Sep 03, 2018, 03:00PM IST Source: TNN Janmashtami is a celebration of Lord Krishna’s birth and one of the events that devotees look forward to is the Dahi Handi competitions that every community celebrating the festival holds. Reenacting how Lord Krishna used to steal butter as a child, hordes of young men prepare year round to mak human pyramids to reach and break a pot of butter suspended high in the air. This occasion often turns into a fierce competition as teams compete to see who can reach the suspended pot the fastest. The localities in Mumbai are no different, as various communities hold their own celebrations.<doc-sep>Sep 03, 2018, 08:52AM IST Source: TNN Nation is celebrating the festival of Krishna Janmashtami with religious fervour and festive spirit. Mumbai’s Dahihandi celebration is famous across the world on the occasion. Dahihandi was celebrated in Worli this year as well with Govindas from different groups participating in the celebrations. With chants of ‘Govinda Aala Re’ members of different groups huddled to climb atop and break the handi in a traditional game celebrated on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami. According to Hindu mythology, Janmashtami is celebrated on the Ashtami Tithi, the eighth day of the month of Bhadrapada.<doc-sep>Banke Bihari Temple, Uttar Pradesh A post shared by Govind Gaudham (@govind_gaudham) on Aug 20, 2018 at 9:41am PDT The Banke Bihari Temple, located in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, is the most revered temple of Lord Krishna. The beautiful Black Idol of Lord Krishna adorns the temple and charms the Krishna followers from different corners of the world. The Banke Bihari Temple was founded by Swami Haridas (guru of Navratna Tansen) and it is believed that one day while singing the praises of Lord Krishna in the Nidhivan, Sri Krishna along with Radhe in the form of Shyama-Shyam appeared and left behind the merged portrayal of Radha-Krishna in the form of the Shyama Moorat. If you’re wondering what verses by Swami Haridas compelled Shyama-Shyam and brought them to Nidhivan, read here, “Mai ri sahaj jori pragat bhai ju rang ki gaur syam ghan damini jaisen. Pratham hun ahuti ab hun aagen hun rahihai na tarihai taisain.. Ang ang ki ujraii sugharaii chaturaii sunderta aisain.. Shri Haridas ke swami syama kunjbihari sam vais vaisain…” Shree Jagannath Temple, Odisha #photojhk #ranchirailwaystation #jagannathtemplepuri#pandal2017 A post shared by Ameet Kumar (@ameet.kumar.148116) on Oct 1, 2017 at 6:43am PDT Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha is a part of the Char Dham pilgrimage. It is believed that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu – a reincarnation of Lord Krishna where he’s depicted the form of a follower, spreading the message of love and humanity by chanting Hare Krishna – stayed at Shree Jagannath, Puri for 24 years. ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir, Uttar Pradesh A post shared by iskcon vrindavan (@iskcon_vrindavan) on Aug 22, 2018 at 10:14pm PDT Krishna Balaram Mandir in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh is one of the major ISKCON temples in the world. Although in Vrindavan, every nook and cranny is filled with love for Lord Krishna, but a visit to Krishna Balaram Mandir cannot be missed. At the entrance of the temple, lies the mausoleum of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada – founder of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). There are many other ISKCON temples that carry the Lord in their aura, which make them a must visit. Dwarkadish Temple, Gujarat One of the Char Dham, the Dwarkadish Temple is located in Dwaraka in the state of Gujarat. As per the archaeological findings, the site is 2200-2000 years old and is believed to have been built by Lord Krishna’s grandson Vajranabha. KhatuShyam ji, Rajasthan Khatu Shyam Temple in Sikar, Rajasthan is dedicated to Barbarik, the grandson of Bhima and Hidimba, son of Ghatotkach and Maurvi. As per Skandpuran, Barbarik’s head was drowned in river Rupawati by Lord Krishna himself, after Mahabharata. The Lord had announced that Barbarik will come to be known by the name of Shyam himself in Kalyug and hence Barbarik’s head emerged in Kalyug, the Khatu-Shyam ji temple was built and it became one of the most revered temples of Hindus in the region. Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Tamil Nadu Rajagopalaswamy Temple or Dakshina Dwarka as it popularly called is located at Mannargudi in Tamil Nadu. The temple complex is beautifully built over a space of 23 acres. Sri Krishna Matha, Karnataka Located in Udupi, Karnataka, the Sri Krishna Matha is a marvel of ornate structures dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple was built in 13th Century and is managed by the Astha Mutts. Sri Sri Radha Madhan Mohan Mandir, Vrindavan Built with terra cotta exterior, the Sri Sri Radha Madhan Mohan Mandir in Vrindavan is considered to be the first temple built at Vrindavan. The temple sits atop a 50 foot hill known as the Dvadasaditya Tila and shows beautiful view of the Yamuna river. Balakrishna Temple, Karnataka The Balakrishna Temple in Hampi, Karnataka is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known for its exquisite carvings. As the name suggests, the Balakrishna Temple, Hampi reveres Lord Krishna in his infant form. Shri Nathji Temple, Rajasthan The divine name Shri Nathji refers to seven-year-old Lord Krishna, and the Shri Nathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan, depicts the Lord with lifted Govardhan Hill. Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple, Kerala #templeinkerala #elephantlove #aanyuttu #guruvayursrikrishnatemple A post shared by Bipi Bipichan (@bipibipichan) on Jul 20, 2018 at 11:46am PDT The Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple located at Guruvayur in Kerala worships Lord Vishnu in the form of his Krishna avatar. Lord Krishna is worshipped in his Bal roop here. The temple complex is also house to 56 Asian elephants.<doc-sep>Representational image | Photo Credit: PTI Mumbai: At least one 'govinda' lost his life and 36 others were left injured across Mumbai while forming human pyramids during dahi handi ritual on Janmashtami. Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated with fervour in Maharashtra. The deceased, identified as Dharavi resident Kush Avinash Khandare, suddenly collapsed when he was at the first level of the pyramid. The Maharashtra Police said the man died because of an epileptic fit. Across Maharashtra, hundreds of youngsters (called 'govindas'), dressed in colourful costumes, form multi-tier human pyramids and break earthen pots, full of curd and buttermilk, suspended in mid-air at precarious heights. The ritual is witnessed by huge crowds and has a big following in the state. Notably, the Mumbai Police had taken to Twitter to advise the enthusiastic 'govindas' to take precautionary measures to avoid any injuries. "Break Dahi Handi. Not Your Head. Let your being on top of the world feeling not get shattered by unnecessary carelessness! #AwareGovindaAalaRe #WearSafetyGear," the Mumbai police had tweeted. The authorities had alerted the Disaster Management Cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to deal with any untoward incident. The staff at the Mumbai hospitals were kept on standby in case of any untoward eventuality. Last year, two 'govindas' - one each at Airoli in Navi Mumbai and in Palghar district - died in dahi-handi-related incidents. In 2017, the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court had restricted the participation of children below 14 years of age in the formation of human pyramids during dahi-handi celebrations. However, the HC had refused to impose any restriction on the height of human pyramid formations.<doc-sep>
deepak.bam/Instagram | Photo Credit: Instagram Janmashtami is one of India’s most popular festivals and is celebrated across various communities in different styles and rituals. The day celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Although Janmashtami celebrations may vary according to the customs of different states in India, the Dahi Handi celebration has remained an integral part of the festivities in the north and the western part of the country, especially Maharashtra. The Dahi-Handi celebration is treated like a tournament in Maharashtra where different teams form human pyramids to reach the hanging handi filled with curd. Mumbai alone hosts over 4,000 handi events every year. The most popular ones are at Thane, Dadar, Worli, Lower Parel and Girgaon. Injuries are very common during these events and the Supreme Court had last year ruled that children below the age of will not be allowed to participate in any Dahi-handi event. Here’s a look at the most popular Dahi-handi events in Mumbai. Sangharsh Pratishthan Dahi Handi, Thane - Richest The Sangharash Pratisthan Dahi handi is one of the most popular and richest events during Janmashtami in Mumbai. As reported by Free Press Journal, the prize money can go up to even Rs 1 crore and in recent times, gold was also added as in incentive. In 2013, the prize money offered was Rs 1.11 crore Sanskruti Yuva Pratishthan Dahi Handi, Thane - Highest This mandal entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 2012 for forming a 43.79-foot human pyramid with 9 govindas (participants). It is till date the highest ever Dahi-handi event in Mumbai. Shramik Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, Kharghar This handi event is one of the toughest in Mumbai. Many govindas return empty-handed every year without being able to break the handi at Shramik Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal. Ram Kadam Dahi Handi, Ghatkopar This mandal is very popular for its celebrity attendance on Janmashtami. The event has been graced by stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Asha Parekh, Ameesha Patel and Yukta Mookey in the past.