Dahi Handi sport celebrations
Onion Dahi Handi will be erected by Shiv Sena in Mumbai (Dadar Flower Market) for Janmashtami 2013. In 2013, Janmashtami is on August 28 and Dahi Handi celebrations will be held on 29th August in most of the Dahi Handi sport Pandals in Mumbai, Thane and Pune in Maharashtra.
The Shiv Sena will hoist a pot containing onions and invite women govindas to smash their fury into it. Onions rather than flower bulbs will decorate the string, and the winning mandal will be given a prize of 11 kg of the vegetable.
As per the Shiv Sena officials, women govinda mandals from Agar Bazar and Matunga are becoming ready to break the pot that will be placed at a height of five tiers.
Dahi Handi is celebrated on the next day of Janmashtami. This festival attracts thousands of enthusiastic people from all over Maharashtra to Mumbai and Pune where the celebrations reach their peeks.
Nowadays Dahi Handi or Gopalkala has become compulsory ritual in Janmashtami celebrations. We can understand the importance and social significance of these festivals as that there are some professional groups involved with the celebrations in Mumbai and Pune.