India's top court prohibits children from human pyramids in festival

India's Supreme Court has ruled that people below the age of 18 years cannot participate in making of human pyramids during a Hindu religious festival of Janmashtami, officials said Thursday.

Making of human pyramids, locally called Dahi Handi ritual is famous in Mumbai and forms part of Janmashtami celebrations.

The court's directions have come on Wednesday upholding a high court ruling that the participation of children in making human pyramids was dangerous.

The court has also directed that height of human pyramids during the festival should not exceed beyond 20 feet limit.

Janmashtami festival is celebrated to mark the birthday of Hindu god, Krishna. Every year hundreds of young men mostly in Mumbai form groups to make human pyramids to reach earthen pots (Dahi Handi) containing yogurt hung over ropes high above.

The groups used to compete with each other in making the tallest pyramid and often put children on top to reach the pot and break it. The event according to locals was fraught with accidents causing injuries to participants. Endit