E-Paper
Festivity low in Pune, funds raised for flood relief
Organisers will donate the funds collected from the festival to flood relief operations in western Maharashtra
A majority of mandals in the city decided to scale down the Dahi Handi celebrations this year. The organisers will donate the funds collected from the festival to flood relief operations in western Maharashtra.
Atul Chavan, volunteer, Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Suvranyug Tarun Mandal, said, “We will be forming a human pyramid of 7-tier. We have limited the budget this year and will donate ₹10 crore in instalments to flood affected victims. We have adopted two flood-affected villages.
“We have done cost cutting in decorations and reduced extra lightings,” added Chavan.
Hemant Ranse, corporator, chief festival trustee, Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, said, “At least 1,000 Dahi Handis are organised and ten lakh people participate in them.”
Members of Hutama Babu Genu Mandal Trust said that they have reduced the budget of the Dahi Handi this year and will donate the money to flood-affected victims in the state.
Abhishek Kshirsagar, volunteer, Hutama Babu Genu Mandal Trust said, “We have given ₹1 lakh to flood victims and will be donating for installation of water pipeline in the flood-affected areas.”
“We have a team coming from Worli Mumbai. We will felicitate the winners with a trophy and ₹1 lakh cash prize to those who break the handi,” added Kshirsagar.
Avinash Gaikwad, a software engineer, and a Dahi Handi enthusiast said, “We come every year to watch Dahi Handi on Sinhagad road with family and friends.”
A second-year engineering student, Karan Raut, said, “I am from Bibvewadi and come to watch the Dahi Handi at Babu Genu chowk every year along with my friends.”
ACP Sudhakar Yadav, who was patrolling in the area, said, “There is a lot of crowd in Vishram baug area where 31 Dahi Handis have been installed.”
