Before Dawn at the Mangala Arati
It is 4:30 in the morning, and the hall is already full. The bells have not stopped since the doors opened, and the air carries the smell of camphor and fresh marigold. This is the Mangala Arati at ISKCON Mumbai, the first ritual of Govardhan Puja—the day after Diwali when the city's Krishna devotees commemorate the lifting of Govardhan Hill. You stand shoulder to shoulder with families who have come before sunrise, and the celebration has barely begun.
Govardhan Puja in 2026 falls on 10 November, one day after Diwali. The festival recalls how Krishna lifted the sacred mountain of Vrindavan on his finger to shelter the villagers from a storm—and taught that the worship of the hill is the worship of him. The heart of the public celebration in Mumbai is the Annakuta Festival at ISKCON's temple, where the day unfolds on a schedule you can follow from before dawn until lunch.
Follow the Shobha Yatra and the Giriraj Rituals
The morning is structured, so you can move through it as the devotees do:
- 06:30 — Shobha Yatra of Sri Giriraj: a procession through the temple grounds carrying the image of the sacred hill. Arrive early to hold your place along the route.
- 07:15 — Sringar Darshan: the decorated viewing of the deity.
- 07:30 — Damodar Astakam and Deep Daan: chanting and the offering of lamps.
- 08:00 — Govardhan Katha: the telling of the Govardhan story, the narrative heart of the day.
- 10:30 — Gau Puja: honouring the cow, central to the pastoral world of the legend.
- 11:00 — Abhishek of Sri Giriraj: the ceremonial bathing of the hill image.
- 11:30 — Govardhan Puja, Annakut Utsav, and Govardhan Parikrama: the main worship, the great offering of food, and the circumambulation.
- 13:00 — Prasadam for all: a shared meal offered to every visitor.
The Annakut—literally a "mountain of food"—is the visual centrepiece: an offering of dishes piled high in tribute to the hill Krishna lifted. Plan to stay through the parikrama and the prasadam; the day is built as a continuous sequence, and the shared meal at one o'clock is how it closes.
When to Go and How to Prepare
Govardhan Puja is a single, packed day, and the temple fills from the earliest hour. If you want the full arc—from the 4:30 arati to the 13:00 prasadam—treat it as a morning commitment and arrive at the start. The Deep Daan at 7:30 and the Govardhan Katha at 8:00 are the moments when the story of the day is told; the Abhishek and Annakut at 11:00 and 11:30 are the visual high points.
For practical questions, the temple office can be reached on +91-9967591425, Monday to Saturday between 9:00 and 18:00, or by email at info@iskconmumbai.com. Donations toward garlands, the Annakuta, and the Govardhan Puja are accepted only from Indian citizens and passport holders, by NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, PayTm, or UPI, and carry 80G tax exemption.
Make a Morning of It
The festival rewards those who give it the whole morning rather than a passing stop. Come for the Mangala Arati and stay through the parikrama; watch the Annakut take shape; take prasadam with the crowd at one o'clock. The rhythm of the rituals—procession, story, bathing, offering, meal—is the experience itself, and moving through it in sequence is how the day is meant to be kept.
Plan Around 10 November
Set the date now: Govardhan Puja falls on 10 November 2026, the day after Diwali, and ISKCON Mumbai's Annakuta Festival runs from the 4:30 Mangala Arati through the 13:00 prasadam. Check the temple's event page and confirm the schedule with the office as the date approaches, arrange your donation in advance if you wish to give one, and plan to be in the hall before dawn. The bells start early, and the morning does not wait.