Govardan Puja, 4th Day of Yama Panchak
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Govardan Puja, 4th Day of Yama Panchak

Govardan puja or Goru Tihar  is celebrated on the fourth day morning of the 5 days celebration in Tihar. Goverdhan parbat meaning the Mountain of Cow dung, and worshipping it in tihar has an important significance in the Hindu culture. 

In the evening, boys continue the day before’s ritual, going to people’s houses celebrating, singing songs and dancing and blessing everyone celebrating. The song is called Deusi song. Bhailo is for girls as Deusi is for male. 

When is Govardan Puja celebrated?

Govardan puja is the fourth day of the five days celebration of Tihar. Govardan puja is usually in the morning of Mah Puja. Tihar is a five days celebration of honoring and worshipping five specific things. It usually falls in late October or early November. According to the Gregorian calendar this festival falls in the month of Kartik.

Why is Govardan Puja celebrated?

Once in the Braj land, the people of that land started preparing everything to worship Lord Indra, the god of rain. The rain is important to grow and produce food and for livelihood. However, Lord Krishna was amused by it and asked his mother, why is everyone preparing to worship Lord Indra, who never shows up? Instead everybody should worship, Govardan mountain, where cows graze, which everyone can see, and is a fertilizers and fuel to all the people of Braj. Upon hearing Lord Krishna, people of Brajland started worshipping Mount Govardan instead of Lord Indra. 

Lord Indra was angered by all the people and started torrential rain, it was impossible for anybody to survice, because it started to flood everywhere. People asked Lord Krishna to protect them. Lord Krishna then lifted Mount Govardan, on his little finger, providing refuge to all the people and their cows. Lord Indra became even anageir and made the rain heavier for seven long days. 

Indra had no other choice because his ego was crushed. From that point on , Govardhan Puja began and people started to worship Govardhan mountain, to please and worship Lord Krishna. 

How is Govardan Puja  celebrated?

Govardan puja is celebrated by worshippers on the fourth day morning of festival tihar. Worshippers make a small mountain like with cow dung and worship with flowers, red colored tika. It is believed that , this day is celebrated to please and worship Lord Krishna. 

The Story Behind Tihar

Tihar is celebrated in Nepal after a couple of weeks of Dashain. It is also famous and celebrated throughout Nepal with excitement and enthusiasm. It is a five days celebration and each day has its special significance. A famous story about a brother, Yama and sister, Yamuna is one of the reasons behind the celebration. This celebration is the fifth day of Tihar, because Yamuna wanted to spend time with her brother. 

She sent a crow, a dog and then a cow to invite him to visit her. Then she again went herself, to invite him over. Yamuna made a circle with mustard oil, Cynodon Dactylon plant and mentioned that until the oil and the plant dried up, Yama was not to leave his sister. Then, she worshipped her brother with flowers, 5 different colored tika, garland made with marigold and also fasted all day for his long life.

What are the five days of Tihar?

  1. Kaag Tihar (Worshipping of Crow)
  2. Kukur Tihar (Worshpping of a dog)
  3. Gai Tihar (Worshipping of a Cow), Laxmi Tihar or Deepwali (Worshipping of Goddess Laxmi)
  4. Govardhan Puja (Worshipping of miniature hill using cow dung and mud), Mah Puja (purify and empower the soul as part of New Year celebrations)
  5. Bhai Tika (Worshipping of a brother)

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