New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Thursday said that the popular entertainment event of “Dahi Handi” would be officially recognised under the state’s sports category.
Shinde said Maharashtra would introduce the discipline “Pro Dahi Handi” and “Govindas” who participated in the tournament would get jobs under the sportMaharashtras quota.
“We will provide an insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh for the Govindas,” Shinde said.
'Dahi-handi' will be recognised under the sports category in Maharashtra. 'Pro-Dahi-Handi' will be introduced. The 'Govindas' will get jobs under sports category. We will provide insurance cover of Rs 10 lakhs for all 'Govindas': Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde pic.twitter.com/7LLmgAnZOD
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2022
“Dahi Handi”, meaning “curd in an earthen pot”, is a popular event in the state associated with Lord Krishna’s birthday, Janmashtami.
This traditional spectacle emulates the legend of baby Krishna’s attempts to steal “makhhan” or butter from neighbouring kitchens, which would be kept out of reach at a height. The more mischievous and ingenuous he got in reaching the butter, the higher his neighbours would push up the pot.
On Janmashtami, clay pots are hung at a considerable height on roads and courtyards across the state, which young men and women (or Govindas, another name for Krishna) try to grab by forming human pyramids. As they climb atop each other, they are cheered on by the waiting crowd.
There are huge prizes announced by clubs for “dahi handi” teams, who practise for weeks before the event.
A report said the Mumbai-based Dahi Handi Utsav Samanvay Samiti (DHUSS) wrote a letter to Eknath Shinde requesting him to give it the status of an adventure sport.
DHUSS committee member Arun Patil was quoted as saying: “This has been a long pending demand. Rather than playing it only once a year on the day of the festival, we hope for more competitions and events such as pro kabaddi will be organised so that the Govindas can practice, play and have a healthy competition throughout the year.”
Reacting to a similar demand a few years ago, the then BJP Cultural Minister Vindo Tawde had declared “Dahi Handi” an adventure sport, but pronounced no guidelines to execute it as such.
However, given the number of severe accidents the sport has seen over the years, the Supreme Court has put a cap of 20 feet on the height of the “handi”. The Bombay High Court in 2017 also barred the participation of children below 14 years of age.
Shinde’s decision to include “Dahi Handi” in the sports category is being viewed as a popular move by the new chief minister, who broke his parent party Shiv Sena two months ago and came to power with the help of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
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