Last yr’s mishap trims this year’s pyramid

MUMBAI: Purushottam Mulik , (38), was at the bottom of a seven-tier human pyramid at Currey Road last year, when the govinda carrying the ch i l d wh o would break the dahi handi lost his footing. The pyramid came crashing down on Mulik, severely injuring a nerve in his head leaving him with multiple injuries—partial vision in his right eye, an almost useless left eye and a gap in his spinal cord.
Mulik, a father of two, who was a watchman with a private society in Santa Cruz has been unable to work. He returned to his hometown near Kolhapur. His advice to govindas: “Don’t be lured by the money organizers offer, care for your life. Put up a good show without aiming for too high a pyramid.”
The Currey Road chawl, Panchganga , at whose Janmashtami celebrations Mulik was injured last year, has followed his advice to an extent. This year, they will have a six-tier pyramid . “We thought we shouldn’t have any celebrations this year. But the youth did not agree and were set to join govindas elsewhere ,” said the chawl president Ashok Patil. The society also got insurance cover for its revellers. “I told them not to put away celebrations altogether, but reduce the size of the pyramid ,” said Mulik. The society has been forming pyramids for 22 years. “Barring last year, no one has ever been injured in the celebrations,” added Patil.
“Our chawl was divided. Some wanted to celebrate Janmashtami , others were against it,” said Parshuram Bhadwankar , pyramid orgainzer. “Four days ago we decided to go ahead with the celebrations. The boys were ready to wear last year’s t-shirts as there was no time to get new ones,” he said.