Grand Govardhana Puja, Annakut Utsavam at Hare Krishna Golden Temple

Hyderabad: Govardhana Puja and Annakut Utsavam were grandly celebrated at Hare Krishna Golden Temple here on Wednesday.

A release said the highlight of the event was a replica of Govardhana Hill (Annakuta) made of 350 kg pure vegetarian cake and other food items. The hill was marked with various kundas (ponds) like Shyama Kunda, Radha Kunda and other important pilgrimage sites on the Govardhana Parikrama (pradakshina) marga.

The programme began with gopuja which is the offering of Krishna prasadam to cows and calves in the morning at the temple goshala. In the afternoon, a beautiful Govardhana Hill was made out of various edible food items and decorated with colorful cookies, sweets, juices, fruits and flowers.

The evening marked melodious kirtans and pallaki seva to Srila Prabhupada and Nitai Gauranga (Lord Krishna and Balarama). Also, an animated video of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhana hill was screened. It enthralled the devotees.

Hare Krishna Movement, Hyderabad president Satya Gaura Chandra Dasa Prabhuji said Govardhana Leela exemplifies Lord's mercy and direct protection to his devotees. When the inhabitants of Vrindavan were in distress because of a massive rain created by a demigod Indra, Lord Krishna picks up the Govardhan Hill like an umbrella and saves his devotees from the wrath of Indra.

"Krishna held the hill on his left-hand small finger for seven days and nights; he was just seven years old. This inconceivable potency and mercy of the Lord are available to everyone, provided they also become Krishna's devotees. Anyone can become a devotee of Lord Krishna irrespective of caste, race, religion, or nationality, just by chanting his holy name every day."