Come November, houses are lit up for Diwali.
Soon after Diwali, Govar-dhan puja was celebrated in the Mahavirji mandir on the 2nd of November.
While the first three days of Diwali are days of prayer to sanctify wealth and invite greater wealth into the devotee’s life, the Annakut day is for offering gratitude for Krishna’s beneficence.
Govardhan puja is a principal ritual performed during Annakut. Lord Krishna is made out of cow dung in a horizontal position. After completing the structure, it is decorated with earthen lamps, seenkh, and candles. After worshipping, the structure of the Lord is fed by the worshipers and the ladies fast. Prayers are made to Lord Govardhan.
As described in the Bhagavata Purana, Govardhan puja is chiefly identified with Krishna lifting the Govardhan Hill on his finger to protect those who sought his refuge from Indra’s torrential rage.
Preparations begin very early in the morning as Chappan bhog is prepared to offer to Lord Krishna.
All the devotees send vegetables, grains, etc. to the temples which are then cooked by professional cooks.
The puja consists of bhajans sung by the local ladies, followed by Aarti conducted by the priest of the temple. All the devotees do a parikrama of the idol.
The food, which consisted of karhi, rice, mix vegetables, bajra khichdi, halwa, puri, was served near the yagyashaala.
Chhat is celebrated on the 6th day of Diwali. It was a four- day festival (5th to 8th November) organised by Ram Janaki Sewa Samiti (RJSS) in Atal Park adjacent to the mandir. Prayers were offered to Surya Devta early in the morning while standing in water.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, minister, government of Delhi, and Councillor Shikha Rai graced the occasion on the 7th.
Contributions from local residents poured in to assist in the organization of the function. Any shortfall of funds is met by the collective contribution of the active members of RJSS. The mandir provided space for cooking prasad, etc., an electricity connection, and a passage for the function. Tulsi vivah was celebrated in the mandir on the 12th.
