Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, visited a Dahi Handi celebration on Thursday in Thane and urged attendees to ensure the festival is observed responsibly while upholding its religious significance.
Before addressing the event at Tembi Naka here, he paid tribute at Anand Ashram nearby, which was the office from where his mentor late Anand Dighe ran the Shiv Sena in the region. The enthusiasm for festivals has become limitless and his government had taken efforts to remove all (coronavirus-induced) curbs, the CM said.
His government (in August of last year) designated the construction of human pyramids for Dahi Handi as a adventure sport, and the day was designated a holiday with insurance of Rs. 10 lakh taken out for each participant, according to Shinde. Participants should take the utmost care to protect the religious sentiments attached to the festival and must ensure there is no blot on the celebrations, he advised.