Nagesh Bhoir loved playing Govinda at Dahi Handi every Janamashtmi.
Climbing up a human pyramid to break the curd pot, amid the roaring chants of ” Govinda Ala Re “, gave him an adrenaline rush.
Nagesh’s Message To Govindas
Today, a small group of loyal friends contributes a portion of their salaries to help meet his medical expenses. Then, his feet slipped. He came crashing down. Seventeen years have passed since that fall. Nagesh Bhoir with his sister The accident left him with a severe spinal injury. But the fall did more than change Nagesh’s life. It pushed his entire family into years of emotional pain and financial hardship. Nagesh requires frequent hospital visits and specialised medical care, with treatment needed every two months. The recurring expenses have placed a relentless financial burden on his family. Over the years, many promised assistance and some did extend a helping hand. But the cost of Nagesh’s continuing treatment has far exceeded what the family can afford. Nagesh suffered a spinal injury Nagesh lives with his ageing parents and elder sister. His father, who once supported the family through a private-sector job, is now retired. Nagesh had only recently begun helping his father financially when tragedy struck. Despite everything, Nagesh has a message for those who continue to participate in Dahi Handi celebrations. His appeal is simple: celebrate, compete and build human pyramids-but remember that it is a sport, and do not risk your lives. “A single slip could mean a big mishap. Now, struggling to meet his continuing medical expenses, she has made an emotional appeal to Maharashtra Chief Minister.
It was with the same excitement that he climbed a human pyramid in Bhiwandi in 2009. Nagesh was just 24. Nagesh, now 41, has not been able to stand on his feet since. For Nagesh’s mother, the past 17 years have meant watching her son struggle with the consequences of an accident that happened when he was just 24.
Today, his frail body is confined to a bed or a wheelchair, his life forever divided into a “before” and “after” that Dahi Handi . It doesn’t just affect the Govinda ; it alters the life of the entire family forever,” he said.
“We do not want one-time financial aid.
We urge the government to make a permanent provision for his recurring monthly medical expenditure,” she said.
Seventeen years after that fall, Nagesh’s family is still asking for help to make sure his future is not defined by the next medical bill. (With Inputs From Bhupendra Ambavane)
