Every Govardhan Puja is always an amazing, ecstatic experience. Our beloved Giriraj-Govardhan is the largest Sila in North America and the devotees serve him with much love and devotion. Giriraj was brought to Houston by our beloved Srila Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, who established the Houston community. You can read about the experience of bringing Giriraj below. For the past several years, the youth have prepared an anakut on Govardhan Puja day. We spend several hours the day of the festival making the hill using a map of actual Govardhan. It is always fun thinking of ways to represent various rivers, temples, and kundas using foodstuffs!
“We took a taxi to Govardhan in the morning. We started our search at Govinda-kunda. We walked around the end of Govardhan and came up on the other side. Somewhere in the area adjacent to Surya-kunda we were observing the hill. I was looking at different silas and then I looked up and saw the Giriraja. I called out, “There He is!” and walked over and picked Him up. He was just perfect. Then Goswami Maharaja came over and I told him, ‘Hold Giriraja.’ At that time a very pleasant transformation overcame him. He became so soft and innocent. His GBC managerial mood floated away and He became a bit overwhelmed by the mercy of Giriraja. After a few moments, he very gently asked me to take Giriraja back. Thus we slipped Him in a sack and escaped unnoticed.”
-His Holiness Bhakti Bringa Govinda Swami
“I took a large Govardhan sila to Houston, but I left no gold in exchange. Knowing of the local custom, I wondered how I had gotten away with such grand larceny. But now I can hear Sri Govardhan laughing: ‘To restore this king’s palace will cost you as much gold as the weight of the sila you stole.’ And what to speak of what I took, and continue to take from Srila Prabhupada. He too is laughing. ‘You’ll be paying for lifetimes,’ he laughs, ‘and into eternity.’ O Giriraja Govardhan! O Srila Prabhupada! O best of Lord Hari’s servants! No one can be more liberal and merciful than you.”
-Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj
Vyasa-puja offering, 1994
“In 1986, we built our Houston, Texas, temple with three altars: on the left we established Sri Sri Gaura Nitai; on the central altar, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna; and on the right—well, we weren’t quite sure which Deity to install. In fact, for five years the third altar remained vacant. Then, on a yearly pilgrimage it dawned on me that we should establish Sri Giriraja Govardhan Himself as the third presiding Deity. Taking permission from a respected Vraja-vasi, we carried a very large sila away and brought Him to the far-off land of the cowboys. Now He sits enthroned, smiling munificently. Lord Chaitanya and Prabhu Nityananda embrace Him and bathe Him with Their ecstatic tears. Sri Sri Radha-Krsna perform Their wonderful dancing on His surface. And Srila Prabhupada, from his vyasasana, can finally see these pastimes he so much longed to behold.”
-Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj
Vyasa-puja offering, 1994
“Look! This is our God. You would think that someone would be full after having eaten 1030 preparations, but He wants more. Aniyor! Aniyor! Even the pujaris are telling me that the clothes don’t fit the Deities properly today. They had to undo a few stitches to make them fit.”
-Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaj
Govardhana-puja lecture, 1997
