Dahi Handi organising committees have decided to call off the Dahi Handi events held during Janmashtami festival in Maharashtra this year due to the coronavirus infection. The decision was taken after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday appealed organisers to set an example and send a message to the world that Maharashtra prioritised saving the lives over festivities amid pandemic.
“Let the world get the message that Maharashtra prioritised saving people’s lives,” Thackeray said during a virtual meeting with the Dahi Handi mandals. “Let us keep our celebrations and our festivities aside for a few days. Let us show some patience. Our priority should be our health. We have been facing restrictions for the last year and a half because we have been fighting Covid-19. But let us understand in whose interest these restrictions are,” he added.
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Responding to the Chief Minister’s appeal, Arun Patil, president of Mazgaon Dahi Handi Mitra Mandal, told CNN-News18, “We had written to the government asking for permission for Dahi Handi, while maintaining Covid-19 protocols. But several experts spoke with us. We do not want to jeopardise the lives of others. The inherent nature of Dahi Handi is such that social distance cannot be maintained. So realising our social responsibility, we have agreed to not celebrate the festival this year as well.”
Thackeray further said that the festival was of children, but we should also remember many children lost their both parents due to Covid-19. He also reminded the organisers about Niti Aayog’s predictions about the possible outbreak of Covid-19 third wave and its likely impact on children. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also appealed the Dahi Handi event organisers to maintain the same level of cooperation.
During the virtual meeting which lasted for over an hour, several experts which included Covid-19 task force and Paediatric task force members, too expressed their opinions on the matter. Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal also expressed his concerns about the worrisome predictions for the third wave of coronavirus which is likely to hit the country anytime between September and October.
During the meeting, Maharashtra Covid-19 task force chief Dr Sanjay Oak said physical distancing cannot be maintained during Dahi Handi celebrations as people come in close contact with each other while forming human pyramids. “This festival cannot be celebrated without people coming in close proximity to each other. Human layers are formed. Water is thrown on those who form these human pyramids. It is monsoon at present. Water diminishes the effectivity of masks. At this point, delta plus variant, which has been spreading fast, is also a concern,” he explained.
The Dahi Handi mandals were represented by the office bearers of Dahi Handi Samanvay Samiti, and by leaders like Pratap Sarnaik, Bala Nandgaonkar, Sachin Ahir, Sunil Prabhu who organise dahi handi events at large scale every year.
A fortnight ago, the Dahi Handi mandals had written to the Maharashtra government, seeking permission to celebrate the festival by following Covid-19 protocols.
Dahi Handi festival, which is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, involves communities hanging an earthen pot filled with dahi (yogurt) or other milk-based delicacies, at a convenient or difficult to reach height. Young men, boys and girls form teams, make a human pyramid and attempt to reach or break the pot. The festival enjoys a political patronisation in Maharashtra with various parties organising Dahi Handis and announcing a reward for Govindas, who break the pots.
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