Mumbai: For hundreds of Govindas in the city, Dahi Handi came with injuries, with at least 168 rushed to various city hospitals by 6:30pm. Among those hurt, some suffered fractures but no critical injuries were reported.Major hospitals divided their regular emergency rooms between routine patients and Dahi Handi players. At KEM Hospital’s emergency ward, 33 men had been brought in since the morning, six of whom were admitted and 12 under treatment. While the morning hours were mostly quiet, Govindas had started crowding the casualty ward by the afternoon.Bhavik Dharia, from Tardeo Mandal, said seven to eight of their players were injured while performing at a Kalachowki event. One of them was 25-year-old Swapnil Gurav, who was on the seventh tier of an eight-tier human pyramid, when it collapsed due to heavy mud.Doctors at the hospital said Gurav likely fractured his neck, and faces months of recovery time. Most others had scraped knees, minor sprains, stitched foreheads, or general trauma, and were sent home.Across town, Nair Hospital took in 17 injured Govindas of which 13 are under treatment. Meanwhile, seven injured were taken to Sion Hospital. Of these, two belonged to Gurukrupa Sangh Mandal and had sustained fractures.Saurabh Gomle (32) and Gurunath Mandavkar (38) work for a private bus transport company, live side-by-side in Vikhroli, and have both been playing Dahi Handi for over a decade. The mandal had set up a seven-tier pyramid, and Gomale and Mandavkar were on the bottom-most tier when it fell. While Gomale sustained a leg fracture, Mandavkar was seen wearing a neck brace while waiting to be assessed.At Rajawadi Hospital, 20 injured arrived throughout the day; six are admitted, five have been discharged and five remain under care. Meanwhile, 14 patients were admitted to Hinduja’s trauma ward, and 16 were at Podar Hospital.
