Celebrate Janmashtami without breaking the vertebrae!

Dr Ketna L Mehta 20 August 2016

Life

It is indeed a welcome verdict by the Supreme Court with respect to the Dahi Handi celebrations: No youngsters below the age of 18 years and the human pyramids not more than 20 feet in height!

Applause. Applause.

At our non-governmental organization (NGO), Nina Foundation, we get calls on our HELPLINE for rehabilitation of friends with spinal cord injury. The second highest cause for this after road traffic accidents is falls due to various reasons, and dahi handi celebrations during Janmashtami is one of them.

The challenge is as to how the Supreme Court ruling would be implemented. There are various groups which lure mostly uneducated and illiterate youth (though paid a paltry sum) individually. These groups are registered but what about the team, which travels from one location to another?

1) It should be made mandatory that the birth certificates and photographs with residential proof be collected and filed with more than one mobile number (parents/ relatives). The entire details of all participants should be deposited at the respective ward officers of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corp (BMC) and also specific dahi handi pandals, which they have been assigned to attempt and break. Designated officers to read through this list and check the age authenticity of all participants.

2) Before attempting, the specific dahi handi pandal-in-charge should verify every participant, and cross- check with the file.

3) Each participant should also have an ID card around him. This is as far as age is concerned.

4) Each participant should go through a specific duration of training for the freestyle human pyramid. Each should have a certificate of having been through this course. Many join without any prior rehearsal or training.

5) Dahi Handi must be categorised as adventure sport and all safety equipment should be used. Helmets, lumbar jackets and harness. At every attempt, the participants fall down a couple of times and not realising that spinal cord injury is permanent and very expensive. (World Health Organization has mentioned spinal cord injury as the most devastating disability in the world.) Many such patients die due to complications like bed sore and respiratory issues or urine infection.

6) At the Dahi Handi Pandal venue, breath analysers should be administered to check that they have not consumed alcohol. In a drunk condition, climbing on human shoulders, they are unstable and have no balance control. Falls are thus inevitable and severe injuries are likely.

7) Falling form a height on their backs or heads on the hard ground (mostly tar roads) causes serious injuries, which are irreversible. It should be made mandatory that a paramedic team is assigned to each mandal with a scoop stretcher and an ambulance ready. Dahi Handi’s fun has turned into wails and cries many a times. With the amount of money that most pandals claim to ‘Gift’ as ‘Prize Money’, the above are some precautionary measures worth investing in for truly a joyous celebration of Lord Krishna’s birth.

8) In the event that the young participant falls and has a spinal cord injury, head injury or fractures, then complete medical and rehabilitation compensation in total should be borne by the organising Dahi Handi group. This undertaking should be given in writing to each and every participant. The life care expense of living with a spinal cord injury is humongous – quadriplegia- Rs5 lakh month and paraplegia- Rs2 lakh a month. Rehabilitation expenses are separate.

(Dr Ketna L Mehta is an educationist, editor, author and Founder Trustee of Nina Foundation that serves the rehabilitation of economically and socially disadvantaged friends with spinal injuries. She is also Editor and Associate Dean Research, WeSchool. Email-[email protected], www.ninafoundation.org)

Comments

User

Sraboni Sengupta

10 years ago

The verdict is truly the need of the hour. The celebration should be celebration and not a run for money and popularization of some political party/individuals. Some of the spinal injuries are fatal & has an impact not only on the person's life but on the entire family.

Pratap Hirji Chande

10 years ago

It is the need of the hour.If the rule is not followed or higher then the presribed height just dial 100 and within minutes the police will be there to stop illegal dahi handi organisers.

Jagrati

10 years ago

Can you please publish link for supporting data?

Param

10 years ago

i think the root cause of the issue needs to be addressed first - too many people with too little to do who are willing to risk their life for a chance at fame & money. i wonder how many would participate if most of them had a decent job & something more fruitful to do with their lives. but then again, india being what it is, anything goes in the name of religion...

Chandragupta Acharya

10 years ago

Complete rubbish. The only regulation that is acceptable is not to force minors into this risk.