Mumbai: Every Janmashtami, Govindas scale dizzying heights and thousands watch with bated breath as these human pyramids rise up and collapse with practiced ease.
But now, the Govindas, as they are called, are going global. On November 14, 11 of them from across Mumbai will be taking their gymnastics across the globe to Spain.
"I haven't even seen Mumbai. I just can't wait to go to Spain!" says a Janmashtami gymnast, Mahesh Lahane.
“My wife wants me to get her a sari from Spain. But you only get jeans there,” says another gymnast, Shrikrishna Pandelkar.
The only girl in the group, Mohini, says she won't do any shopping and she's just happy her family is letting her go.
"I'll be the only girl there, so they were apprehensive at first, but after speaking to our cooperator, they agreed," she says.
One step at a time, these boys from Mumbai are holding on tightly not only to each other but to their passports as well.
And indeed, it took much political muscle power to get these Govindas their passports and visas in place.
"These boys come from the lowest class of families. They never thought they would get an opportunity to fly abroad. But I assure you, if we get the Guinness Book of Records here, as far as height is concerned, our boys can go to a level to which even the Spanish can't go," says NCP leader, Jitendra Awhad.
It might be a long way from Sanpada to Spain but for these youngsters, it's now within reach.
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