From the archive record
Hindu woman cleans temple floor to make a traditional cow dung hillocks to symbolize Mount Govardhan, the mountain which was once lifted by Lord Krishna during Govardhan puja in Agra. Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut (meaning a heap of grain), is celebrated as the day Krishna defeated Indra by lifting the Govardhan hill. It is the fourth day of Deepawali (Diwali), the Hindu festival of lights. The day is celebrated on the first lunar day of Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik. Govardhan pooja is performed with great zeal and enthusiasm in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In this pooja, there is a tradition of building cow dung hillocks, which symbolize the Mount Govardhan, the mountain which was once lifted by Lord Krishna. After