Dahi Handi is observed a day after Sri Krishna Jayanti mainly in Maharashtra and Goa. In 2010, the date of Dahi Handi is September 2. Sri Krishna Jayanti in Maharashtra is on September 1. On the day young boys and girls form human pyramids to break open the Dahi Handi pots hung high above. The young men and women re-enact one of the favorite pastime of Lord Krishna – his stealing of Dahi from pots in houses in Vrindavan.
Janmashtmi is around the corner. This year, Janmashtami is being celebrated on two different days. Many are celebrating it today, that is, on the 1 of September, 2010. The other half of the world is celebrating the beloved festival tomorrow, on the 2nd of September, 2010.
The preparations for the festival is going on at a vast level, with the markets crowded with the followers of Lord Krishna,trying to make a steal at the best possible ornaments and clothes for the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha.
In most parts of Mumbai, the ‘Dahi-handi’ ritual would also follow this year, as it has been going on for years in the crowded city. In Mumbai, the festival would happen on the September 2, 2010.
This ritual is also known as Gopalakala and the Dahi Handi pot which is hung at a considerable height is an open challenge to the young boys and girls in the area. The competition is organized by various organizations and societies.
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| A visually challenged child tries to reach the 'Dahi handi' an earthen pot filled with curd hung high, during celebrations to mark Janmashtami at the Victoria School for the Blind in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. Janmashtami is the festival that marks the birth of Hindu God Krishna. |
The Dahi Handi pot contains Dahi poha – a mixture of beaten rice (poha), curd, sugar and pickle. The pot is also decorated with flowers and currency notes.
The young boys in the region form human pyramids, sometimes reaching up to eleven stories, to reach the pot.
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