05 September,2026 12:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Dahi Handi, an integral part of Janmashtami festivities, involves groups of young men and women forming human pyramids. File Pic
Festive fervour reached a crescendo on Saturday as thousands of âgovindas' formed human pyramids across Mumbai and neighbouring cities, risking bone-breaking falls to shatter curd-filled clay pots and mark Dahi Handi 2026.
From the narrow alleyways of Lalbaug and Dadar in central Mumbai to mega-venues in Thane, the air was filled with the beats of dhols as troupes of young âgovindas', both male and female, travelled to venues across the city and suburbs. The teams put months of practice to the test as they attempted to scale towering heights and win prizes worth lakhs of rupees.
Decorated with flowers and balloons, hundreds of âhandis' (clay pots) were suspended at residential societies, busy intersections and open grounds across the metropolis after midnight to mark the birth of Lord Krishna.
Dahi Handi, an integral part of Janmashtami festivities, involves groups of young men and women forming human pyramids, sometimes as high as 10 tiers, to break earthen pots filled with curd and suspended several metres above the ground.
Dressed in vibrant jerseys, troupes began travelling in open trucks and tempos from early morning to participate at major venues across the city.
Civic authorities have kept more than 100 hospital beds and emergency medical teams on standby to treat govindas who may sustain injuries during the celebrations.
The 16 civic-run suburban hospitals, along with Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in Sion, KEM Hospital in Parel and Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central, will have more than 100 beds ready, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a release on Friday.
Popular Bollywood and Marathi chartbusters blared from high-decibel speakers, adding to the electric atmosphere in areas including Parel, Lalbaug, Worli, Dadar, Bhandup, Mulund, Jogeshwari and Andheri, as well as neighbouring Thane and Navi Mumbai.
Dahi Handi events organised by politicians across Mumbai and neighbouring areas have emerged as major attractions over the years, featuring large cash prizes, celebrity appearances and entertainment programmes.
Police have stepped up security arrangements, deploying heavy bandobast in sensitive areas, while the BMC has made extensive arrangements to provide medical assistance to injured govindas.
(With PTI inputs)
