Govardhan Puja, also called Annakut, "mountain of food," is observed on the day following the Diwali new moon. A small hill is shaped from cowdung or food and decorated to represent Mount Govardhan, which Krishna is said to have raised on one finger for seven days to shield the cowherds from a storm sent by Indra. Temples pile up large displays of cooked dishes, sweets and grains before the deity and later distribute them.
It falls on the first tithi (Pratipada) of the waxing fortnight of Kartika in the Purnimanta calendar. Where the tithi timing places the new moon and the first tithi awkwardly, the date can move by a day relative to Diwali.
Regional names and emphases differ: in Maharashtra the same day is Bali Pratipada, marking the return of King Bali, in Gujarat it is the start of the commercial new year with the opening of fresh account books, and in Braj it is the central day of the local festival calendar.