Hindu Ekta Govinda Mandal, Jogeshwari breaking Dahi Handi at Dadar west on Tuesday. DH photo
Two Govinda teams managed to form nine-tier human-pyramid in Thane city as the Krishna Janamashtami-Dahi Handi was celebrated in Mumbai and its suburbs with traditional fervor and gaiety on Tuesday.
With lack of clarity over the rules on height –as the Bombay High Court refused to interfere in the matter and the Maharashtra government failed to spell out any new policy, lack of corporate sponsorships and a long-weekend coinciding with 71st Independence Day festivities – the celebrations were scaled down in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and elsewhere in Maharashtra.
Amidst chants of ‘Govinda Ala Re, Ala, Zara Matki Sambhal Brij Bala’ and ‘Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki…Haati Ghoda, Palki’, hundreds of revelers traversed the length and breadth of Mumbai and its suburbs to form human pyramids and break hanging curd pots to mark the birth of Lord Krishna.
At the time of going to press, there were reports of at least 40 Govindas getting injured as the human pyramids crashed down. Fortunately, however, there were no serious injuries. The injuries, in terms of numbers, was far less than what had been recorded in the previous years.
The maximum buzz was in the Thane city – which is known for big-ticket celebrations and huge prize money.
Two teams – the Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak of Jogeshwari and Shiv Shahi Govinda Mandal of Borivli formed nine-tier human pyramids at Vartak Nagar and Naupada, respectively, in Thane city. The Shiv Shahi team bagged Rs 11 lakh, while the Jai Jawan team bagged Rs one lakh.
Collectively in the MMR, prize money to the tune of Rs 1.5 crpre to 2 crere was at stake.
At Dadar in Mumbai, the Nayan Foundation organized Dahi Handi celebrations for visually-challenged boys and girls. The girls managed to break curt pot at three-tier level amidst cheers from the crowd.
In Tardeo in Mumbai, the Gopal Krishna Govinda Pathak had a near miss when the pyramid collapsed leaving the topmost boy hanging on the ropes. In a battle of nerves, the boys on the ground formed a ring and the stranded Govinda jumped into it safely.