celebrated on the fourth day of Diwali festivities, traditionally on the first day of the Shukla Paksha of the Hindu month of Kartik. The festival commemorates Lord Krishna’s divine act of lifting the Govardhan Hill on his little finger to protect the people of Braj from the torrential rains sent by Lord Indra, the god of rain.

According to the Bhagavata Purana, Krishna persuaded the people of Braj to worship Govardhan Hill instead of performing elaborate rituals to please Indra. He explained that the hill, forests, rivers and cattle sustained their lives and deserved their gratitude. Angered by this change, Indra unleashed devastating rainfall upon Braj. Krishna then lifted Govardhan Hill like an umbrella, providing shelter to the villagers and their cattle for seven days. Eventually, Indra realised his mistake and acknowledged Krishna’s divine greatness.

The festival is celebrated by preparing and offering a variety of vegetarian dishes, known as Chhappan Bhog, to Lord Krishna. Temples are beautifully decorated, and devotees perform Govardhan Parikrama as an expression of their devotion.

Beyond its religious significance, Govardhan Puja conveys a timeless message: respect nature, remain humble in the face of power, and be grateful for the resources that sustain life. It reminds us that true divinity lies not merely in rituals but also in protecting nature and serving all living beings. In essence, Govardhan Puja celebrates the triumph of humility over arrogance, faith over fear, and nature over human vanity.

William Wordsworth’s poem The Tables Turned (1798) celebrates Nature as a source of wisdom, moral instruction, and spiritual enlightenment. His famous exhortation, “Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher,” encapsulates the central philosophy of the poem.

The connection with Govardhan Puja is particularly striking. Lord Krishna teaches the people of Braj that their lives depend upon the hill, forests, rivers, and cattle rather than merely upon elaborate rituals. Similarly, Wordsworth believes that Nature offers profound lessons that human beings often fail to recognise. Both celebrate Nature not merely as a physical landscape but as a living source of wisdom and spiritual nourishment. While Krishna protects Nature’s dependents from Indra’s destructive arrogance, Wordsworth urges humanity to approach Nature with humility and an open heart.

The core theme of ‘The Tables Turned’ by Wordsworth is nature. Nature is a superior teacher and moral guide compared to books, science and academic study. The poem urges the reader to “Up! up! my friend, and quit your books” and let nature be the teacher. Over-analysing life through books creates “dull and endless strife”.

“One impulse from a vernal wood / May teach you more of man, / Of moral evil and of good, / Than all the sages can.” Wordsworth argues that a single, intuitive feeling or moment of connection in nature offers deeper moral and human truths than all the books written by philosophers, scientists, or “sages”. Nature imparts a “spontaneous wisdom” and “truth” that cannot be calculated or extracted through scholarly toil.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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