In a heartwarming display of inclusivity and determination, visually impaired Govindas participated in the Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai. Pics/Atul Kamble
Updated On: 2024-08-27 05:01 PM IST
Compiled by : Asif Ali Sayed
Meanwhile, a Mumbai-based organisation has helped bolster the confidence of visually impaired individuals, offering them a chance to be part of a beloved festival tradition
The initiative has seen remarkable success, with the Dahi Handi Pathak formed by Nayan Foundation competing in various Dahi Handi events across Mumbai. To date, the organisation has helped 250 visually impaired individuals become part of these high-energy celebrations
Dahi handis decorated with flowers have been hoisted many feet above the ground at several housing societies, roads, junctions and public grounds across the city
Dressed in colourful attires, Govindas are seen criss-crossing parts of the metropolis in trucks, tempos, buses and two-wheelers to break the dahi handis
It is believed that Lord Krishna liked curd and butter as a child. Therefore, devotees re-enact his childhood days through dahi handi after Krishna Janmashtami
Over the last few years, some Dahi Handi events backed by politicians in Mumbai and its metropolitan region, including Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai and Panvel, have become famous due to hefty prize money, the presence of celebrities and entertainment programmes organised there
These events draw huge crowds and a steady flow of Govindas
The beating of traditional drums and accompaniment of popular Bollywood songs at every nook and corner of the city are keeping the festive spirit high, particularly in Mumbai's Marathi-dominated pockets like Parel, Lalbaug, Worli, Dadar, Bhandup, Mulund, Goregaon and Andheri