{{Short description|Hindu festival dedicated to worship of Gau Mata (Mother cow)}} {{Infobox holiday | holiday_name = Gopashtami | type = Hindu | image = Gopashtami Gau Pooja.jpg | caption = Gopashtami celebration | longtype = Religious, Cultural | observedby = Hindus Major celebrations by: Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Radha Vallabha Sampradaya | date = | relatedto = Vaishnavism | frequency = Annual | image_size = 200px }} '''Gopashtami''' ({{IAST3|Gopāṣṭamī}}) is a Hindu festival occurring on Ashtami (eighth day) of Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) of Kartik month,<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XLv-ch3DeNQC&q=Gopashtami+Ashtami+Kartik |title=University Review: Journal of the University of Jammu |date=1996 |publisher=The University |language=hi}}</ref> in which cows and bulls are rendered worship.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rosen |first=Steven |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-WKuYt0MogC&dq=gopastami&pg=PA38 |title=Holy Cow: The Hare Krishna Contribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights |date=2004 |publisher=Lantern Books |isbn=978-1-59056-066-2 |pages=38 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ph.D |first=Lavanya Vemsani |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4fw2DAAAQBAJ&q=Radha+vallabh&pg=PP1 |title=Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names |date=2016-06-13 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-61069-211-3 |location=United States of America |pages=9–10 |language=en}}</ref> It is the coming-of-age celebration when Krishna's father, Nanda, gave Krishna the responsibility for taking care of the cows of Vrindavan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/the-splainer-what-makes-the-cow-sacred-to-hindus/2015/11/05/acdde3e2-840c-11e5-8bd2-680fff868306_story.html|title=The 'Splainer: What makes the cow sacred to Hindus?|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=2018-07-16}}</ref>
== Celebrations == {{POV section|date=April 2023}} Go-puja is done on this day. Devotees visit the gosala, bathe and clean the cows and the gosala. Cows are decorated with cloth and jewellery before offering special ritual by the devotees. Special fodders are fed for good health and special drive is organized for its preservation. On this day, Krishna puja and cow Puja is performed along with pradakshina to acquire blessing for a good and happier life. Devotees also pay special respect to cows for its utilities in daily life. Cows provide milk that helps in fulfilling the nutritional requirement of the people like a mother. This is why cows are held sacred and worshipped in Hindu religion as a mother. The glories of the cow and her protection are discussed by senior devotees. All of them feed the cows and take part in a feast near the gosala.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.northeastindia24.com/guwahati-three-daylong-gopastami-mela-concludes/|title=Guwahati; three daylong Gopastami Mela concludes|date=2017-10-29|work=NorthEast India24.com|access-date=2018-07-16|language=en-US}}</ref>
== See also == *Krishna *Balarama *Diwali
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Krishna Category:Hindu festivals