A brand new profession possibility? Maharashtra designates dahi handi as a sport

Yearly since he was 12, Salman Mirza has been an enthusiastic participant within the “dahi handi” human pyramids that characterise the celebration of Krishna Janmashtami in elements of Maharashtra. Mild weighted and agile, Mirza – now 21 – is a member of one of many many neighbourhood teams that journey round Mumbai on the competition that marks the birthday of the deity Krishna. They type multi-tiered human pyramids that try to achieve as much as the earthen pots of yoghurt which are suspended excessive above streets throughout the town. The group that manages to interrupt open the pot earns a financial reward.

This 12 months, Mirza was much more excited – and it was not simply because the richest purse on Friday was Rs 55 lakh. On Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde introduced that dahi handi can be given the standing of an journey sport. Because of this govindas, because the members in pyramids are identified, can apply for presidency jobs below the 5% quota reserved for sportspersons. Competitions shall be held all year long, not simply on Janmashtami and sponsors shall be roped in to fund this Professional Govinda League.

For Mirza, this can be the chance to covert a pastime into the chance to earn some cash. “I’ll positively take a look at it as a profession possibility if we’ve industrial competitions,” he mentioned as he clambered right into a truck along with his buddies to take part in an occasion within the jap Mumbai neighbourhood of Kurla that his group organises.

The marketing campaign to have dahi handi categorised as an journey sport started over ten years in the past. “We reached out to native politicians to declare this a sport,” mentioned Surendra Panchal, the secretary of a bunch referred to as the Dahi Handi Samanvay Samiti. “We now have been following up with our demand with successive governments.”

Some observers, nevertheless, noticed a political goal within the announcement of the Professional Govinda League and Shinde’s choice to make the competition a public vacation for the primary time. In any case, elections to municipal companies in a number of districts in Maharashtra are due over the subsequent few months.

Within the wake of the cut up within the Shiv Sena into two factions, one headed by Shinde and the opposite by Uddhav Thackeray, both sides organised dahi handi occasions throughout the town.

However MLA Pratap Sarnaik, who joined the Shinde faction to type a state authorities with the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering on the finish of July, mentioned that the Professional Govinda League was an try to make the spirit of Janmashtami final all 12 months.

“Shindesahib follows the Hindutva ideology and this competition is well known by a big part of Hindus,” he mentioned. “Subsequently he determined to raise it and convert it right into a sport.” He added that the dahi handi pyramids “educate staff constructing and unity. We don’t need individuals to neglect it after the competition is over.”

Dahi handi teams will quickly maintain conferences with authorities officers to formulate guidelines and rules for the game, mentioned Surendra Panchal of the Dahi Handi Samanvay Samiti. As well as, a committee comprising authorities officers and members from the Samiti shall be shaped to brainstorm on get sponsors, formulate guidelines, and organise competitions by the 12 months, he mentioned.

Pilot occasion

On Friday, as 300 teams registered to compete for the prize in Vartak Nagar in Thane, Panchal mentioned the occasion can be handled like a pilot venture to attempt to decide how the Govinda League would work.

Sandeep Dongre, one of many organisers, mentioned the groups wouldn’t be allowed to type pyramids rising greater than 40 ft, which might imply they might be capped at seven or eight tiers. “We’ll decide the most effective staff primarily based on formation, how many individuals are taking part in it, how large and powerful the bottom is and the way effectively they type the pyramid,” he mentioned.

The protection of members has lengthy been a priority through the competition. Falls, if even they don’t seem to be deadly, might trigger grave accidents and even lead to paralysis. In 2016, the Supreme Courtroom restricted the peak of pyramids to twenty ft and barred minors from taking part within the exercise.

For now, most members who type the highest two tiers of the pyramid put on helmets and knee caps, however these decrease down don’t put on security gear. “If we put on a helmet, it turns into tough for an individual to climb over our heads,” defined Mirza. “They might fall.”

On Friday by midday, 12 govindas had been injured throughout Mumbai. By 6 pm, the determine rose to 91 throughout authorities hospitals.

Nilesh Kamath, a member of the Sri Sai Govinda Padak that organises dahi handi celebrations in South Mumbai’s Kala Chowki, mentioned giant teams purchase insurance coverage cowl for his or her govindas and supply security gear. “In small-scale celebrations, such precautions will not be taken,” he mentioned.

From subsequent 12 months, Chief Minister Shinde mentioned that the state authorities would supply a Rs 10 lakh insurance coverage cowl for all govindas.

Accidents and insurance coverage

Whereas Sharad Bhorunde, 32, an organiser of the Sri Sai Govinda Mandal in Kurla, welcomed the federal government’s transfer to supply insurance coverage cowl, he was sceptical about whether or not dahi handi can be a well-liked sport.

“Janmashtami is cultural get-together,” he mentioned. “We spare time from our busy schedules to benefit from the competition every year. I’m not positive if the enjoyable will nonetheless stay if it comes a sport and there are competitions held.”

Sandeep Jaiswal, one other common dahi handi particpant, agreed with Bhorunde. He mentioned that he begins practising a month earlier than the competition. However when dahi handi turns into a sport, he wasn’t positive he’d wish to put extra time into it.