Will use dahi handi money to fight Covid-19: Mandals

THANE: While Gokulashtami festivities will be muted on August 12, dahi handi celebrations have been cancelled in Mumbai and Thane to avoid huge crowds in view of the coronavirus crisis.
Instead, the mandals will donate the prize money towards the treatment of Covid-19 patients and measures to curb the infection.
The decision was taken on Sunday after a meeting with the Samnvay samiti of mandals in Mumbai and Thane, said Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik, one of the biggest dahi handi organisers in Thane.
“As dahi handi celebrations attract huge crowds and it would not be possible for govindas, who form human pyramids to break the pots, to maintain social distancing, we decided to cancel it,” said Sarnaik, adding that they will distribute medicines, sanitisers and items worth around Rs 1 crore and donate two ICU ambulances on CM Uddhav Thackeray’s birthday.