Unlike Ganesh Chaturthi, which is publicly celebrated all over Mumbai on a grand scale, Gauri Puja is a modest household event, performed by families inside their homes. In coastal Maharashtra, Gauri is worshipped as a singular Goddess known as Jyeshtha Gauri (jyestha meaning the elder one or the senior). The Goddess is installed on a high platform.
The procession makes its way through the lanes of Versova Koliwada, accompanied by revelry and dancing on the streets. Though organized by the Kolis, people from all communities join the festivities.
Janmashtami celebrations at Versova are centred around the Ram Mandir. The main deity of the temple is Lord Ram, along with other deities such as Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman.
The Warkari singer is playing a tanpura (pictured on the right) and khartal (pictured on the left). In Maharashtra, the Warkaris are a sampradaya (sect) within the Bhakti spiritual tradition who worship Vitthal (also known as Vithoba), the presiding deity of Pandharpur, regarded as a form of Lord Vishnu.
During the Dahi Handi event outside the Ram Mandir, the handi (pot) is not broken by forming a human pyramid; instead, it is broken by bamboo spears. As a safety measure, the pot is placed in a netted bag to prevent injuries from falling shards.
When the pot is broken, the crowd goes in a frenzy to collect the dahi (curd or yogurt) and smear it on their faces and bodies, chanting in unison, "Ala re ala, Govinda ala" (Govinda has arrived).
Devotion to Sri Krishna as svayam bhagavan (the Supreme God) is central to the Bhakti movement, which has left an indelible mark on Hinduism and the cultural and spiritual landscape of India.