Demonetisation, implementation of GST, restrictions by HC and SC and lack of upcoming polls pour cold water over this year's Janmashtami celebrations
For a city known to celebrate festivals with a lot of fanfare, Mumbai saw a low-key Dahi Handi celebration on Tuesday. Barring a few areas like Dadar, Ghatkopar and Thane, many organisers stayed away from putting up a mega show.
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Revellers rejoice at a dahi handi celebration in Dadar West
The demonetisation and implementation of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) added to the troubles that already existed owing to Supreme Court's restrictions on loud music and age of participants.
While the big-ticket organisers, that were mainly politicians, did not hold their dahi handi competitions, few traditional areas like Dadar, Ghatkopar and Thane witnessed participation from a huge number of Govinda mandals.
Zeal for competition dips
But to their dismay, the zeal for competition has been continuously dipping since the past two years, owing to the apex court's directives. It has ordered that the sound level during festivals should not be over 65 to 70 decibel.
The Bombay High Court's delayed go-ahead on the height of human pyramids height along with the age of participants, which was to be above 14, was also a setback, claimed mandals.
"Since the past two years, there was ambiguity about the height of the human pyramids and that affected the practice sessions," said, Kamlesh Bhoir, secretary of Dahi Handi Samanvay Samiti.
"Arranging food and transport really becomes difficult. Now, the sponsorship has also dipped; apart from the corporate firms and other sources, so many mandals have stopped participating as well. Almost 40 mandals stayed away from participating this year," said a former member of a Govinda mandal.
Also read: 'Dahi Handi' celebrated with nationalistic flavour in Maharashtra
Cash-strapped
The organisers claimed bringing such events together involves a lot of cash and after demonetisation, it is not easily available in the market to hold such celebrations. The lack of upcoming elections has also taken away the politicians' spending for this event.
The famous dahi handi competition conducted by Sankalp Pratishthan and organised by former NCP MLA Sachin Ahir were stopped.
After organising mega events and distributing cash rewards, Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik, lowered the scale of his event and organised a pro-Govinda event, where a mandal from Jogeshwari formed a nine-tier human pyramid.
Another Borivli-based mandal formed a nine-tier human pyramid at MNS' dahi handi event in Thane and bagged Rs 11 lakh.
Also see: Photos: Govindas celebrate at Janmashtami in Mumbai
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