A team of determined young men in India has made history, breaking the world record for the tallest human pyramid. The incredible feat was achieved on August 16, 2025, when the Kokan Nagar Govinda Pathak and Sanskruti Yuva Pratisthan Trust successfully formed a 10-level pyramid at a massive public event in Thane, Maharashtra.
The record-breaking human tower was a highlight of the Dahi Handi festival, a popular Hindu celebration of Janmashtami, which commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna. The festival involves communities competing to form human pyramids to reach and break an earthen pot filled with milk-based products that is hung at a great height.
The group’s achievement is the first-ever to reach 10 tiers, a feat that had eluded previous contenders for decades. It surpassed the long-standing record of nine levels, which had been shared by groups in India and Spain.
The pyramid measured a staggering 14.73 meters (48 ft 3.92 in), a height roughly equivalent to a five-story building. The accomplishment was officially verified by Guinness World Records on September 4, 2025, and hailed as a testament to the group’s “unmatched physical endurance and balance,” as well as “the spirit of teamwork and discipline.”
The successful attempt was a high-stakes effort, with the person at the very top of the pyramid, on the previously unseen 10th level, wearing a helmet and a safety line. As the pyramid began to crumble after just a few seconds, the person was safely hoisted to the ground by a nearby crane, and the crowd erupted in celebration. The record-breaking performance has reaffirmed Thane’s place as a global hub for the Govinda tradition, elevating Dahi Handi to the international stage with a Guinness World Records-certified achievement.
