Since ancient times, worship of Indra, Dev of rain, had been performed on the day next to Diwali for timely rains. When the people of Vrindavan started preparations for the worship, Krishna called all of them and said, "Why do you worship Indra? Worship your cows that give you milk and calves. Worship the Yamuna where our cattle have their drinks and whose water irrigates our crops. Worship the Govardhan Hill on whose sides our cattle graze.

So, the people of Vrindavan gave up the worship of Indra and began to worship cows, the Yamuna and the Govardhan Hill. Indra, felt highly offended and decided to teach the people of Vrindavan a bitter lesson. Indra let loose torrential rains on Vrindavan and lightning flashed terribly accompanied with deafening thunder. A rainstorm broke out and it began to hail heavily. The people of Vrindavan were frightened and ran to Krishna for safety.

Krishna took all of them to the Govardhan Hill. He raised the hill on a finger of his left hand. It served as a big umbrella under which the people and the cattle of Vrindavan took shelter for seven days after which Indra accepted his defeat. Since this incident, the worship of the Govardhan started as a festival on the day following the Diwali. And this festival is celebrated as such even today.

Coming up next

Indra begs for forgiveness

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