No Dahi Handi Celebrations In Maharashtra This Year Due To COVID-19

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Monday appealed to Govinda Mandals to not hold Dahi Handi celebrations on Janmashtami this year and keep festivities aside amid the pandemic.

CM Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with representatives of the Mumbai Dahi Handi Coordination Committee through video conferencing.

To recall, the Mandals had earlier requested the Maharashtra government to allow them to celebrate on a small scale with strict adherence to Covid protocol as practice sessions have already started.

According to the report of Mid-Day, the members said that if Ganeshotsav can be allowed on a small scale, then the government can also allow Dahi Handi for only one day.

In a meeting chaired by state minister Aaditya Thackeray last week, members of the Dahi Handi coordination committee said they would build small pyramids of three-four layers, with a limited number of participants who have been fully vaccinated.

MLA Ram Kadam, who has been organizing the Dahi Handi event in Ghatkopar for several years, had earlier said, “We will definitely celebrate the festival. However, the scale of the celebration will depend on the relaxations given.”

Meanwhile, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi said, India should be patient to celebrate festivals. He said that no Indian state/UT has a high positivity rate, so restrictions should not be lifted for religious reasons.

Lifting restrictions for any mass gathering should be avoided until then, added Dr Guleria. Any event that could amount to a large congregation of people in one place will lead to an increase in cases and burden the healthcare system.

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