PIL seeks to declare 'dahi handi' as sport

The PIL also prayed for a direction to govt to frame guidelines to regulate this ancient practice

A PIL has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking to declare 'dahi handi' organised on Krishna Janmashtami, comprising human pyramid to break earthen pots filled with curd, as a sport. The public interest litigation also prayed for a direction to the government to frame guidelines to regulate this ancient practice.

Filed by lawyer Ejaz Naqvi, the PIL will come up for hearing next week.

The petition urged the court to direct the government to declare 'dahi handi' as a sport and frame guidelines within a specified period to regulate this practice.

It said that whosoever violates the guidelines should be booked for offences under the Cr.Pc and Bombay Police Act. It said that police permission to hold this sport should be subject to the guidelines framed by the government. Dahi handi' is held once in a year to propitiate Hindu God Krishna, who as a child used to steal butter from earthen pots hung high from the ceiling.