In this August, the streets of Mumbai will once again have a festival in the form of Dahi Elephant with ‘Govinda Ala Re’, where people build a human pyramid. The beginning that started as a simple tradition has turned into a fiercely contested game, in which teams named Govinda Pathak have worked hard to break records and show their strength, agility and teamwork.
Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak, a Jogeshwari-based team, is the forefront to set a Guinness World Record for the highest human pyramid in 2012. Considering nine levels, it stood at a stunning 44 feet. “East Jogshwari, where we live, had become a bad iconic, which was a bad iconic for 1993. Jobs.
Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak Gets Photo Credit in a Handle before formation: Special arrangement
What started with 15 boys has now developed for a team of 540, including some girls who are at the top. Participants have transferred themselves dramatically, from unemployed youth to bankers, chartered accountants, lawyers, engineers and even professionals like a doctor. A sports management handles the social media account for the graduate team. The mud floor has given way to the mattress for practice and the prize money ranges from 15 to 51 lakh rupees.
Dahi elephant is celebrated as part of Krishna Janamashtami, also known as Gokulashtami, which marks the birth of Krishna. This year, it falls on 16 August. The hobby of young Krishna’s butter and yogurt gave him these items fiercely from homes in Vrindavan and Gokul. Therefore, the women started suspending the curd utensils from the roof. However, Krishna and his friends came with a clever plan: they built a human pyramid, to reach the pot. Dahi Handy celebrated this funny, mischievous episode from Krishna’s life.
Sandeep Dhawale, Team founder and coach, in a practice session. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In recent times, the curd handi has developed in a competitive game, especially in Mumbai’s Marathi-Prabhu areas such as Dadar, Lalbag, Parel, Worli, Bhandup, Mulund, Andheri and Goregaon. Teams called Govindas form human pyramids. Each level of the pyramid is called ‘Thar’. The goal is to reach and break the pot filled with curd (curd), which hangs at a significant height. As soon as the team goes closer to the pot, drum beats and Bollywood songs fill the air, which increases the enthusiasm among the audience. Inch inch, the human pyramid rises, the youngest ends in Govinda, which climbs to its peak to reach the elephant. This task is made more challenging as women, acting as a female cowhares from the story, threw water into the Govinds to prevent the pyramid from forming.
In the last few years, popularity has increased in Dahi Handi Ceremony in Mumbai and surrounding areas such as Thane, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai and Panvel. A large part of this is strong support from political parties. It is included in large -scale crowds and many Govinda teams with heavy prize money, celebrity show and live entertainment.
Water is being sprayed in the human pyramid during the right elephant in Mumbai. , Photo Credit: Emmanuel Yogini
Sandeep says, “Local politicians have helped keep these traditional festivals alive. Whether it is Ganesh Utsav, Navratri or Dahi Handy, it has reduced the number of injuries. “In addition to fitness and regular practice, this game is largely based on faith. We trust those on whom we climb to remain firm. And when we fall, we are confident that we will have hundreds of hands to catch us,” they say. Among Jai Jawan, it is more than 15 -year -old Sulakshma that reaches the top. The team’s pyramid skills have also been depicted in a film like SS Rajamouli. RRR And Mohanlal-starrer Malayalam film Kayamkulam Kochuni,
Construction of a pyramid. , Photo Credit: Kunal Patil
In 2022, an IPL-style franchise model ‘Prof. Govinda’ was adopted for the right elephant. It is not surprising that Jai Jawan won the championship in 2023, and again won a prize money of the rupee in 2024. 25 lakhs both years. The game is more about the strategy – keeping the right person in the right place so that the right balance can be made.
Published – August 08, 2025 04:06 pm IST
