The festival of Diwali is a five-day extravaganza that begins with Dhanteras, followed by Chhoti Diwali, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, and ends with Bhai Dooj. Govardhan puja which falls on the fourth day of the festivities is celebrated with immense fervour in Hindu households, especially the followers of Lord Krishna who is also known as Govardhan Dhari.  It is also referred to as the Annakut Puja by the devotees. 

Govardhan Puja Date And Time:

It is celebrated a day after Diwali or Lakshmi Puja and falls on November 13, Monday, this year. However, in certain years, depending on the Pratipada tithi as per the Hindu calendar, Govardhan Puja is observed on the second day after Diwali.

The Pratipada Tithi will begin at 2:56 PM on November 13 and end at 2:36 PM on November 14. The auspicious timings for Goverdhan Puja in the morning are between 06:43 AM and 08:52 AM, and 2:56 pm to 4:59 pm in the evening. 

Significance of Govardhan Puja:

Govardhan Puja is performed to commemorate the victory of Lord Krishna over Lord Indra. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna had lifted Govardhan parvat (hill) with his little finger to provide shelter to the people of Vrindavan to protect them from heavy rainfall. Lord Indra was angry because the people of Vrindavan had stopped worshipping him. 

He stood there lifting the hill without moving for seven days until Lord Indra had to bow to the might of Lord Krishna and stop the rain.

Govardhan puja also stresses the importance of the fundamental aspects of human life. This is also thought to be a good way to express gratitude to Mother Nature. On this occasion, devotees perform Annakut Puja. They prepare chappan bhog (56 delicious food items) and offer them to Lord Krishna.

Why Govardhan Puja is called Annakut Puja:

It is said that Lord Krishna held the mountain on his little finger for seven days and did not move or had any food. When the rains stopped, the villagers made up for it by cooking a lavish meal with 56 items called the “chhappan bhog”. Devotees literally make a mountain of food to offer Lord Krishna, called Annakoot and that’s why the day is also celebrated as Annakut Puja.

Some of the common items found in the Chappan Bhog are Makhan Misri, kheer, rasgulla, jeera ladoo, jalebi, rabri, mathri, malpua, Mohan Bhog, chutney, murabba, saag, dahi, rice, dal, kadhi, ghewar, chila, papad, Moong Dal ka Halwa, pakoda, khichadi etc.

The US still faces a risk of a government shutdown at the end of this week despite a new compromise plan by Speaker Mike Johnson that leaves out hardline conservative priorities like cutting spending and curtailing migration.

A shutdown would threaten a downward US credit rating adjustment by Moody’s Investors Service, which has cited political dysfunction as a growing risk to bond investors. A federal funding lapse would also have political repercussions for both parties.

Congress has just days to pass a new stopgap bill before funding runs out after Nov. 17. Johnson on Sunday suggested his plan would buy lawmakers time to negotiate individual spending bills, which fiscal conservatives have demanded.

“Washington’s spending addiction cannot be broken overnight,” he said on the social media site X. “But I will not allow end of year megabus spending packages to continue under my leadership.”

Johnson’s plan could still run aground in the face of combined resistance from GOP conservatives and the White House, which is irked by the lack of Ukraine aid in the plan and the fact it extends funding for some agencies to Jan. 19 and others to Feb. 2.

The House plans to vote on the plan on Tuesday. Johnson will need some Democratic votes given his narrow majority and opposition by fiscal conservatives.

Even before that stopgap vote, conservatives could block the plan before it comes to the floor or on a procedural vote setting up debate.

“Disappointing is as polite as I can muster. I will be voting NO,” conservative Warren Davidson of Ohio said on X Saturday.

Democrats have been muted in their reaction to Johnson’s plan but there were some early signs it could receive bipartisan backing.

“I don’t like what the House is talking about but I’m willing to listen,” Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy said on NBC’s Meet the Press.

The White House, however, said Johnson’s plan would only lead to future shutdowns. President Joe Biden could issue a formal veto threat later Monday.

But the bill lacks the strings that many Democrats had feared, and a veto threat could allow Republicans to blame the shutdown on the president.

Political Dysfunction

This year has brought the US near a debt default, provoked Fitch Ratings to downgrade the nation’s sovereign debt and cost Johnson’s predecessor his job. Republican hardliners ousted then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy after he offered a similar strings-free stopgap.

Moody’s, the only major credit grader still to give the US its top rating, on Friday changed its ratings outlook for the US from stable to negative, citing risks to the nation’s fiscal strength and political polarization in Congress.

The chaotic three-week process to elect a new speaker damaged Republicans’ standing in swing states, according to a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll from October 30 through November 7.

By a 9 percentage-point margin, swing-state voters said the speaker chaos made them more likely to vote Democratic in 2024 over those who said the process made it more likely they would vote Republican. Among independents, the margin was 7 points in favor of Democrats.

A shutdown beginning Saturday would furlough hundreds of thousands of federal workers just before the Thanksgiving holiday and delay government contracts and vendor payments. Military personnel, law enforcement officers and other essential employees would continue to work but go without pay until the impasse is resolved.

Financial markets so far have shrugged off the growing risk of a shutdown as investors focus on high interest rates, volatility in bond markets, slowing consumer spending and war in the Middle East.

A government shutdown would initially have a mild economic impact but build incrementally as millions of workers go without salary, private contractors aren’t paid and consumer uncertainty grows. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment index slid to a six-month low in its preliminary November reading.

Johnson’s plan would extend current funding until Jan. 19 for the departments of Veterans Affairs, Energy, Agriculture, Transportation as well as Housing and Urban Development, with the rest extended to Feb. 2.

In the Senate, Republicans could move as soon as Monday night to block Democrats from starting work on their rival plan.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has teed up a procedural vote Monday afternoon to advance placeholder legislation for temporary funding, likely into January.

Senators in both parties have also been discussing a path forward for $106 billion in security funding Biden sought for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the US border. The package has been held up by Republican demands for asylum and other immigration policy changes.

Chances for reaching a deal this week that also includes the emergency security assistance are dropping given the complexity of the immigration issue.

A multi-agency operation is being carried out to rescue 40 workers trapped inside a tunnel in Uttarakhand since yesterday morning.

An under-construction tunnel on the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district partially collapsed at around 5 am yesterday, leaving 40 workers trapped inside.

The rescue operations are being conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) and the police.

A senior official told NDTV that all 40 workers are safe and are being supplied oxygen through a pipe. “Everyone is safe, we are in constant touch with the trapped workers,” Prashant Kumar said.

Mr Kumar said that communication has been established with the trapped workers and they have been sent water and food items.

He said that the collapsed portion of the tunnel is located about 200 metres from the entrance and about 20 metres of the slab has been removed so far to open the tunnel.

“The team is removing the debris using excavators and other heavy machines,” he said.

The tunnel is meant to connect Silkyara to Dandalgaon in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi. It is being built under the Char Dham Road Project and aims to reduce the journey from Uttarkashi to Yamunotri Dham by 26 kilometres.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami yesterday said that he has been briefed about the rescue operation. “I have been in contact with the officials from the time I got to know about the incident. NDRF and SDRF are at the spot. We pray to God for the safe return of everybody,” he said.