Govardhan celebrates resilience and generosity. The Hindu festival celebrates Lord Krishna saving Brajwasis from the wrath of Lord Indra who tried to drown people with continuous rain. To break Lord Indra’s arrogance, Lord Krishna balanced the Govardhan mountain on his little finger and taught people a lesson that the mountain had been their saviour feeding them for years.
For seven days, Lord Krishna didn’t eat anything in his quest to save people by holding the Govardhan mountain. On the eighth day, when the rain stopped, people rushed home to cook something for Lord Krishna. Since everything was ruined due to rain, Lord Krishna suggested bringing everything available and cooking it all together. That’s how Annakut (mountain of food) became significant to the celebration of Govardhan puja.
Image Credit: Krati Purwar
People collect different kinds of vegetables from the farmer's market, boil them together, and cook in a large vessel. No matter how much you try, this dish is always cooked in plenty and can feed many households, not to mention how delicious and nutritious it is. The number of vegetables and fruits that go into making annakut sabzi can cross the count of 70, depending on what one can gather on this day.
While annakut is the essence of the Govardhan celebration, there are many other dishes that complete the festive spread. Here is a look at what you should be cooking on November 2, 2024, if you are celebrating the festival.
Kadhi
Kadhi, a curd and besan-based delight, is quintessential to grace the Govardhan puja spread. It is light to digest and considered the best dish to consume while transitioning from the harvest season to welcome the winter season. It is quick to make, requires fewer ingredients, and is easy to digest. It also symbolises the purification of the gut.
Rice
Kadhi is incomplete without rice, therefore, the grains are cooked to complete the Goverdhan festive spread. With little left at home, people were able to cook rice, and it was perfect for a community feast. You can prepare it in plenty and distribute it among devotees of Lord Krishna.
Makhan Mishri
Can you please Lord Krishna without offering him makhan mishri. It is believed that Krishna used to steal makhan not only at his home but also from neighbours. It is my favourite sweet combination that alone can help you please Kanha. Many devotees also believe that feeding Lord Krishna makhan mishri brings them happiness and contentment.
Sweets
No Hindu feast is complete without sweets. From milk cake to mawa mithai, you can offer a range of milk-based delicacies to Lord Krishna in the Govardhan bhog. You can also add cashews, ladoos, pistachios, and other rich delights to the spread and make it rich and nutritious.
Panchamrit
In many households, panchamrit is also added to the festive spread. It is prepared with milk, ghee, curd, honey, and Gangajal. You can add raisins, and crushed almonds, cashews, and makhanas to amplify the flavour and make it enriching for consumption.
The list of 56 bhog is long but it comprises everything in your kitchen, including mathri, banana, apple, rabri, panjiri, tikki, buttermilk, paan, supari, pakoras, curd, etc. Some people prepare many dishes out of these 56 elements or add them to the spread and offer them to Lord Krishna.