The youths participating in the festival are also known as ‘Govindas’Mumbai:
The ‘Dahi Handi’ festival in Maharashtra, organised every year during
Janmashtami to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna, has become another flashpoint between the two factions of Shiv Sena. Here are the top 10 updates on this big storyThe rival factions of Shiv Sena – one led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the other headed by Uddhav Thackeray – have put up hoardings and banners with photos of Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and party leader Anand Dighe in Mumbai, Thane and other cities of Maharashtra.Both sides have announced a prize of Rs 2.51 lakh for the winning teams at their ‘Dahi Handi’ events in Mumbai and Thane. Kalyan MP and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde said that their event depicts respect for Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe. On the other hand, the Thackeray camp MP, Rajan Vichare, said their event reflects loyalty, unity, culture and the voice of Hindutva.The supporters of Eknath Shinde are holding a Dahi Handi at Tembhi Naka in Thane while the Uddhav Thackeray faction has organised a similar event just about 200 metres away at Jambli Naka.After two years, the ‘Dahi Handi’ festival is being celebrated on a grand scale across Maharashtra as the government has lifted all coronavirus-related curbs.Eknath Shinde has announced that the ‘Dahi Handi’ festival will now be recognised as an adventure sport in the state,The youths participating in the festival, also known as ‘Govindas’, can apply for government jobs under the sports quota, the Chief Minister said.In case of the death of a participant, his family would get Rs 10 lakh as compensation from the state government. Rs 7 lakh will be given to participants with serious injuries, while one with fractures would be paid Rs 5 lakh.Raj Thackeray’s party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has also announced a prize of Rs 55 lakh for a Dahi Handi event being organised by it. “The winning team may also get a chance to go to Spain,” a party spokesperson announced.During the event, ‘Govindas’ make a human pyramid to reach an earthen pot containing buttermilk which is hung mid-air, and break it.
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