Devotees worship idol made of cow dung to celebrate Hindu festival in northern India

Record ID: 1586772

  • Title: Devotees worship idol made of cow dung to celebrate Hindu festival in northern India
  • Date: 15th November 2020
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) DEVOTEE, SUSMA GUPTA, SAYING: "We make small structure replicating "Govardhan" mountain with cow dung and dance in front of it. We do decorations around the structure… and offer 56 items of food to Lord Krishna. We dance, sing, offer prayers… and then eat the 'Prasad' (devotional offering made to a god)." MATHURA, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (NOVEMBER 15, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) TEMPLE BOARD READING (Hindi): 'SUPREME KING LORD OF DWARKA TEMPLE" PRIESTS GATHERED AROUND IDOLS OF LORD KRISHNA AND HIS CONSORT RUKMINI IDOLS OF GODS/ PRIEST PERFORMING RITUALS DEVOTEE BLOWING SHELL DEVOTEES GATHERED AROUND IDOL MADE OUT OF COW DUNG AND ADORNED WITH BANANA LEAVES REPLICATING "GOVARDHAN" MOUNTAIN PRIEST BURNING OIL LAMP DEVOTEE WALKING WITH COW VARIOUS OF DEVOTEES CIRCUMAMBULATING IDOL MADE OUT OF COW DUNG (SOUNDBITE ) (Hindi) SPOKESMAN, DWARKADHISH TEMPLE, MATHURA, RAKESH TIWARI, SAYING: "Lord Krishna showed his large form to the people of Brij. The cows are very dear to Lord Krishna, so, the "Govardhan" mountain structure is made from the cow dung in the entire Brij region and we celebrate the "Govardhan Puja". When Lord Krishna was seven-year-old, he lifted the Govardhan Mountain on his little finger for seven days and saved the people from the wrath of Rain God, Lord Indra." KANPUR, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (NOVEMBER 15, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) DEVOTEES PRAYING TO IDOL MADE OUT OF COW DUNG ADORNED WITH FLOWERS REPLICATING "GOVARDHAN" MOUNTAIN IDOL MADE OUT OF COW DUNG ADORNED WITH FLOWERS REPLICATING "GOVARDHAN" MOUNTAIN DEVOTES SEATED DEVOTEE WORSHIPPING IDOL
  • Embargoed: 29th November 2020 12:02
  • Keywords: Diwali Govardhan Puja India Kanpur Lord Krishna Mathura Uttar Pradesh Varanasi devotees festival prayers religion
  • Location: MATHURA, VARANASI, KANPUR, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA
  • City: MATHURA, VARANASI, KANPUR, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA002D4OFSY7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hindu devotees in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state on Sunday (November 15) celebrated the "Govardhan Puja" festival with devotion and fervour, a day after Diwali, the festival of lights.
    The festival is celebrated to worship Lord Krishna and commemorate the occasion of his lifting the hillock of Govardhan on his little finger to protect the residents from torrential downpour.
    Devotees in India's northern temple town of Varanasi prepared and offered 56 types of special food to Krishna in a bid to impress the Lord on the auspicious occasion and danced, sang, and prayed for happiness and prosperity.
    In holy town of Mathura, that Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, devotees made hillock that symbolize the "Govardhan" Mountain which was then decorated with flowers and worshipped by the people. The devotees also moved in a circle around the hillock and offered prayers.
    Legends say Lord Krishna dissuaded the people of Gokul from worshipping the rain god, Lord Indra at the end of every monsoon season. This angered Indra, who brought about a rainstorm to frighten the people but Lord Krishna lifted the whole of Govardhan Mountain (off Mathura) for seven days, and saved the people from the wrath of Indra.
    Humbled, Indra became a devotee of Krishna.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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