Janmashtami marks the birth of Shri Krishna, and in Maharashtra it arrives with the dahi handi
— the earthen pot of curd strung high above a street, and the human pyramid of govindas
who climb to break it. It is one of the noisiest, most joyful days in the calendar.

At a pre-school, the pot hangs a good deal lower.

Little Krishnas and Radhas

The children come dressed for it: peacock feathers, flutes, small crowns, and the occasional
toddler who has firmly refused the costume and come as themselves. Both are fine. The point is
not the outfit — it is that a familiar festival from home turns up at school, which is a
quietly powerful thing for a child still deciding whether school belongs to them.

The dahi handi, adapted

No pyramids and no height. Our handi hangs just above the tallest child’s reach, and it
is filled with flowers and paper rather than curd. The children take turns, everybody gets a
go, and it is broken by roughly the fifth attempt through a combination of enthusiasm and a
teacher discreetly lowering the rope.

What they get out of it is a whole morning of jumping, reaching, waiting for a turn and
cheering somebody else on — which is gross motor work and turn-taking practice wrapped
inside something they actually want to do.

The butter thief

The stories of the young Krishna stealing makhan are perfect for this age group, because the
protagonist is a small child who is naughty and adored at the same time. Three-year-olds
recognise themselves immediately. We tell the stories with actions, and the children reliably
take the side of the butter thief.

What comes home

Blue face paint that does not wash out on the first attempt, a paper flute, and a child who
will explain the entire festival to you at dinner, mostly correctly.