Pune, Sep. 2 : A unique international competition was organised in Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) recently where robotics ‘Govindas’ enacted the traditional Dahi-Handi (curd pitcher) breaking scene, usually performed on the occasion of Gokulashtami.

Seventeen teams from 16 different countries participated in the international competition of robots, which has a distinct theme every year. This year the theme was the famed Dahi-Handi with resonating Govinda Ala Re song being played in the background.

Maharashtra’s popular and traditional Dahi-Handi is held every year in which the revelers, enacting friends of Lord Krishna, try to break the pitcher dangling at a height with a rope. They form a human pyramid and the group succeeding in breaking the pitcher first is declared the winner.

During the contest, the robots were to break a yellow box, which was considered portrayed as Dahi-Handi. The robot, just like in the Dahi-Handi contest, breaking the maximum Dahi-Handis was to be declared as the winner. A young Chinese scientist-student named Suzie won the contest for this year.

"We won this competition last year also but this team is a new one. Therefore, it is the first time for us to win this competition and we met it," said Suzie of China, winner of the competition.

Students were very excited to participate in the competition. They made the environment colourful and full of enthusiasm.

"It was very difficult, Chinese team was very tough. But we made our best to win it," said Yusuf, a competitor from the Middle East.

A cultural programme was also organised to lend more colourful environment to the competition.

"This year 16 countries participated and this year the game is based on Dahi-Handi. We have chosen Dahi-Handi after a lot of pondering," said Sunil Karad of Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune, the Organisers of Robocom-2008.

As for the audience, everyone was of the opinion that if such competitions are often organised in the country, our students will get an international exposure. (ANI)