The Kokan Nagar Govinda Pathak from Jogeshwari East, which created a ten-tier human pyramid at a Dahi Kala event in Thane on Saturday has earned a mention in the World Records Book of India for creating an acrobatic formation with the maximum number of tiers. The World Records Book of India said this is an international record as Spanish teams that had attempted a ten-tier formation collapsed before they could complete the feat.
First-Ever Successful Ten-Tier Formation
The Jogeshwari group, established in 2013, achieved the feat at an event organised by Sanskruti Yuva Pratishthan, Vartak Nagar, Thane, organised by Purvesh Pratap Sarnaik. The group, which has around 250 members from across the city, including Virar, also created a nine-tier formation at another venue in Naupada, Thane. The Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak, also from Jogeshwari East, which had created a record of nine tiers during the 2024 festival, was the runners-up this year, replicating last year’s feat.Recognition from World Records Book of India
Recognition from World Records Book of India
Sushma Narvekar, chief editor, World Records Book of India, said, “It is a moment of immense pride to witness Kokan Nagar Govinda Pathak create the first successful 10-level human pyramid at and under the leadership of their coach, Vivek Kocharekar. This extraordinary feat not only showcases unparalleled teamwork, strength, and devotion but also sets a glorious benchmark in the annals of world records.”
Runners-Up from Jogeshwari
According to the Guinness World Records, the tallest human pyramid consisted of nine levels and 39 ft high, completed when Josep-Joan Martínez Lozano of the Colla Vella dels Xiquets mounted it at Valls, Spain on October 25 1981. The record was equalled by Jai Jawan Govinda Pathak team reaching nine levels and 43.79 ft in height at TMC school ground, Thane, on August 10, 2012. Castellers de Vilafranca and Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls, both from Spain, matched the nine levels during the filming of the CCTV-Guinness World Records Special in Tarragona, Cataluna, Spain, on October 7, 2012. This was equalled again by Xiquets De Hangzhou, China, and Colla Vella, Spain, for CCTV-Guinness World Records Special in Deqing, Zhejiang, China, on July 5, 2015.
Pyramid Height Estimate
Kocharekar said that his team is the new world record holder. He estimated that apart from achieving ten tiers, the pyramid reached a record height of 47 feet. He said that the team starts practice for the event 70 to 75 days before the festival. He requested the government to lift the restrictions of children under 14 from participating in the acrobatic formations.
Call to Lift Age Restrictions
Apart from the age limit, there is an upper limit of 20 feet for the formations – a rule largely disregarded. “The age limit should be removed. We use all safety precautions like safety harnesses, elbow guards, mouth guards, helmets, and protective fall mats. The chances of injuries are very low under these conditions. We need light-weight people on the top of the pyramid. Ideally, these should be six or seven year olds,” said Kocharekar.
