Govind aala re! On Dahi Handi, Mumbai's Govinda pathaks talk safety and precaution in the face of adventure

Hindustan Times

4 days ago

Dahi, makhan and a whole load of fun, that's how Mumbaikars celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna. A key aspect of Janmashtami is the Dahi Handi celebrations that take place across the city, with Govinda pathaks aiming to break earthen pots and collect the winnings. They recreate Lord Krishna's childhood, where he and his friends stole makhan and dahi by creating human pyramids to reach the pots, which gave it its name 'Dahi Handi'. While there is a rush of excitement, it carries a streak of danger, as seen recently when 11-year-old Mahesh Jadhav fell to his death during a practise session in Dahisar. Across Mumbai, Govinda Pathaks will compete to try and break the Dahi Handi and bag the winning title (Anshuman Poyrekar/ HT)
Dressed as Lord Krishna and Radha, students in a school in Dadar celebrated the festival of Janmashtami by partaking in Dahi Handi ceremony(BHUSHAN KOYANDE/HT)
With risks part and parcel of this annual activity, the pathaks are ensuring they keep safety at the fore when they test the boundaries to win the title. Suryakant Madhavi, coach of the Airoli Koliwada Govinda Pathak, says, 'We've been practising for this day since Guru Purnima (July 10). We practise every day, focusing on strategy and formation, while also working out for strength and agility. The government gives the teams life insurance, and everyone, especially those who climb the highest, wears a helmet, has ropes for safety, and knee and elbow pads, too.'
The Parle Sports Club Mahila Govinda team tasted a major win on Thursday as they became the first women's team to build a seven-tier human pyramid(instagram)
On the other hand, one of the city's most popular pathaks, the Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak, who are based in Jogeshwari East and has a collective team of 700-1,000 members, has been putting in the work for the last four months, shares committee member Akash Kasare. 'We have people who come from all walks of life, including businessmen to politicians to MBA graduates, DJs and students. We practise from 9 pm every day, with a focus on stretching and strength training. As we get closer to the day, we spend more time on getting our formations right.' Last year, the team created a Guinness World Record by forming a nine-tier human pyramid.
Being safe is very important while practising, and Prabhakar Atmaram Pashte, who is a member of Nagpur's Nav Maharashtra Krida Mandal, and recently participated in the Pro Govinda League, shares, 'The lighter the person, the higher they climb in the pyramids. We use a foam mat during practise sessions and mouth guards. The organisers provide safety belts, so if anyone fall, they are caught by the ropes and can be safely brought down.' There are also medical personnel and ambulances on call.