Shivraj Singh Chouhan Performs Govardhan Puja, Urges Nationwide Tree Plantation

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday performed Govardhan Puja in Bhopal and used the occasion to appeal for greater public participation in environmental protection and tree plantation.

Chouhan said people across the country were increasingly joining efforts to protect nature and highlighted the formation of Vriksh Mitra Parivar, an initiative aimed at turning environmental conservation into a wider public movement.

गोधन और प्रकृति संरक्षण-संवर्धन के प्रतीक पावन पर्व गोवर्धन पूजा की आप सभी को हार्दिक बधाई एवं अनंत शुभकामनाएं! प्रकृति के प्रति कर्तव्यभाव का बोध कराने वाला यह पर्व आप सबके जीवन में नई ऊर्जा, समृद्धि एवं खुशहाली का संचार करे, हर घर धन-धान्य से परिपूर्ण हो, भगवान श्री कृष्ण से यही प्रार्थना है। आज गोवर्धन पूजा के शुभ अवसर पर वृक्ष मित्र परिवार के सदस्य देश भर में पौधरोपण कर रहे हैं। आइए, हम सब पौधरोपण कर अपनी प्रकृति को भी एक अनमोल उपहार दें । जय श्री कृष्ण!

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) November 10, 2026

Vriksh Mitra Parivar Plans Three Annual Campaigns

Chouhan said the Vriksh Mitra Parivar would organise major environmental programmes on three occasions every year:

• World Environment Day

• Hariyali Amavasya

• Govardhan Puja

He said these occasions would be used to organise collective tree-plantation and public-awareness campaigns across the country.

Govardhan Puja Represents Worship of Nature, Says Chouhan

The minister linked the religious significance of Govardhan Puja with environmental conservation.

He said the festival should also be understood as an occasion to honour nature and stressed that protecting the environment was necessary for ensuring that the Earth remained capable of supporting future generations.

Govardhan Puja is being observed in Bhopal on November 10, 2026.

Appeal to Plant Trees on Special Family Occasions

Chouhan urged families to plant saplings on important occasions in their personal lives.

He suggested making tree plantation part of:

• Birthdays

• Children's birthdays

• Wedding anniversaries

• Memorial days for parents or ancestors

• Other significant family occasions

The Vriksh Mitra initiative has previously promoted a similar model of turning personal celebrations into what Chouhan described as “tree festivals”.

Trees Essential for All Living Beings

Chouhan said environmental protection should not be viewed only from a human perspective.

He stressed that trees are essential for birds, animals, insects and human beings, and argued that protecting vegetation was therefore fundamental to the survival of the wider natural ecosystem.

Campaign Seeks to Build Grassroots Network

The Vriksh Mitra Parivar initiative aims to build an organised environmental network at multiple levels.

Earlier discussions around the programme proposed committees at national, state, district, block and village levels, while encouraging each participant to plant trees and bring more people into the campaign.

The initiative has also promoted linking tree plantation with government programmes, social events and religious occasions.

Govardhan Puja Celebrated Across Bhopal

Govardhan Puja, also known as Annakut, commemorates Lord Krishna lifting Govardhan Hill and traditionally includes worship of Govardhan, cows and nature.

Bhopal temples and households marked the festival on Tuesday with puja, Annakut offerings and other religious programmes.

Chouhan Calls for Public Participation

The Shivraj Singh Chouhan Govardhan Puja message centred on transforming environmental conservation into a people's movement.

He appealed to citizens of all ages to participate in plantation drives and care for the trees they plant, arguing that protecting nature was necessary to safeguard the future of coming generations.