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Govinda Pathak Culture 2025: Who They Are And Their Dahi Handi Janmashtami Traditions
Dahi Handi 2025 Celebrations: Streets come alive with chants, music, and the daring human pyramids built by spirited groups known as Govinda Pathaks during Dahi Handi.
Dahi Handi 2025 Celebrations: The vibrant festival of Dahi Handi, celebrated with great zeal during Janmashtami, marks one of Mumbai's most awaited cultural spectacles. Also known as Gopalakala in Maharashtra, Dahi Handi is celebrated on the next day of Krishna Janmashtami in the cities of Maharashtra and Gujarat. 'Dahi' translates to 'the curd', and 'handi' means 'earthen pot used to process and store milk products'.
As the city gears up for another Janmashtami on August 16, the streets will come alive with chants, music, and the daring human pyramids built by spirited groups known as Govinda Pathaks. But who exactly are these Govindas, and what is this tradition?
The Dahi Handi celebration recreates the childhood adventures of Lord Krishna. In his childhood, young Krishna was so fond of butter that he used to steal it from earthen pots from neighbourhood homes. To keep them out of reach, they started hanging milk products from the ceiling like a chandelier.
But Krishna, being the naughty one, devised the idea of forming a human pyramid. He used to climb atop his folks and break the hanging pot. Since then, this mythology has come alive as Govinda Pathaks. Every year, this event from the life of Lord Krishna is played by the young troop of boys and girls during Janmashtami.
Govinda Pathak: Who They Are
Govinda Pathaks (also known as Govindas) are dedicated teams of performers who participate in the celebrated Dahi Handi festival. Boys and girls form complex human pyramids to break suspended earthen pots of curd, milk, butter, and nuts, symbolising young Lord Krishna's playful activities.
Govinda Pathak: What They Do
For the Govindas, Dahi Handi is more than tradition. Teams train together for weeks, focusing on core strength, balance drills, and fall safety. The goal? Climb atop teammates in a tiered human pyramid, and smash the handi in a feat of strength, unity, balance, and sheer courage.
In recent years, female Govinda Pathaks and even visually impaired groups have participated, bringing new meaning and inclusivity to the sport. Mumbai's first visually impaired Govinda pathak, trained by the Nayan Foundation, was founded in 2010. The foundation is breaking barriers and bringing joy into the lives of visually impaired youth through adventure, community, and celebration.
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