Celebrating Indian Festivals - A Dangerous Business!

I hope that my friend will not mind me telling you about an unfortunate occurrence that happened last week - as I hope that others will pay heed to the advice that follows.

During a Janmashtami celebration in my friend's building, someone left candles burning unattended in the lobby.  A candle flame soon turned into a fire which eventually reached her family's apartment several floors up. Luckily, my friend's son woke up, alerting the rest of the family to the impending danger and they all managed to get out safely. But her husband was hospitalised with smoke inhalation and they may have lost the contents of their apartment due to smoke damage.  The story could have been a lot worse and we are so thankful that the whole family (that includes several children) are all fine.  As yet, I do not know what happened to the other residents of the building.

My thoughts and the thoughts of friends are so with you 'A'.

Indian Festivals...Playing with Fire?

On the same day that this happened our housekeeper Reetha asked me if I was going to go and watch the Human Pyramid Festival (Dahi Handi). She then said that she had told her son not to join the celebrations as a 'Govinda'. The Govindas are the participants that make the pyramid and if they successfully break the Handi, they can win substantial monetary prizes.  As part of this, rival teams standing nearby will throw water at the other team to try and destabilise the pyramid.  Reetha told me that last year, rival teams started diluting these water sprays with acid.  Her son's friend ended up with permanent scarring across his face. I was horrified when she related this story to me and could only imagine that others must have ended up even more disfigured.

Precarious human pyramids abounded in Bandra last week.  A 6 or 7 old child tops this one with just a crash helmet for protection.  Scares me every time.

If they are not having acid thrown at them, then someone is usually being killed or maimed through the perilous nature of the Dahi Handi sport.  Some of the pyramids can reach nine levels and when someone falls off the top of the tree, they are surely going to die.  Mid-day newspaper nonchalantly reports on the deaths and injuries after this year's celebrations (after all it happens every year) - amounting to two deaths and 365 injuries.  Insane.  Not all of these are as a result of people falling off tumbling pyramids though; one person skidded off their bike between mandals causing fatal brain injuries; another person almost garrotted themselves on an unseen rope hanging in the middle of the road; and there was another death after a man fell 30ft from scaffolding after trying to fix a dahi handi on to a bamboo stick.  The Mid-day reports it as if it is absolutely normal - like these people are heroes for dying for a worthy cause.  A cause that involves smashing through a clay pot for money. Seriously?

And don't think you are immune from injury during Holi - the joyous festival that requires the throwing of coloured powders and bursting of water balloons on complete strangers.  Last year, hospitals in some cities around India reported cases of eye and skin allergies brought on by irritants in the coloured powders - compounded by the force of water guns/balloons being exploded in people's faces leading to corneal tears. There were also reports of such toxic powders causing itching and burning, eventually leading to blindness!

A street vendor selling coloured powders during Holi on my street corner.  Try to make sure you buy yours from a reputable place and preferably with organic/vegetable dyes rather than chemical.

In just under two weeks time, us expats will be looking on as the rest of Maharashtra celebrates Ganpati: where small, medium and absolutely enormous statues of Ganesha are carried through the streets of Mumbai and eventually drowned in the sea.  Sounds like fun? Yes, except that every year, someone involved will also end up drowning themselves.  In 2011, tides and undercurrents pulled a 20 year old Muslim man under the sea during the immersion of his friend's Ganpati.  In 2012, two boys drowned in Alibaug during the festival (this is all it said on the Times of India website - I could find no further information about how or why).

Photocredit: Vivek Prakash/Reuters/TheAtlantic.com

If you trawl through Google, it is also easy to find stories about people injured or maimed through the use of firecrackers during Diwali. I read about a defective firecracker bursting after a cricket tournament organised for children in Mumbai, resulting in two children receiving serious burn injuries. The firecracker - which was supposed to go up - had shot off sideways, burning the children.  And last year, one hospital alone in Delhi reported 200 burns cases caused by firecrackers.  Crazy.  In fact Mr Jules and I almost had our eyeballs taken out last year as we passed an imbecile who decided to let one off right in front of us.  Not nice.

It is a lesson to everyone out there to be so vigilant during the next few months which are full of the Indian festivals that we all love - from Janmashtami to Ganesha Chaturthi to Ganpati to Diwali to St Mary's Mount Christian Festival. Each and everyone of these celebrations will require the lighting of candles and flashing of lights - some will require the letting off of those dastardly and ridiculously loud firecrackers that frighten pets and humans alike. Our own neighbours will be laying out lines of tea lights and marigolds in our shared hallway during Ganesha Chaturthi; just as they did last year. And I will be monitoring them with eagle-eyes.

