Mandals to offer prizes as per pyramid layer

Come September 3 and Mumbai will be busy celebrating Janmashtami by the celebration of Dahi Handi. The streets will be owned by scores of govindas who will form several human pyramid layers. But while it has religious connotations tied to it, Dahi Handi is celebrated with loud music, rain dance and the showstopper, a Dahi Handi contest.

The coordinators of umbrella body of Dahi Mandals has appealed to all govinda pathaks (groups) to keep the noise levels in check. The members have also urged mandals to ensure no one is physically hurt and injured in the contest of breaking the Handis.

“We have issued notifications to every mandal stating that each of them should make sure no govinda is below 14 years of age. We have also asked them to make sure each member of the group is insured. We want to ensure an injury-free festival from this year onwards,” said Bala Padelkar, chief of Dahi Handi Samanvay Samiti (DHSS).

Organisers are offering prize money to govindas depending on the layers the groups make.

“There are prizes for everyone. Even if pathaks make two layers, we will offer them considerable amount. This year, we decided to keep such prizes so that no one will go home empty handed,” said Prakash Surve, Shiv Sena Member of Legislative Assembly, who will organise the Dahi Handi event in Magathane. Meanwhile, Swati Patil, who leads a Chembur nongovernment organisation, had filed a petition to the High Court in 2014 requesting to bring down the height of human pyramids to 20 feet, said these are gimmicks to pull the crowd and mandals.

“Our NGO will keep a close watch on the events happening across the city. We will collate all the rules that are flouted and present it to the public. Safety is something which cannot be compromised at any cost,” said Patil.