Govinda

Yesterday was Krishna's birthday and hordes of the city's youngsters were busy building human pyramids to break the matkas of butter suspended over 70 feet high in various city neighbourhoods, and earn prestige for their local community and political party (not to mention loads of cash). With heavy Bollywood remix music blasting through 6 feet-high speakers and live commentators guiding and encouraging every team, this was the closest one could get to a legal rave party, done the Mumbai way. The city was swarming with cops who did a good job of ensuring the that lakhs of youngsters who climbed on and off trucks (on which they were packed like chickens) that took them from one neighbourhood matka to the next behaved themselves. Residents from all the buildings around, regardless of community and religion, would watch these attempts at pot-breaking, with glee. It was free live entertainment - a rare commodinty today. Each team was sponsored by either a political party or a business and the boys' shirts were imprinted with the symbols of their sponsors. Govinda is no longer a random bunch of youngsters bonding in a neighbourhood to remember Lord Krishna; it is a political and commercial event. However, the youngsters have a superb time - which is the most important thing.