Dahi Handi

Dahi Handi
Govindas forming a human pyramid to reach the Dahi Handi (earthen pot) in Hiranandani Gardens
Observed by	Hindus
Type	Religious
Celebrations	1 day
Observances	Fasting, praying, making a human pyramid and breaking an earthen pot filled with curd tied at a convenient/difficult height
Date	Shravan, Krishna Paksha, Navami
2016 date	26 August
Related to	Lord Krishna

Dahi Handi (dahi: curd or yoghurt, handi: earthen pot) is one of the festive events and a team sport during the Hindu festival Gokulashtami, which is known as Krishna Janmashtami in the rest of the country, and celebrates the birth of Krishna.

Dahi Handi is celebrated every August/September, the day after Krishna Janmashtami. It involves communities hanging an earthen pot filled with dahi (yoghurt) or other milk-based delicacy, at a convenient or difficult to reach height. Young men and boys form teams, make a human pyramid and attempt to reach or break the pot. As they do so, girls surround them, sing with music, and cheer them on. It is a public spectacle, and well organized historic tradition of Hindus, with media attendance, prize money and commercial sponsorships. The event is based on the legend of the Krishna stealing butter and other milk products as a baby (he is also called Makhan chor), the community hiding the products by hanging them high out of his reach, but he finding creative ways to reach what he wanted.

A participant in this festival is called a govinda or govinda pathak. It is mostly popular in the state of Maharashtra and nearby regions of India.

The child-god Krishna and his friends used to form human pyramids to break pots hung from the ceilings of neighbourhood houses, in order to steal curd and butter. This was in Vrindavan, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India, where Krishna was brought up. There was ample amount of cows and milk products made that time. He used to distribute it among his friends because during King Kamsa's rule (his maternal uncle), their parents were forced to give everything produced to Kamsa's home in Mathura. The children of Vrindavan village were thus deprived of milk products.

The Dahi Handi (dahi: curd, handi: earthen pot) festival is popular in the Maharashtra state of India. It is organized roughly every August. The festival Gokulashtami, known as Krishna Janmashtami in the rest of the country, is the celebration of Krishna's birth and Dahi Handi is part of it. The event involves making a human pyramid and breaking an earthen pot filled with milk, curd, butter, fruits and water which is hung at a convenient height, thus imitating the actions of child Krishna. Sometimes the prize money is added to the pot instead.