Drumming debut

Young drummers enjoying their debut at the Dahi Handi festival in Dadar.

Uneasy lies the head ..

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown (King Henry the Fourth, Part Two, by William Shakespeare). This young lad too must be apprehensive as he will be the topmost on the human pyramid to take a crack at the pot.

When the pot breaks

Broken pots indicate successes of the Govindas who form the human pyramid to break the pot hung up high in the air.

Expressions

Expressions on the faces of spectators viewing the spectacular human pyramid in Dadar.

Blonde Govinda

A blonde Govinda (Lord Krishna)! Wow! Tradition modernised! At the dahi handi celebrations in Dadar.

Catch 'em young!

A small child dressed up as Lord Krishna at the dahi handi festival in Dadar.

Team dahi handi

This team of young lads biding their time to form the human pyramid and take a crack at the pot of gold!

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Fierce determination.

He is assigned the task to reach the top of the human pyramid and break the pot. The pride and determination on his face shows he is ready for it!

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Woman power

The women have powered into yet another male bastion of human pyramids for dahi handis. An all woman team poses in Dadar just before getting to work on the dahi handi.

Govinda excitement

All the residents of a chawl in Dadar are out in full strength to cheer the brave Govindas during the birth celebrations of Lord Krishna.

Govinda

Drenched in the sweet nectar of success, the human pyramid breaks up. This is an annual event to celebrate the birthday of Lord Krishna. Captured this sweet moment in Dadar, Mumbai.

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Job well done!

The 'Govinda' atop the human pyramid breaks the pot to great applause for a job well done!
The sky in the background is dull, leaving all the action in the frame for the 'Govindas'.

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Dahi Handi

Yesterday, the birth of Lord Krishna was celebrated all over Mumbai by 'Govindas' (Krishnas) forming human pyramids and breaking the Dahi (curds) Handis (pots) that were tied up in many areas. Of course, now the religious connotation is minimal and it is more of political and mercenary upstaging. It is just another festive event.

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Dahi Handi

Dahi Handi is a festive event and a team sport during the Hindu festival of Gokulashtami, which is also known as Krishna Janmashtami in celebration of the birth of Krishna.

It is celebrated the day after Krishna Janmashtami and it involves communities hanging an earthen pot filled with dahi (yoghurt) at a convenient height for teams of young boys/girls to make a human pyramid and attempt to reach or break the pot. As they do so, spectators sing and cheer them on. It is an event with media attendance, prize money and commercial sponsorships.

A participant in this festival is called a Govinda and it is very popular in the state of Maharashtra, especially in the city of Mumbai.

It was celebrated yesterday in Mumbai with great fervour as you can see in the pictures below.

The Captain gauging the height for number of tiers in pyramid to be formed.

The 2nd tier

The 3rd tier

The 4th tier

The 5th and final bursts the pot

And they all come down!

Dahi handi

Dahi handi (Pot of curds) is traditionally celebrated on Lord Krishna's birthday who apparently loved it and would beg, borrow or steal to get it. In the picture above you will see a pot hanging from the centre. Well, now it contains just flowers. Youth form the neighbourhood will form human pyramids and break the pot. The group that breaks it will be monetarily rewarded. Unfortunately this celebration has been taken over by political parties and become a reason for drunken orgies.
The picture above was clicked in Bandra east. The pot was broken late at night hence I do not have any pictures of the human pyramid.

ABC Wednesday - H

 

Handi is the pot that is tied high up and will be broken by teams of boys and girls by forming pyramids during Gokulashtami. This festival is based on the legend of Lord Krishna who during his childhood stole Makhan (butter) or Dahi (curd) from Handis by forming Human Pyramids with his friends and breaking the Handis hung in their houses.

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