Dahi Handi is a popular ceremony held on the second day of
Janmashthami, the festival celebrating the birth of
Lord Krishna. The word ‘dahi’ means ‘curd,’ while ‘handi’ means pot. These words refer to the pot of curd, which is to be claimed as a prize during this special ceremony.
For the Dahi-Handi ceremony, a pot filled with milk, curd, butter, honey or fruits, is suspended on a rope at a height of 20 to 40 feet. A group of young men and boys form a human pyramid by climbing on each other’s shoulders. The person on the top of the pyramid reaches the pot and breaks it with his hand. Along with the pot, some prize money is also hung to be claimed by the participants.
The Dahi-Handi ceremony actually reenacts the childhood pranks of Lord Krishna, who had a special affinity towards milk and butter. The lord along with his friends used to steal milk and butter from the houses in their village. Usually these food items would be hung from the roof beams to keep them out of reach. The Lord along with his friends used to form a human pyramid and reach the food items and steal them.
