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!
