Annakut: A tradition of abundance and devotion on Govardhan Puja
As homes glow after Diwali, kitchens come alive for Annakut — a feast that blends devotion, abundance and gratitude; learn more
The morning after Diwali smells of incense and ghee, not fireworks. As homes trade sparkle for sanctity, devotees prepare for Govardhan Puja, a celebration of faith and food. Rooted in Krishna’s legend and the spirit of gratitude, the day sees the Braj region come alive with the grand 56 bhog, an offering of abundance and devotion.
The word Annakut literally means ‘mountain of food.’ On this day, devotees prepare an elaborate feast — the 56 Bhog — comprising freshly made vegetarian dishes offered to Lord Krishna. The ritual expresses gratitude for protection, prosperity, and a good harvest.
Story behind the feast
Shailendra Goswami, a 16th-generation priest at Shri Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan, explains, “The Shrimad Bhagwat recounts how young Kanha, at age eight, lifted the Govardhan Parvat on his little finger for seven days to shield villagers from Indra’s wrath. As gratitude, the Brijwasis offered him food, eight meals for seven days, and thus began the tradition of 56 Bhog.”
Temple traditions
“Bajre ka bhaat and kadhi are essential,” Goswami adds, saying, “At the Giriraj Temple in Govardhan, the largest bhog features an array of rice dishes, curd, ghee, butter, sugar, leafy vegetables, sweets, and pickles, all cooked fresh on the day of the puja.” People also do parikrama of Govardhan Parvat on foot and then offer bhog to the parvat. As per tradition, they carry the bhog on their head.
At the Maa Annapurna Temple in Varanasi, which opens only for five days each year and closes after Annakut, devotees offer 111 quintals of bhog to the Goddess of Food. “The spread includes 50 varieties of sweets and six kachcha-pakka dishes, and nearly 500 quintals are later distributed among devotees,” shares temple representative Kashi Singh. In Namisharanya (UP), similar traditions continue, with temples categorising the 56 dishes — rice, puris, vegetables and sweets, before distributing the mahaprasad among devotees, says Govind Lahiri, Prabhu Jagatbandu Sunder Ashram.
Across India, especially in ISKCON temples, the Annakut display is recreated with elaborate artistry. Gaur Das Prabhuji, vice president of ISKCON Dwarka, says, “We combine scriptural authenticity with devotional creativity, from colourful rice and halwas to laddus, pedas, and sandesh. The Annakut hill is shaped on a large platform with rice as the base, ringed with sugarcane ‘trees’ and sweet-water lakes symbolising Radha Kund and Shyam Kund.”
Modern touch
In urban homes, the emphasis today is on quality over quantity: a smaller, sattvic spread prepared with purity and intention. “It’s more like a beautifully balanced thaali than a 56 bhog now,” notes chef Davinder Kumar, president, Indian Culinary Forum, adding, “The essence, gratitude through food, remains the same, adapted to modern lives.”
Even abroad, the devotion travels with those who celebrate. “Someone in London may use kale or broccoli instead of Indian greens, or in New York, make quinoa khichdi in place of rice,” he says and adds, “It’s not about the ingredient list, but the intent.”
In Lucknow, chef Ajay Avasthi of The Piccadilly Hotel adds, “This is the season of the start of new vegetables, which are now available in abundance. For grahast (family), like us, 56 varieties of vegetables (including various saags) are chopped together and in mustard oil do a tadka with jeera, rai and sabut-laal mirch. That is how we do, and those who want elaborate can display 56 sweets, but annakut bhog is done with 56 vegetables prepared in one go." He further adds, “This is how it’s done at Khatu Shyam Temple in Lucknow as well. However, in temples, people cook 56 different items as a bhog. In Brij, khadi, bajra and churma are a must in the bhog as it is of religious significance.”
In Haryana and Rajasthan, too, homes prepare bajra, kadhi, and mixed seasonal vegetables, celebrating the harvest with flavour, faith, and heartfelt gratitude.