In the UK - we have lots of great rules and regulations for protecting each other during such events (although, admittedly they can be a bit over the top at times).  So here is some good advice about how to deal with candles and fireworks:

During festivals, many candles, oil lamps and fireworks will be used, so please take note of advice to prevent fires and injuries, particularly in the home. Candles should always be used in proper holders or secure containers as tea-lights can easily burn through a surface.

Most importantly, don’t leave any candles and oil lamps burning unattended, especially near curtains and soft furnishings, and always make sure you put them out before going to bed as that is when a fire often takes hold with devastating results.

For fireworks:

• Plan your fireworks display to make it safe and enjoyable
• Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time
• Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary Light the firework at arm's length with a taper and stand well back
• Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks
• Never return to a firework once it has been lit
• Don't put fireworks in pockets and never throw them
• Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators
• Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving.        

Have a happy festival and stay safe folks.

Crazy Dahi Handi Human Pyramid Festival

There are a lot of festivals in India and I was excited that this would be the first one I would experience since arriving in Bombay.  And having now seen it, I can not imagine there is a more crazy celebration than Dahi Handi.

Dahi Handi or Govinda is a "sport" organized on the birthday of Lord Krishna (a mischievous little god-fella). Although celebrated across India, the best place to see the spectacle is in Mumbai where the festival originated.

Here's how it works: all over the city, Handis - earthen pots filled with buttermilk are strung up on ropes across the road at varying heights (the limit being 40 feet).  Participants, known as Govindas or BalGolpals, gather together under a Handi to make a human pyramid with the aim of reaching and breaking the pot to release the liquid. Those around may try to throw water at them to thwart their efforts. The sport is based on the legends about mischievous Krishna stealing makhan (butter) or dahi (curd) from handis.

"Handi" (earthen pot filled with buttermilk and strung up high above the road on a rope)

These days the stakes are much higher - you don't just get buttermilk slopped on your head, the teams are all in with a chance of winning serious money. In fact we heard that prize money for one particular Dahi Handi in Thane district was set at a whopping 50 lakh! (5 million rupees or around £62,000!).  The money comes from private companies and political parties who use the event to promote their campaigns. Because of the high stakes, the many participating Govindas will practice for several months on the run up to the event.

Yesterday, there were around 2,000 Govinda troops out and about in Mumbai, competing for around 4,000 Handis (Note: I am not sure about this number, different sources state different figures). I have also since found out that the World Record for a human pyramid was broken when a Govinda troop from Jogeshwari in Mumbai reached 43.79 feet with a 9 level human pyramid. Well done those Govindas!

As there were plenty of Handis strung up in Bandra where we live, Mr Jules and I went to investigate by foot.  A festive atmosphere pervaded the streets which were buzzing with crowds of people and loud music. We hung around several street corners waiting for Govindas to pass through whilst at the same time trying to dodge oncoming traffic. The teams mostly get about the city in trucks and on mopeds - travelling in cavalcades from one Handi site to the next with the aim of cracking as many of the pots as possibe.



A team of Govidas arriving by truck - seemingly supported by one of the policitical parties


Below is a sequence of photographs I managed to take, demonstrating the pyramid going up and the Handi finally being reached by a small boy (the usual technique from what I could tell). 




What you can not see from this is the crashing down of the pyramid afterwards! Of course, as is the Indian way, there is no regard for health and safety (save for the small boy at the top wearing a crash helmet). I also read in the paper today that sadly, one 19 year old boy died falling from a six storey pyramid and 40 others were injured across the state.  You won't see any crash mats or St Johns Ambulances at these events!

Here are some more photos:

Those near the bottom of the above pyramid - covered in buttermilk,  The successful spilling of the liquid over everyone in the pyramid is an important element of the sport as it signifies unity of the team.

The broken Handi



A team of Govindas passing through to the next Handi location.  Some of the teams are very organised and wear T-shirts with logos.



  

Approach to the Pali Hill Handi

A group of street kids - inspired to make their own mini-pyramid

The scene on 33rd Road, Bandra.

A fully formed pyramid



....and another. The team has to 'hold the pose' for at least 5 seconds to be in with a shout.

The boy at the top of the pile...I would say about 7 years old.
Good of them to give him a crash helmet though.(I have since read that the youngest Govinda to take part was three years old) 




But these Bandra Pyramids looks so amateur compared to this one I captured off the TV!