On the fourth day of the five day Diwali fiesta is celebrated Goverdhan Puja and Annakoot. The morning next to Diwali is called, Khen Khara when Goverdhan puja is performed with the chanting of “Giriraj Dharan ki Jai” (Glory to the lord who lifted Goverdhan on his small finger).

Early in the morning, ladies collect fresh cow dung and outside the front door of their house, make the form of Krishna-Balram, which is decorated with flowers, then it is offered milk and sugarcane, Cows and Calves are bathed and then offered garlands, sandal and ‘dhoop’. It is believed that worship of cow on this day washes away all the sins. Goverdhan mountain made with cow dung is also worshipped with water, ‘moli’, ’voli’, rice grains, flowers, curd, kheer and oil lamp with the whole family together.

All the male members circle around Goverdhan. Some ‘mantras’ are recited. According to ‘shastras’, performing this ‘puja’ together is very auspicious.

Goverdhan puja on this day is not just a religious ritual, but also reveals a deep concern about protection of environment. As the legend goes in ‘dwapar’, Lord Indra was worshipped in Braj. Lord Krishna told the ‘gopas’ that they could never see Indra who never accepted their Prasad, whereas cows and Goverdhan could be seen and it was advisable to worship them. From that time, people there began to worship Goverdhan.

In Krishna temples in the town, early in the morning, cow dung Goverdhan is made and Saligram form of lord Vishnu is put on it. The temple ‘mukhias’ honor the ‘cowherds’ by offering them ‘uparnas’. Then Goverdhan gets crushed by cows in temples, like Shrinath temple and Vitthalnath temple with Goverdhan puja, the series of ‘annakoot’ starts in the temples of the town and continues through the whole month of Kartik.

Annakoot ‘darshan’ are held till evening in Shrinath temple, Vitthalnath temple, Jagdish temple, Baiji raj ka kund, Asthal Ashram, Marshapurn Hanuman temple, Badnok Haveli.

On this day, huge quantities of choicest dishes are prepared with the new crop and offered to Lord Vishnu with great love, and that is why it is called, Annakoot.

At the temple of Shrinathji at Nathdwara, near Udaipur, fascinating rituals are performed. Huge heaps of cooked rice and other materials are looted by the Bhills and taken home as ‘prasad’. To watch this interesting event, thousands of devotees gather at Goverdhan puja chowk, Nakkarkhana chowk and Mandir marg.

Annakoot and Goverdhan puja is celebrated with great gusto in Udaipur, as in other parts of Mewar.