A HILL NOT HAUNTED

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025

Downtown Toronto

Today is one of the most favourite festival days of the year.  We honour a hill, cows/bulls, brahmins, Krishna, His father, the villagers of Vrindavan, and also, the powerful god of rain, Indra.

The hill is called Govardhan and it is a magnet as far as a destination point for pilgrims.  Each day of the year, thousands of pious souls come to worship this sacred mound, a four-hour feat at the very least, by using one’s feet in a clockwise direction.  This hill was a mere weightlifting device for God to show His might, and in doing what’s right in a major security protection ordeal.

That hero is Krishna who utilized the massive hill itself as a huge umbrella in sheltering the Brijabhasis from a devastating storm.  Brijabhasis are the inhabitants of Vrindavan, the district of Krishna’s formative and growing years.  The bovine animals of the village were also given protection, and also very important are the brahmins (priests), the visionaries of the community.

We also praise Indra, who although acting like a villain, reconciled and took a humble position before Krishna, whom he very much misjudged.

All is well that ends well in the pastime of another rectification.  Indra became devotional as he naturally is, but he tends to forget.  Sounds familiar?  How often do we forget our position in this world, and as a result, end up doing something really stupid?

Govardhana Puja is a big draw all over the world and is not restricted to the area of Vrindavan in India.  You can read about this charming story in the book, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

CELEBRATED WITH SWEETS IS A PERSONIFIED VERSION OF GOVARDHAN HILL. VANCOUVER.

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU

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