Gudipadwa is the spring-time festival which marks the traditional new year for Marathi and Konkani people. On this occasion, rallies are held in many places like Girgaum, Dombivali every year. However, this year, the festival has been cancelled.
Apart from that, Govinda Utsav has also been cancelled. For the Govinda festival, on the occasion of Guru Purnima, dahi handi mandals begin practising for Janmashtami. From Guru Purnima onwards, the cowherds of the city-suburban dahi handi team practice laying on each other.
However, this year, with the outbreak of the coronavirus, dahi handi will not be seen. With the advice of CM Uddhav Thackeray, the festivities this year is being celebrated in a much simplistic manner. On Guru Purnima, Shridatta Krida Mandal of Mazgaon organized a blood donation camp for the patients of Tata Hospital. Under the leadership of Bala Padelkar, Chairman of Dahihandi Coordinating Committee and coach of Shridatta Krida Mandal, the pot was built by worshipping dahi handi as per the custom.
Many people from the dahi handi troupe attended the puja. These people donated blood as well, keeping the social cause in mind. Maintaining social distancing protocols, a blood donation camp was held for cancer patients at Tata Hospital at Janata Kendra in Mazgaon Tadwadi. More than 100 people donated blood in this camp.
With regards to Ganeshotsav, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had earlier asked the Ganpati mandals in the city to keep the height of the idols small and celebrate the 10-day Ganesh festival, beginning August 22, in a low-key fashioned way. With the surge in the number of cases of coronavirus, restrictions have been placed on the celebrations this year. The size of the pandals is also said to be smaller this year. Along with this, social distancing protocols are to be followed to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.
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