Gopashtami is a Hindu festival celebrated to honour cow mothers, also known as Gau Mata. In India, cows are considered holy and sacred animals and are worshipped in many religions.
In 2025, Gopasthami will be celebrated on Thursday, October 30th. According to the Hindu calendar, the eighth lunar day of the Kartika month is celebrated as Gopastami.
Check out the date and timing for Skanda Sashti 2025.
Why is Gopashtami celebrated?
Gopastami is celebrated to worship Gau Mata. According to legends, on this day, Nand Maharaj sent Lord Krishna and Balarama to herd cows for the first time.
Worshipping cows in the Hindu religion is a sacred ritual. Many believers offer prasadam and fodder to cows on auspicious days to seek the mother cows’ blessings.
Gau Mata, or mother cows, offer nourishment to their calves and human beings from their milk. During puja and hawan rituals, desi cow ghee is used to light the fire as it is believed to be pure.
Gopashtami Puja Timings
Gopashtami puja will take place on October 30, 2025. Find the ashtami tithi and duration below:
| Occasion | Puja Muhurat | Duration |
| Ashtami Tithi Begins | 09:23 AM, Oct 29 | 1 day 43 minutes |
| Ashtami Tithti Ends | 10:06 AM, Oct 30 |
Download the Jar app to buy shubh coins and digital gold online.
FAQs
1. What is Gopashtami tithi?
Gopashtami is observed on the Ashtami (tithi = 8th lunar day) of the Shukla Paksha (waxing moon-fortnight) in the month of Kartik.
On this day, devotees worship the cow (Gau Mata) and mark the moment when Lord Krishna (as a boy-cowherd) took up caring for cows.
Thus:
- “Gopashtami tithi” refers to the 8th lunar day when this festival is celebrated.
- It is essentially the Ashtami of the Shukla Paksha of Kartik.
- On that tithi, one performs cow-worship (go-puja) and associated rituals.
2. Which date is the Ashtami puja 2025?
For 2025, the Ashtami tithi for Gopashtami begins and ends as follows:
- Begins: 09:23 AM on 29 October 2025.
- Ends: 10:06 AM (or around 10:07 AM) on 30 October 2025.
Therefore, the puja for Gopashtami is to be observed on Thursday, 30 October 2025, since the tithi is largely current on that date.
3. What is the real date of Janmashtami 2025?
Janmashtami (Krishna Janmashtami) in 2025 falls on Saturday, 16 August 2025.
Here are the details:
- The Ashtami tithi begins 11:49 PM on 15 August and ends 09:34 PM on 16 August.
- The “Nishita” (mid-night) puja time is approx 12:04 AM to 12:47 AM on 16 August.
So while technically the tithi begins late on 15 Aug, the widely observed festival date is 16 Aug 2025.
Check out the best days to buy gold in 2025.
4. What to feed cows on Gopashtami?
On Gopashtami, the worship of cows involves not only ritual bathing and decorating but also feeding them with special items. Here’s what the scriptures and festival traditions recommend:
- Fresh green grass/fodder: essential for the cows.
- Grains (wheat, barley, etc) and/or chapatis (cow-friendly) along with jaggery and sweets.
- Fruits (seasonal), sugarcane, and other wholesome offerings.
- After feeding, perform arati and circumambulation (pradakshina) of the cow(s).
- Important: Ensure that the feed is clean, fresh, and cow-appropriate (no processed junk food) — showing respect to Gau Mata.
