Dahi Handi celebrated with fervour in Maha after two years; 78 Govindas injured in Mumbai

They needed fifty tiers, he said, referring to the number of MLAs who were with him.Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis was present at Dahi Handi events in Mumbai.The state government had last month announced that there would be no restrictions on the celebration of religious festivals, including Dahi Handi and Ganesh Chaturthi, this year.

`Dahi Handi', part of the Krishna Janmashtami festivities, was celebrated with extra fervour across Maharashtra on Friday after the COVID-19 pandemic-induced hiatus of two years.

Across the state, troupes of `Govindas' competed with each other to form human pyramids to break earthen pots (`handi') containing buttermilk and curd (`dahi') suspended high in the air.

In Mumbai, where the festival is celebrated on a large scale, at least 78 Dahi Handi participants were injured while forming pyramids. Most of them were discharged after treatment while around a dozen were hospitalized, civic officials said.

Attending a Dahi Handi event in neighbouring Thane, his home turf, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde alluded to his rebellion against the Shiv Sena leadership in June, and said he and his associates broke a ''tough Dahi Handi'' one and a half months ago. They needed ''fifty tiers'', he said, referring to the number of MLAs who were with him.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis was present at Dahi Handi events in Mumbai.

The state government had last month announced that there would be no restrictions on the celebration of religious festivals, including Dahi Handi and Ganesh Chaturthi, this year. In the last two years, the celebrations were hampered due to the COVID-19-related restrictions.

On Thursday, Shinde had informed the state Legislative Assembly that the government has decided to accord adventure sport status to Dahi Handi.

The adventure sport tag will allow young participants at these events to apply for government jobs under the sports quota.

Participants or their families will also be provided compensation if the participants suffer injuries while forming human pyramids, the chief minister had said.

Government hospitals had been instructed to treat injured Govindas free of cost. PTI KK SPK ARU NP KRK KRK KRK