India is known for its rich culture. It is said that in India there is a change in cultural practices every 10 to 15 km. With this there is a change in clothes, language, and food. One can imagine how rich Indian culture is!
Every Indian state has a unique identity in terms of its language, clothing, food, etc. Like all other states, Maharashtra also has a unique identity.
Unique State of Affairs
Being a very fast developing state of India, Maharashtra encompasses almost all elements of Indian culture whether it is in terms of food or language, or people from different backgrounds. Despite all these factors, Maharashtra has maintained its uniqueness. Among these unique elements, the festivals Maharashtra celebrates are different from the rest of the states. Let’s have a look at them in brief.
Gudi Padva
The Gudi Padva festival is the beginning of a new year for the people of Maharashtra. Gudi is the south Indian name. In this festival, a flag is erected in front of the home as an anek of celebration. Women wear traditional clothes like ‘Lugade’ and ‘Nauvari’ where men were dhoti or traditional shirts and pants. But the traditional cap is also a very important part of this worn by men.
Ganeshotsav
Though Ganeshotsav is celebrated in various parts of the country, it originated in Maharashtra. In 1893, it was celebrated the first time by Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Since then, it has become an integral part of the Marathi culture. Very famous and the favorite food of Lord Ganesha, the Modak is made as a main dish. Apart from these, Laddoos also made as this was also the favorite food of Lord Ganesha.
Makar Sankranti
One must have heard the word ‘Til gul ghya ani god god bola’ which means, accept the til gul and speak sweetly like that. These beautiful words are uttered on the day of Makar Sankranti. This Makar Sankranti tells the beginning of the rise of the day. From this festival, it says that nights become less and the day goes longer. Apart from ‘Til Gul’ other food items like ‘Chakhli’ ‘Bhogachi Bhaji’ also famous.
Other Important Festivals
Apart from all the mentioned above, Maharashtra also celebrates various other festivals like Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, Bhau Beej, etc. On being one of the most progressive states, various people from all over India have migrated here and developed a rich culture. One can see Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, and many other people in Maharashtra which has given it a form of “Mini India”.