Mumbai: As the ever rising cash prizes,
presence of Bollywood personalities lent a glamour quotient to
the Dahi Handi festival, people of Mumbai and Thane on Monday
celebrated the fest with gusto.
Every year, the dahi handi festival is held to celebrate
Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna.
Today, piling onto their cavalcade of trucks and
motorcycles, hundreds of Govindas were spotted travelling to
pandals to prove their mettle.
`Govindas` form pyramids and stand on top of one another
attempting to break clay pots filled with butter or curd that
are tied to ropes even as their efforts are thwarted by water
splashed on them by those gathered around.
Nearly every big dahi handi is affiliated to a political
party. Higher cash prize mean larger crowd. The attractive
prize money, presence of film stars and live performers is
lending a glamour quotient to the festival.
NCP MLA, Jitendra Ahwad, organiser of Sangarsh dahi handi
in Thane has offered prize money of Rs 1 crore. This year, a
team of Spanish Castellers will pose a competition for the
local Govindas.
While, MNS MLA Ram Kadam`s Dahi Handi at Ghatkopar
attracts prize money of Rs 51 lakh and Shiv Sena MLA Pratap
Sarnaik`s Sanskruti Yuva Pratishthan at Vartak Nagar in Thane
has offered Rs 25 lakh. Sarnaik has roped in Bollywood art
director Nitin Desai to design the stage. Actor John Abraham
had come to have a glance at Sarnaik`s Dahi Handi fest.
NCP legislator Sachin Ahir`s Sankalp Pratisthan handi
is being organised at Worli.
PTI
