From culture to sport: How Dahi Handi is transforming – insights from govindas

Human pyramids pots of curd and butter loud DJs cultural fervour ndash comeAugust 27and govindas will have the spotlight in the streets of Mumbai for the celebration of Dahi Handi a cultural phenomenon usually marked one day after JanmashtamiBut even before that govinda pathaks will compete for the coveted Pro Govinda League 2024 trophy onAugust 18 Now that Dahi Handi has been declared an official sport backed by the Government of Maharashtra more youngsters are joining the bandwagon as people are more receptive towards and appreciative of the game However the situation wasnrsquot the same a few years agoRonit Nandgaonkar a Mumbaibased govinda and Vice President of Aryans Govinda Pathak reveals ldquoThe sport has got some glamour due to social media and also Pro Govinda LeaguerdquoldquoEarlier people looked down on govindas believing them to be jobless But presently even in our team we have engineers doctors and other professionals So everyone comes together to playrdquo the software engineer addsVinayak Sawant another member of Aryans Govinda Pathak shares ldquoThe perception was that this game is fortaporis Only jobless people play it This definition has changed and the game now has the potential to go on the national levelrdquoDahi Handi has not just transformed in terms of how people perceive it but there have also been significant strides in the importance given to safety in this highrisk sportldquoDahi Handi has become safer and more professional Earlier people didnrsquot practice before making human pyramids Now we have been practicing sinceJune 25to train properly and minimise the risk of injuriesrdquo says NandgaonkarDr Prafull Vanarkar a player with Kokan Nagar Govinda Pathak believes that the game has become more organised and structured and there are better facilities for govindas nowldquoWe used to play on soil Now we play on the matrdquo he statesldquoBecause of the Pro Govinda League discipline has come into the competitionrdquo he addsThe allure of the game has increased While 20 teams participated last year in the league 32 teams were a part of the prequalifiers this yearFrom street to stadiumAsk any govinda about their journey with Dahi Handi and chances are it would have started as a hobby general curiosity to explore the game or to celebrate with friendsldquoWe used to play with our friends in our local area just for celebration We played Dahi Handi songs and dancedrdquo shares NandgaonkarldquoThis has been my favourite game since childhood I have been playing since 2006 I learned to play by looking at other teams Initially I used to climb on the third or fourth tier but gradually my confidence increasedrdquo says Rahul Bhosle a member of the Aryans Govinda PathakSawant reveals ldquoInitially there was not much fervour of Dahi Handi Only 45 pathaks in Mumbai went to seven or eight tiers Looking at them there was an excitement So I joined a mandal in my societyrdquoLR Ronit Nandgaonkar Vinayak Sawant Rahul BhosleDahi Handi is a game that focuses on community ndash a fact that attracted Pravin Jadhav a member of Kokan Nagar Govinda Pathak to the sportldquoThe game brings everyone together The few months of practice and the atmosphere it creates is amazingrdquo he statesVanarkar believes that Dahi Handi is a celebration a tradition It is not only about playing but also other activities that take place through these mandalsldquoWersquore doing a lot of activities through the Pathak including social work like medical camps We sponsored food for around 200 families during Covidrdquo he revealsNandgaonkar backs the sentiment saying ldquoPeople who play Dahi Handi donrsquot play for money They donrsquot take a single penny from the winning prize It is all used for social causes that we organise yearroundrdquoWhat was once only a celebration of culture on the streets has now reached a professional stage with teams training extensively and competing against each other like in any other sportTraining for Dahi HandiWith hectic academic schedules or fulltime jobs govindas also have to make time for practice that includes physical training and mental strength buildingldquoPractice happens every night from 930 PM to 1130 PM It may also extend furtherrdquo reveals Nandgaonkar adding ldquoThere is a process we follow We start with warmup and specific techniques We donrsquot directly make an eighttier pyramid Itrsquos a gradual process starting with fourtier fivetier and so on It takes days to reach eighttierrdquoldquoAs much as this game is about physical fitness itrsquos also about mental strength So we also have sessions focusing on increasing our concentration powerrdquo reveals SawantJadhav shares ldquoEveryone finishes all their work and reaches for practice by 9 PM The training is very tough We have matched the worldrecord of a 9layer pyramid A lot of practice and focus goes into thatrdquoGiven the increased focus on safety govinda pathaks are opting for an injuryfree approachldquoOur focus is on zero injury We donrsquot want to show off Safety is a priority The game is only for one day but injuries can last foreverrdquo says VanarkarBhosle also advises all govindas to not go beyond what is possible keeping in mind everyonersquos safetyHe says ldquoPlease go only till you can Donrsquot try to go further and add more tiers if it poses risk to safetyrdquoChallenges faced by govindasWhile the game has evolved and gained more prominence govindas still face challengesldquoThere are overall 350 players in our team We donrsquot take any registration or entry fees for them We have to make arrangements for everything from Tshirts transportation medical expenses etc So finance is a challenge A majority of the prize money goes into social causes We often have to rely on politicians for the funding So sponsorships are the need of the hourrdquo states NandgaonkarNot all govinda pathaks have the resources for proper training and growthldquoMany mandals donrsquot get their grounds for practicing We used to practice in a chawl but now that our game has gone to the next level we practice in the groundrdquo reveals SawantJadhav has something similar to say ldquoNow that we are recognised we get entry everywhere But many others face a lot of issues in terms of management finances etcrdquo he saysLR Dr Prafull Vanarkar Pravin JadhavPro Govinda League followed an IPL model this year with each Pathak having a team owner which has provided financial support However govindas believe that there is a long way to goFriendships and bondingSport is the ultimate source of bonding When one trains together and relies on each other not only for a prize but also their lives strong bonding is inevitableldquoMore than 100 govindas have been with us from the start So therersquos natural bonding We also have yearround activities like cricket matches social activities etc We share a familylike bondrdquo says NandgaonkarldquoWe live as a family We stand shouldertoshoulder and our power amplifies If someone is standing on my shoulder I have to ensure that he doesnrsquot fall Itrsquos all about trust And all this requires team bondingrdquo concludes JadhavAlso Read EXCLUSIVE From British influences to kaanch pudding Princess Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil on how the royal kitchen of Bhavnagar has embraced cultural diversity in Gujarat