Govardhan Puja 2025: Villagers Lie Under Cows, Walk Through Fire and Celebrate Buffalo Wrestling Across Madhya Pradesh

In Ujjain’s Badnagar region, villagers in Bhidawad, Luhariya, and Ravadiya followed their remarkable ritual where devotees lie flat on the ground as herds of decorated cows walk over them. The ritual follows the traditional Gauri Pujan, symbolizing faith, blessings, and fulfillment of vows. Before the ritual, cows were bathed, adorned with colorful ornaments, and taken out in a grand procession across the village streets as chants and prayers filled the air.

According to the locals, this centuries-old custom is believed to bring prosperity, health, and divine protection to those who participate in it.

Elsewhere in Madhya Pradesh, towns celebrated the occasion with their own local customs. In Harda district, residents performed an age-old ritual of making cows and other cattle walk over small fires made from dry grass near their doorsteps, a practice believed to ward off diseases and protect the animals for the year ahead.

In Barwani, a buffalo wrestling competition held at Dussehra Maidan attracted large crowds, turning the festival into an exciting blend of devotion and entertainment.

Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakut, signifies Lord Krishna’s protection of the people of Gokul from torrential rains by lifting the Govardhan Hill. The festivities across Madhya Pradesh combined devotion, courage, and community spirit, celebrating both cultural pride and the enduring faith that binds people together.