Dahi handi Govindas prompt additional beds for injured

We bring you the latest on the “Dahi Handi” festival of Maharashtra! The BMC has gone very considerate on the Govinda Pathaks in Mumbai, this time. Every year innumerable accidents are registered in hospitals due to the injuries incurred by these “festival lovers”, now the BMC has decided to offer timely treatment for the people taking part in the Dahi Handi festival by providing additional hospital beds.

Hospital beds increased

Three major hospitals namely Sion Hospitals, KEM and Nair Hospital were all geared up on Thursday to offer medical treatment to the Govindas taking part in the annual Dahi Handi festival of Mumbai. The hospitals have arranged almost 100 beds at the insistence of the BMC in order to ensure proper treatment to the injured parties.

Dr Suhasini Nagda, director (medical education and major hospitals) revealed the plan and said “Forty additional beds will kept ready in KEM and Sion Hospitals, while Nair Hospital will have 10 extra beds. The 16 suburban hospitals will also be equipped with 10 additional beds each.”

The authorities had made the provision of operation services and essential medicines needed for the proper treatment of the hurt people. The civic officials gave their assurance that a trained team of doctors to treat the Govindas, were on call on all the three shifts of the hospitals, on Thursday.

The doctors have been instructed by the civic officials to assess the people before admitting them; the ones with minor injuries were to be discharged after proper treatment is administered to them.

The Dahi Handi festival

Dahi Handi is the most awaited festival in Mumbai and is celebrated with immense pomp and show. A large number of peope participate in them and people climb atop each other to form a pyramid like structure. There is a handi hanging high up in the air that has a lot of money and gifts.

This has to be broken by this group and the money is then shared. Can you believe the highest prize money won this year was a whopping Rs1.11 crore? This maybe the reason why the agony and injuries are ignored by many, after all money ticks, doesn’t it?

People have been known to attain grave spine and cervical injuries that has cost them the movement of their limbs- some have even ended up paralytic but their furor for the sport never leaves them, a fresh group gets ready for it every year!! Reports show that nearly 365 people sustained injuries this year as compared to the 100 injured last year.