Janmashtami 2022: ‘Dahi-Handi’ declared official sport in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday announced that ‘Dahi-Handi’ will now be recognized as an official sport in the state. CM Shinde further said that “pro-dahi-handi” competitions will be started in the state. On the occasion of Janmashtami, Shinde said, “Dahi-Handi will be recognized under sports category in Maharashtra. Pro-Dahi-Handi will be introduced. ‘Govinda’ will get job under sports category. We will provide insurance cover. 10 lakh for all ‘Govinda’.”



“If any Govinda loses his life, the insurance cover will be Rs 10 lakh and for partially disabled Rs 5 lakh. These Govindas will also get reservation in jobs,” he said. He said that many cities of the state celebrate Dahi-Handi and it is an adventure sport. Hence it was decided to include it in the state sports category.


Janmashtami, the festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, is often celebrated with a number of rituals, of which ‘Dahi-Handi’ is the most prominent.


Also known as ‘Gopalkala’, ‘Dahi-Handi’ is a ritual in which the devotees of Lord Krishna recreate the famous act of ‘Makhan Chori’ or butter theft which is a series of mischievous acts from childhood stories of the Lord. is one of. It is celebrated the day after Janmashtami. Every year the festival of Janmashtami is celebrated by Hindus to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, the embodiment of playfulness and innocence.

According to the Hindu calendar, Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was born on the eighth day of the month of Bhadra. According to the western calendar, this day mostly falls in the months of August or September. The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated by offering prayers to Lord Krishna with beautifully decorated swings, dance and music performances and ‘Dahi-Handi’ competition.