MUMBAI: Diwali festivities continue with Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj on November 10 and 11. Various communities are celebrating the two occasions on different days, according to their respective almanacs.ISKCON temple in Juhu will celebrate Govardhan Puja on November 10 with cow worship and puja-aarti. Spokesperson Parijata Devi said, “The highlight is the elaborate Annakoot offering. ‘Mountains’ of food preparations that are sweet, salty, sour, bitter and astringent in flavour will be prepared and offered to the deity Sri Giriraj Govardhan. These are prepared using 4,000 kg of cooked rice, 500 kg halwa, 400 kg of sweet boondi and 200 kg of sev.“A lamp is lit before Lord Damodar during the month of Damodar.“Additionally, the chappan bhog (56 items) includes laddoos, farsan, rotis, vegetable dishes, beverages, savouries, salads, raita, chiwda, shakkarpara, varieties of peda, jalebi and many other delicacies. A beautifully decorated cake, prepared by devotees as a replica of Govardhan Hill, complete with representations of the mountain, Radha Kund and Shyam Kund, trees and streams of water, will also be offered to Sri Giriraj.”The food prepared for the Annakoot mountain offering will be made without preservatives or artificial food colours in an “FDA-compliant kitchen”. It may be recalled that ISKCON Juhu was recently raided by the FDA and penalised for safety and hygiene violations.ISKCON has deployed 250 volunteers to offer their services in various areas, including bhog preparation, cooking, cleaning and prasad distribution. Following the offerings, all the food, which becomes prasad, will be distributed among visitors and devotees.Bengal Club Shivaji Park and other Durga Puja pandals will host Annakoot celebrations, with proper rituals followed by bhog prasad, said spokesperson Joy Chakraborty.Maharashtrians will celebrate Bhau Beej on November 11, when brothers and sisters visit each other to exchange greetings and sweetmeats. The Bhai Dooj muhurat in Mumbai is from 1.30 pm to 3.46 p
