Dahi Handi Matki Festival – Ancient Game on Janmashtami

Dahi Handi Matki Festival (also known as Gopal Kala or Utlotsavam) is a competitive adventure sport played by the Indian Hindu community for entertainment purposes as a cultural event. It is a major festival celebrated on the next day of Lord Krishna’s Janmashtami. This event is organised every year by the followers of Sanatan Dharma on the Navami Tithi of Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapad month. There is a religious belief that Handi festival is celebrated to showcase the glimpse of Lord Krishna’s childhood antics. In Hinduism, Handi festival is considered a festival of joy, enthusiasm and prosperity. Dahi Handi Matki Mahotsav is celebrated with great pomp in some areas of India, especially Maharashtra, Gujarat, Mathura, Vrindavan and Gokul. Tourists from all over the country and abroad come here during the festival. People here are very excited about this festival.

Mumbai is the most famous city for the Janmashtami Dahi Handi Matki breaking celebration. On 10 August 2012, a troupe named ‘Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak’ from Jogeshwari, Mumbai entered the Guinness World Records by building the ‘World’s Tallest Human Pyramid’ of 9 levels measuring 50 feet (13.35 m) at a Dahi Handi Matki Mahotsav held at the TMC School Ground in Thane, India.

Table of Content

1. How is the Dahi Handi Matki Festival celebrated?
2. When and where did the Gopalkala Festival start?
3. Why is Dahi Handi Matki Festival celebrated?

How is the Dahi Handi Matki Festival celebrated?

Dahi Handi i.e. an earthen pot filled with curd is hung at a height in an open space with the help of a rope. To break it, some groups of youth try to form a human pyramid one by one. And the group that succeeds in breaking this decorated Dahi Handi Matki (earthen pot) is considered the winner. This human pyramid mainly has 9 levels and 3 chances are given to break the pot. The participant who climbs to the top and breaks the Dahi Handi Matki is called ‘Govinda‘. The enthusiastic and passionate youth participating in this event come wearing colourful clothes. Crowds are seen gathering all around. Some organisations organising such events also give a reward of crores for breaking the handi. 

When and where did the Gopalkala Festival start?

The Gopalkala or Dahi Handi Matki Festival event was first started in 1907 on the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami in Ghansoli village near Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra. But it would not be an exaggeration to say that with the passage of time people’s devotion towards this event has increased even more. This event which started as a local event has now gained recognition at the international level.

Why is Dahi Handi Matki Festival celebrated?

During his childhood days, Lord Krishna lived in Vrindavan, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India. His father Nanda Baba owned 9 lakh cows. To annoy the female cowherds in the neighbourhood, Bal Krishna and his friends used to eat curd and butter by breaking the pots hanging on the roofs of the neighbouring houses. All the friends used to form human pyramids to steal. Thus, Krishna is also called ‘Makhan Chor‘ due to stealing and eating butter.

According to another legend, there was an abundant supply of milk products in the Braj region, but the evil king Kansa of Mathura had imposed a tax on milk and its co-products. Also, according to another order, children were deprived of the nutrition of milk during his reign. As a result of all these reasons, Krishna used to steal milk products and share them with his friends.

Remembering this leela of Lord Shri Krishna, Dahi Handi Matki Festival is organised every year on the next day of his birthday.

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