Dehradun, Nov 10 (IANS) Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, on Tuesday performed the traditional worship of cows at his official residence on the occasion of Govardhan Puja and extended greetings to the people of the state, wishing them happiness, prosperity and well-being.
During the ceremony, the Chief Minister applied tilak to the cow and offered a garland as part of the traditional rituals. He also prayed for the happiness and prosperity of the people of Uttarakhand.
Extending his greetings on the occasion, Dhami said Govardhan Puja symbolises faith and gratitude towards nature, livestock and environmental conservation. He said that the cow holds a special place in Indian culture and that protecting and promoting cow welfare has remained an integral part of the country’s rich cultural traditions.
The Chief Minister said the festival teaches people to maintain harmony with nature and demonstrate compassion and sensitivity towards all living beings.
He emphasised that along with serving and protecting cows, conserving the environment and natural resources was also a collective responsibility.
Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakut, is an important Hindu festival celebrated a day after Diwali. The festival commemorates the legend of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan Parvat on his little finger to protect the people of Vrindavan from torrential rainfall unleashed by Lord Indra. This year, the festival is being celebrated on Tuesday.
According to Hindu mythology, the people of Vrindavan traditionally worshipped Lord Indra, the god of rain, seeking his blessings for good rainfall and agricultural prosperity.
However, Lord Krishna encouraged the villagers to worship Govardhan Hill instead, explaining that it sustained their lives by providing grass for cattle, supporting agriculture and offering essential natural resources.
Angered by this, Lord Indra unleashed heavy rainfall and thunderstorms over Vrindavan. To protect the villagers and their cattle, Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan Hill on his little finger, providing shelter to everyone.
The villagers remained beneath the hill for seven days until Lord Indra realised his mistake and withdrew the storm, according to Hindu belief.
–IANS
jk/rad
