The Supreme Court today upheld Bombay High Court’s directions stating that the height of human pyramids during the Dahi Handi fest should not exceed beyond 20 feet. The apex court also observed that children below the age of 18 years should not be allowed to participate in the formulation of the human pyramid made as a part of the festival of Krishna Jamnashtami.
Dahi Handi fest involves a pyramid made by humans where an earthen pot filled with curd is broken at a convenient height. Maharashtra Government had moved the Supreme Court seeking a clarification regarding the height and age of Dahi handi participants.
After a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by a city-based NGO secretary Swati Patil on participation of children below 18 years of age and below the height of 20 feet, the Bombay High Court had issued a directive in 2014 asking the state government to approach the Supreme Court. According to Swati, the government was not following the Bombay High Court’s previous orders on eligible height of participants in the human pyramids made during the Dahi Handi fest.
Earlier, two teenagers who were made ‘govindas’ during the festival and were asked to climb the pyramid top in an attempt to break the handi, had died after falling down while practising the event.