Mumbai: Dahi handi celebrations on Saturday appear to be subdued as compared to last year, say political observers. Indeed, fewer posters are visible and less hype has been built around the competitive human pyramid this season. The stakes are not as high given that there are no elections coming up.Last year, political parties had given it all they had since it was the year of the BMC and other local body polls. The recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and Gen Z protests have also had an impact on celebrations as parties try to subtly use the festival to engage with the youth without politicising the event and upsetting them.Yet in Mumbai, political handis by BJP’s Ram Kadam in Ghatkopar, MNS’s Karna Dunbale in Chembur and BJP’s Prakash Surve in Borivli are luring govindas with rewards and lavni dances.It is not as if grand sums in prize money are absent. In Thane, which is the epicentre of dahi handi celebrations, BJP MLA Shivaji Patil’s event has the biggest prize pool at Rs 71 lakh. MNS leader Avinash Jadhav’s dahi handi carries Rs 25 lakh in prizes and a world-record target. BJP Thane city and Sharada Sankalp Pratishthan have announced Rs 55 lakh, Thane Yuva Star Pratishthan has offered Rs 21 lakh for a world-record attempt, and Sai Jalaram Pratishthan has also announced Rs 21 lakh.Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik’s Sanskriti Yuva Pratishthan has announced Rs 11 lakh for a 10-tier pyramid, while MLA Ravindra Phatak’s Sankalp Pratishthan is offering Rs 21 lakh for an 11-tier pyramid. Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has announced Rs 1.51 lakh and a memento.“Organisers often factor in total cost of event, promotion and other expenses in prize money. Such grand sums are not entirely awarded to govindas. Govindas get prize money according to the number of layers they form,” said the head of a popular govinda mandal.“Dahi handi is a powerful tool for grassroots mobilization, youth outreach, and competitive showmanship in Maharashtra politics, particularly in Mumbai and Thane. What originated as a religious festival celebrating Krishna Janmashtami has transformed into a high-stakes political battleground where parties invest millions of rupees to project influence. But since there are no elections and the recent protests have put the ruling parties on the back foot, political celebrations are not overboard in 2026,” a political observer said.However, most political parties are still organising their marquee handis.Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis recently visited the Sarnaik-backed Pro Govinda League in Worli. “Maharashtra’s iconic Dahi Handi is a vibrant celebration of our culture, faith and the spirit of togetherness. It is more than a festival, it is a celebration that brings society together and carries a powerful message of social unity. The tradition of govindas supporting one another to form human pyramids and break the handi reflects the strength of collective effort. The celebration carries the timeless message of Lord Krishna that when people stand united, they gain the strength to overcome every challenge and reach greater heights,” Fadnavis said.A senior official said the state government is aggressively pushing to secure a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tag for dahi handi. Because of this cultural branding, there is heightened institutional backing to make the events as visually spectacular and organised as possible.“In past years, celebrations were disrupted due to legal crackdowns regarding the height of pyramids, safety gear mandates, and a strict ban on children under 14 years of age participating. But now organisers and the government have settled into a routine — mandating structured safety insurance, helmets, and harnesses, which allows the grand scale of the event to return safely without halting festivities,” the official said.
