Krishna Janmashtami 2017: Dahi Handi fever sweeps Krishna Jayanti celebrations

The birth of Lord Krishna was rung in with religious fervour on Tuesday and was followed by colourful 'Dahi Handi' with a distinct national flavour by thousands of Govindas all over Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami.

With the bar on heights of human pyramids relaxed by the Bombay High Court, the celebrations were organised with full gusto in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Palghar, Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Nagpur and other major cities.

Residents of Line Ali, Panvel celebrate Dahi Handi ritual with full fanfare. (Source: Text by IANS/ Express photo by Narendra Vaskar)

Groups of revellers -- or Govindas as they are popularly known -- went around various venues singing "Govinda Ala Re, Ala, Zara Matki Sambhal Brij Bala" to the accompaniment of drums and music as huge crowds of excited onlookers welcomed them.

The Govinda troupes quickly moved onto centre-stage and tried their luck at the 'Dahi Handi', pot of milk, butter and curds, hanging high above the ground, between 30-40 feet. (Source: Text by IANS/ Express photo by Narendra Vaskar)

Those successfully breaking the 'Dahi Handi' hanging barely within reach of the precariously balanced human pyramids, were rewarded with grand prizes in cash and kind, besides fame and glory. (Source: Text by IANS/ Express photo by Narendra Vaskar)

Combining the spirit of 'Dahi Handi' with the country's Independence Day celebrations, the revellers sported tattoos, face colours, attires in the national tri-colour, while pots were decorated in the tri-colour and other symbols of nationalism.

Govindas at Khandke building in Dadar, Mumbai. (Source: Text by IANS/ Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

In Mumbai, major pyramids built over six to eight tiers were witnessed in Dadar, Ghatkopar, Borivali, Jogeshwari and Mulund, besides Thane and Navi Mumbai, many patronized by local units of major political parties. (Source: Text by IANS/ Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

As per government directives, all the organisers implemented stringent security measures like helmets, harnesses and body belts, mattresses on the ground to soften the fall besides volunteers ready to rush them to waiting ambulances in case a pyramid collapsed.(Source: Text by IANS/ Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

The organisers made it a point to check the identity cards of all the younger Govindas to ensure they complied with the minimum age requirement of 14, besides other conditions stipulated by the government. (Source: Text by IANS/ Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

The 'Dahi Handi' was typically hung around 12-15 feet and the Govinda pyramids rose one or two-tiers for grabbing the potful of fresh butter, curds -- and lots of sweets after they "crashed" down with their families, friends and neighbours as the audience. (Source: Text by IANS/ Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

Crowd enjoying the Dahi Handi riual in Dadar, Mumbai. (Source: Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

Krishna Janmashtami 2017: Fasting, praying, dahi-handi, fair, traditional sweet dishes, etc are key to the Janmashtami celebrations. (Source: Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Dahi Handi is one of the most important aspect of Krishna Janmashtami and is based on the legend of the young Krishna stealing butter and other milk products -- as this habit also earned him the name of Makhan chor. (Source: Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Thus the community used to hide the milk products by hanging them high out of his reach, but he also found some innovative ways to eat his favourite food, which is widely served to Lord Krishna on the occasion of Janmashtami. (Source: Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

The 'Govindas' of the Dahi Handi mandals usually build eight and more tiers of the human pyramid on the holy day, while women sing and cheer them. This year in Mumbai where the ritual is widely celebrated was without any height restrictions. (Source: Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Dahi Handi celebrations in Dadar, Mumbai. Young men and boys knwwon as Govindas form teams, make a human pyramid and attempt to reach or break the pot filled with dahi (yoghurt). (Source: Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)

Visually imapired children participate in Dahi handi ritual at Kamla Mehta Blind School in Dadar. (Source: Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar)

Janmashtami, also known as Krishna Janmashtami is a religious festival commemorating the birth of Lord Krishna. According to the Hindu lunar calendar, Krishna was born on ‘Ashtami’ or the ‘eighth day’ at midnight in the holy month of Shravana. One of the most important festivals of the Hindu religion, Janmashtami falls on August 14 this year. (Source: Express Photo by Narendra Vaskar)

The Vaishnav tradition hails the festival as one of the most important religious festivals. Raas lila or Krishna lila — dance-drama enactments of Krishna’s life as per the Bhagavata Purana – is a popular tradition to commemorate the occasion.

A night vigil (jagarana), fasting (upavasa) and celebrations (mahotsava) are important parts of Janmashtami. (Source: PTI)

The devotees offer ‘chappan bhog’ on the following day known as ‘Nanda Utsav’ and prepare a list of 56 dishes to offer to the god. (Source: PTI)

Students of R. F. Naik vidyalaya school in Navi Mumbai celebrated Dahi Handi on the day of Janmashtami. (Source: Express Photo by Narendra Vaskar)

School children dress up as Lord Krishna on Krishna Janmashtami, in Mathura (said to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna). (Source: PTI)

A view of the decorated Sri Krishna Janmasthan temple on the occasion of Janmashtami festival, in Mathura. (Source: PTI)

School children dressed up as Lord Krishna, celebrate Janmashtami festival at a school in Thane, Mumbai. (Source: PTI)

School children dress up as Lord Krishna ahead of Krishna Janmashtami, in Amritsar. (Source: PTI)

A Muslim man carries his daughter, dressed as Radha, for the Janmashtami celebrations in a school in Mumbai. (Source: PTI)

A child dressed as the Lord Krishna during a competition as part of Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in Bengaluru. (Source: PTI)

A child dressed as the Lord Krishna during a competition as part of Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in Bengaluru. (Source: PTI)

Students dress up as Lord Krishna for Janmashtami celebration in a school in Bhopal. (Source: PTI)

A student dressed as Lord Krishna along with his mother during the Janmashtami celebration in a school in Mumbai. (Source: PTI)