City mandals splurge on Janmashtami celebrations
The city’s politicians are outdoing each other in their spending on dahi handi preparations: some leaders are spending more than Rs 1 crore on festivities.
The city’s politicians are outdoing each other in their spending on dahi handi preparations: some leaders are spending more than Rs 1 crore on festivities.
MNS leader Ram Kadam said that the total expenditure in organising the day-long event at his handi in Ghatkopar will reach a staggering Rs 2 crore. “About 4 lakh people come to participate in celebrations on Janmashtami, and we offer food to more than 3,000,” he said.
At this Ghatkopar handi, several traditional Maharashtrian dances and shows have been planned for the day. “We have also arranged for four vanity vans for celebrities coming for the event,” who has hired professional event organisers for the event.
At Ravindra Phatak’s Sankalp Pratishtan handi in Thane, celebrations began on Monday, when the Congress leader visited several mandals across the city on a huge float. Sushant Shelar, a Marathi actor whose event management firm is organising the event, said that the total expenditure on festivities will cross Rs2 crore. “We also have a fashion show on Thursday,” said Shelar.
“Everyone wants their handi to be more popular and we are making efforts to bring in more people every year,” said Phatak.