The Customs & Festivals of Maharashtra
- Marathi people celebrate their festivals with zest and devotion. Some of the important ones are:
- Ashadhi Ekadashi – The Pandharpur Wari (The Great Walk) to pray to Vitthal, Maharashtra’s beloved deity)
- The Kumbh Mela at Nashik that takes place every 12 years
- Gudhi Padwa, the start of the Maharashtrian New Year
- Narali Pournima or the Rakhee Pournima marks the end of monsoon and the start of the fishing season that the fishermen of Maharashtra celebrate. And of course, all Maharashtrians celebrate the Rakhee Pournmia, the day when a sister ties a string on her brother’s wrist and he promises to protect her at all times.
- Krushna Janmashtami is one of the unique festivals of Maharashtra when devotees form human periods to reach the proverbial butter tied to a high rope, just the way Lord Krushna did when He was a child.
- And of course, the Ganeshotsav, the celebration of Lord Ganesh that is the biggest festival of Maharashtra
- Makar Sankranti –
- Diwali – Bhaubeej
- Mangala Gauri
- Explaining these events, the history and thoughts behind them, will allow people in the United States get new perspectives on how communities support each other, survive through tough periods and ultimately emerge victorious.
