Janamashtmi – Dahi Handi and Human Pyramids: Photoblog

We Indians love our loud and colourful festivals. We love crowds too. Maybe that is because it is a billion of us; even a small percentage of such a large number results in a crowd. We simply gravitate towards a gathering of people, to make it an even larger gathering!

Ankur isn’t fond of being part of the crowd. I am different and love to walk through with my camera. The expressions and emotions run high – its perfect for people photography!

Last Saturday, one day after Janamashtmi, the whole of Western India celebrated the festival of ‘Dahi Handi’ and I pestered Ankur with the ‘puppy dog face’ to accompany me.

Janamashtmi marks the day when Lord Krishna was born and is celebrated with great fervour across India.

The next day after Janamashtmi, the Western part of the country celebrates Dahi Handi. Earthen pots full of butter milk and butter, that are dear to baby Krishna, are hung at a height of over 10 meters. Youngsters form pyramids and try to reach the earthen pot, smash it and stake claim to a bumper prize.

Young boys pile up in trucks and lorries, finding ‘Dahi Handis’ hung around the city, and attempt to reach them.

The youngsters are split into different groups, each having its own colour and having practised with the team for the D-day.

So, what happens if the first band of boys breaks the earthen pot and claims the jackpot? Well, its always the last ‘boy band’ that breaks the pot! All the others before that simply quote the number of ‘storeys’ or ‘layers’ that the pyramid will have and then show that they can live upto the number quoted. Greater the number of layers, higher is the prize money.

While this is an event in which only young boys participate, this time, we saw a campaign exclusively for the ladies.

It is interesting to note how the team works together to make the larger pyramids. It starts with a prayer…an integral part of Hinduism.

The base layer is the load bearing layer. The higher you go, the balancing act comes into play. From the base layer onwards, further storeys are built using the previous layer as a staircase.

It was interesting to see how the crowds quietened to let the contestants concentrate … a live lesson on group dynamics!

We waited with abated animation for the pyramid to be formed….

And then, for everyone to have the feet on the ground…safe and sound.

We went around clicking loads and loads of pictures. Are you in any or the above? If not, send us an email to access the link of the photo library to download your picture…i.e if you were there when we were clicking!