She may have been part of the lower rungs, but being a first-time govinda made her feel on top of the world, writes Chetna Yerunkar
She may have been part of the lower rungs, but being a first-time govinda made her feel on top of the world, writes Chetna Yerunkar
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For, yesterday was when I was supposed to put my 20-day rigorous training to be a govinda to good use and contribute to the success of my dahi handi mandal.
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| (Clockwise from top left) Chetna grimaces as she helps other girls stay aloft; The girls' successful run at the first dahi handi; MiD DAY's report on her struggles yesterday and the pooja conducted by the girls at their training ground. PICS/SAMEER MARKANDE |
And I did well. Not only did I return home without any scratches and bruises, our group, Sfurti Seva Mandal managed to break one dahi handi and form five-layer pyramids in three other places netting a total prize of Rs 60,000.
Venue 1
My first-ever day as a govinda started at 8.30 am with a pooja of the ground where we had practiced for nearly a month.
A breakfast of vada paav, wafers and tea calmed my nerves a little and my team mates and I boarded a bus arranged by the mandal at 11.00 am.
Our first stop was the Hindu Shatabdi Dahi Handi mandal in Thane (West) and we got there around 12.30 pm.
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When our turn came, we formed a five-level human pyramid and broke the handi. As soon as the girls above me descended, loud strains of Bollywood music wafted through the air and we all jumped with joy.
Our hugs and general cheering were interrupted by the organisers, who called one of us forward to receive the prize of Rs 15,000.
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The youngest girl in the group, Rutika Salunkhe, who climbed atop the rest of us and had broken the handi, did the honours of collecting the cheque.
Venue 2
We then headed to Sangharsh Dahi Handi in Thane, organised by MLC Jitendra Awhad. We reached there at 1.30 pm only to see a huge group of people gathered there to witness a Spanish group which was breaking the handi.
After waiting for more than an hour, things settled down and we were given a chance. However, since the handi was at a great height, there was no chance of us breaking it by forming only five levels.
We made a five-layer pyramid and Salunkhe shot a salute to the crowd, which instantly erupted in cheers. Our drill was appreciated and we were given Rs 15,000 for the attempt.
Venue 3
Our next destination was Sankalp Pratishthan in Thane. We got there around 3.00 pm and were immediately given a chance as we were the only all-women group there.
The handi was too high here as well and we followed our winning formula of forming a five-layer pyramid and saluting the crowd. Our little cash counter rang again and we were Rs 15,000 richer.
Venue 4
With Rs 45,000 in our piggy bank, we headed to Vartak Nagar in Thane (West) to attempt to break MLA Pratap Sarnaik's handi, as it is known to locals.
Drama began here when we all got a little greedy and decided to attempt a six-layer pyramid to get the prize of Rs 51,000.
That wasn't to be, however, and one of my teammates, Pooja Jadhav came crashing down, landed on her head and lost consciousness.
A tense 15 minutes followed while medics attended to her and we all cheered when Jadhav finally came out of the forced slumber.
Another teammate replaced her and this time we decided to play safe. We made a five-layer pyramid and were happy with the Rs 15,000 prize.
Back to work
At 5.00 pm, I glanced at my watch and realised that I had to go back to the office and file a report of my experiences.
My teammates bid me a cheery farewell and I couldn't help but pat myself on the back at having seen the training through despite twisted ankles and a perennially sore body.
The support of the coaches and the mandal had ensured my success as a govinda and I headed to work grinning from ear to ear after the unforgettable experience. I did it!
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