Mandals around the city have threatened to boycott Dahi Handi celebrations if the state government refuses to reconsider its decision of banning participation of children aged below 12 years in the human pyramids that are the main feature of this festival. This means there may not be any Dahi Handi celebrations in Maharashtra if mandals carry out their threat.
What happened?
In a meeting on Tuesday, office-bearers of Dahihandi Utsav Samanvay Samiti (DUSS), a body of all Dahi Handi mandals in the city, decided to go ahead with its decision to boycott the festival.
Why is DUSS miffed?
It is against the ban on participation of children issued by the state child rights panel. There more than 1,200 mandals affiliated with DUSS from Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.
What did DUSS say?
"Despite several meetings with political leaders, we are not getting justice. We have no option but to boycott the festival. We tried to convince the commission (MSCPCR) to allow children to participate in the human pyramids, but it's not ready to listen to us. In a recent meeting at Mantralaya, we tried convincing them that children are given enough practise and provided with safety gear. We told commission members that we don't allow any child to take part all of a sudden, without any preparation and that a proper process is followed more than a month before the start of the festival," said office-bearer Bal Padelkar.
Another office-bearer Surendra Panchal, coach of Tardeo's Navmahrashtra Krida Mandal, said, "We don't know under which law they have banned children. We are studying the legal aspect of it and will try our best to get the ban struck down at least this year."
What is MSCPCR's take on this?
Recently, Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) decided to ban children aged below 12 years from participating in human pyramids, saying it is dangerous, especially considering the increasing height of these pyramids.
How did the ban come about?
MSCPCR passed the order after Pawan Pathak, a resident of Saki Naka, complained that lives of many kids were endangered by Govinda groups, who are lured by the big money promised by political parties that organise the festivities.
All about the festival
This year, Dahi Handi falls on August 18. Every mandal has an average of 500 people and every mandal breaks at least 10-12 handis in a day. The breaking of handis, which contain milk, curd, butter, fruits and water, is a special feature of the festivities on Janmashtami (the birthday of Lord Krishna). Children are the last to climb the top of human pyramids to reach the handi as they weigh less.
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