Important and Esteemed Festivals in Maharashtra
The people of Maharashtra are also known as Marathis and they are highly known for their exciting Marathi festivals. There are several festivals in the Marathi culture that are celebrated only by them. These festivals give the people to rejoice and reunite with their family and friends. Some of the very important Marathi festivals are listed here to make you aware about the Marathi culture
Gudi Padwa
The Indian New year is celebrated as the Gudi Padwa in the state of Maharashtra which generally falls in the month of the March or April as per the Gregorian calendar. The day has very important religious connect as it is been said that it is on this very day, Lord Brahma, the creator of Universe created it and from that day onwards the life and time cycle on the earth started.
How it is celebrated
On the day of the Gudi Padwa, a guthi is tied on the windows or any other good location in the house. The guthi contains a cloth that is tied with a bamboo stick and a silver pot with some neem leaves is put over the cloth. It is a common belief that this guthi will ward off any kind of danger or evil forces from your household.
The people also clean up their houses and prepare a Rangoli and they begin their day by eating the neem leaves that are very good for the digestion and immune system. After this, people prepare sweets and dishes to celebrate the day. You will very commonly find, a famous Marathi dish, Shrikhand being prepared by the people on this day.
Ganeshotsava
Ganeshotsava is one the biggest and most important Marathi festivals in the Marathi culture which generally falls on the August or September month in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is also celebrated in the other Indian states but the Marathi Ganeshotsava has a different zeal and passion attached to it. The festival lasts for as many as 10 days and is a treat to watch out. It begins on the fourth day of Shukla known as Ganesha Chaturthi and commences on the Anant Chaudas. People in different households install the idol of the Lord Ganesha and worship it daily by offering the flowers in the morning or evenings or both. After 10 days or lesser in case you want to, people immerse the idol of Lord Ganesha in the water bodies while chanting ganpati bapa Moriya, agle baras tu jaldi aa.
Some of the famed temples in the states go for humongous idols of the Lord Ganesha and the priests go for the methodical worship to please the god. Even the celebrities install the Ganpati idols in their homes and worship the Lord Ganesha. On the day of immersion, the streets of the Mumbai and other cities of the Maharashtra are heavily crowded and it becomes very tough for the police to manage. The people from the region located outside of India also celebrate this Marathi festivals with zeal especially the Marathi residents in the North America.
There are several other Marathi festivals that are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm by the residents of Maharashtra.