<p>A year after it accorded the Dahi Handi festival as an “official sport”, the Maharashtra government is set to host the first-ever Pro Govinda League in Mumbai.</p><p>The Pro Govinda League would be held on 31 August on the lines of the Pro Kabaddi League. </p>.<p>This year Krishna Janmashtami falls on 6 September, which would be followed by Dahi Handi or Gopal Kala on 7 September.</p><p>Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar have okayed the event and it would be held with all necessary permissions and safety precautions.</p><p>The Pro Govinda League would be held at the National Sports Club of India at Worli in Mumbai.</p><p>Around 50,000 Govindas, including 3,500 from Mumbai, would be participating in the event.</p><p>The first prize comprises a whopping Rs 11 lakh, second Rs 7 lakh, third Rs 5 lakh and fourth Rs 3 lakh.</p><p>During the festival, Govindas, as the participants or revellers are known, re-enact the myth of Lord Krishna stealing butter from a hanging pot, known as the dahi-handi. They form human pyramids to reach out to the earthen pot filled with curd and break it.</p><p>The announcement was made by State Industries Minister Uday Samant, Sports Minister Sanjay Bansode, Maharashtra Olympic Association Secretary Namdev Shirgaonkar, Dahi Handi Coordination Committee’s Purvesh Sarnaik among others.</p><p>“The Govindas would be insured,” said Samant.</p><p>“We are organising this competition as the formation of the human pyramid is now recognised as an adventure sport. We want to take this competition to an international level,” said Bansode.</p>
<p>A year after it accorded the Dahi Handi festival as an “official sport”, the Maharashtra government is set to host the first-ever Pro Govinda League in Mumbai.</p><p>The Pro Govinda League would be held on 31 August on the lines of the Pro Kabaddi League. </p>.<p>This year Krishna Janmashtami falls on 6 September, which would be followed by Dahi Handi or Gopal Kala on 7 September.</p><p>Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar have okayed the event and it would be held with all necessary permissions and safety precautions.</p><p>The Pro Govinda League would be held at the National Sports Club of India at Worli in Mumbai.</p><p>Around 50,000 Govindas, including 3,500 from Mumbai, would be participating in the event.</p><p>The first prize comprises a whopping Rs 11 lakh, second Rs 7 lakh, third Rs 5 lakh and fourth Rs 3 lakh.</p><p>During the festival, Govindas, as the participants or revellers are known, re-enact the myth of Lord Krishna stealing butter from a hanging pot, known as the dahi-handi. They form human pyramids to reach out to the earthen pot filled with curd and break it.</p><p>The announcement was made by State Industries Minister Uday Samant, Sports Minister Sanjay Bansode, Maharashtra Olympic Association Secretary Namdev Shirgaonkar, Dahi Handi Coordination Committee’s Purvesh Sarnaik among others.</p><p>“The Govindas would be insured,” said Samant.</p><p>“We are organising this competition as the formation of the human pyramid is now recognised as an adventure sport. We want to take this competition to an international level,” said Bansode.</p>