Mumbai: 17 injured during 'Dahi Handi' festival

Mumbai, Aug 18: At least 17 people were injured, including one seriously, while forming human pyramids during the 'Dahi Handi' celebrations here today, officials said. Some of the injured were admitted to Sion and KEM hospitals. "Twelve people were brought here who got injured due to a fall while playing 'Dahi Handi'. We have admitted them and kept them under evaluation," KEM hospital's Dean Dr Shubhangi Parkar said.

The other injured were rushed to Sion hospital where two of them have been admitted. "There were a total of five persons who came to us for treatment. While we have discharged three of them after administering first aid, we have admitted two. One of them is very serious. He was brought with severe head injuries. Fortunately none had spine injuries," Sion hospital's Dean Dr Avinash Supe said.

Following the recent relief from Supreme Court which kept on hold a Bombay High Court order that barred participation of children under 18 in 'Dahi Handi', people in Maharashtra today celebrated the festival with gaiety and pomp amid chants of "Govinda ala re". The celebration of Dahi Handi, held on Janmasthami every year, includes formation of a human pyramid to break an earthen pot filled with buttermilk tied at a certain height and win cash prizes.

Hundreds of 'Govindas' (participants of 'Dahi Handi') here, from different "mandals" (groups) were seen moving in trucks and tempos while travelling to their respective marquees to prove their mettle in breaking the earthen pots hung high in the bylanes. The 'Dahi Handi' event is inspired by Lord Krishna and his friends who used to form human pyramids to break pots hung from the ceilings of neighbourhood houses, in order to steal curd and butter.

PTI