Pune: The city is all set to witness vibrant and enthusiastic Dahi Handi celebrations with a blend of traditional fervour and contemporary excitement. However, many women tend to refrain from participating in the celebrations because of safety concerns . While some mandals are organising exclusive Dahi Handi events for women to ensure their safety, others are focusing on deploying members on the ground to keep a check on misbehaviour, eve-teasing, or nuisance, especially with regard to women.
Kishor Shinde, MNS leader, said, “We have been organising a women’s special Dahi Handi celebration on the Jeet grounds in Kothrud for the last 12 years. Around 25,000-30,000 women attend the event. We have invited an all-women Govinda Pathak to break the pot.
” Shinde, stressing the safety of women, said, When women go to see Dahi Handi events on the streets, they are often harassed by men who get drunk and create a nuisance. Our event provides women with a safe space. We have a DJ performance and have put up LED screens so that women can dance freely.
” Prakash Chauhan from Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Sarvajanik Ganpati Trust said they, too, are focused on women’s safety and will have volunteers that women can reach out to in case of any grievance. “There is a lot of revelry, but we ensure that there is no nuisance. People cheer the Govindas on and are mindful not to invade the personal space of women while doing so,” he said.
Making the celebrations inclusive, Taal Vidya Pathak and Shri Potsulya Maruti Mandal collaborated to organise a Dahi Handi event for students with disabilities of Kamayani School For Mentally Handicapped in Gokhalenagar on August 26. Kunal Pawar from Shri Potsulya Maruti Mandal, said, “Around 250-300 children of the school feel left out of the celebrations during Dahi Handi. So, we organise a Dahi Handi event for them in the school.
Here, they can make a human pyramid with all supervision and safety precautions in place and feel like they, too, are participating in the festival. The students, aged between 3-19 years, put up a musical performance. We also hung games and school supplies on the ropes for them to have fun.
” We also published the following articles recently Janmashtami 2024: The significance of Dahi Handi Janmashtami celebrated Lord Krishna's birth and featured the Dahi Handi ritual. 'Govindas' formed human pyramids to break pots filled with dairy as a tribute to Krishna's mischievous exploits. This event highlighted strength, unity, and perseverance, evolving into a community celebration with potential rewards and entertainment, keeping Krishna's playful spirit alive.
Bus routes diverted for dahi handi Bus routes 8 and 379 were temporarily halted at Shivajinagar depot from 6 pm due to a Dahi handi stage, announced a BEST spokesperson. At Vikhroli's Kannamwar Nagar, bus route 397 was diverted from M. Madhavan Chowk to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk.
Additionally, several bus routes in Kalachowkie and Malad were curtailed or diverted for similar reasons. Dahi Handi 2024: Date, Time, History and Celebration of Gopalkala India marked Krishna Janmashtami on August 26, 2024, with Dahi Handi celebrated on August 27, 2024. Decorated temples and playful human pyramids highlighted the event, commemorating Lord Krishna's childhood mischief.
The festival, primarily in areas like Vrindavan and Mumbai, involved breaking an earthen pot hung at a height, a tradition linked to Krishna's fondness for curd and butter..
