The document provides information on various cultural aspects of Maharashtra, India, including weddings, politics, marriage, food, festivals, and agriculture. It discusses prominent Maharashtrian wedding rituals like the engagement ceremony, turmeric application ritual, and the seven vows ritual where the couple circles the holy fire. It also summarizes the state's major political parties like Shiv Sena and NCP, religious demographics with Hindus as the majority, and languages spoken with Marathi as the official language. The clothing typically worn by men and women in Maharashtra is also outlined. Major festivals celebrated in the state such as Ganesh Chaturthi and festivals honoring historical figures are briefly described. Traditional Maharashtrian dishes and

1. Cultural
Aspects
Of
Maharashtra
ASPECT ONE
WEDDINGS
ASPECT TWO
POLITICS
ASPECT THREE
MARRAIGE
ELEMENT FOUR
FOOD
ELEMENT FIVE
FESTIVALS
ELEMENT SIX
AGRICULTURE
1. FESTIVALS
5. LANGUAGE
3. POLITICS
4. RELIGIOUS &
ETHNIC GROUPS
2.FOOD & CLOTHING
6. WEDDINGS

2. FESTIVALS IN MAHARASHTRA
1. POLA
It is celebrated by farmers all over Maharashtra. It falls on Pithori Amavasya, the new
moon day of the holy month of Shravan. On this day bullocks, which are an integral
part of agriculture – basically the backbone of it – are worshipped.
2. GANESH CHATHURTHI
In August, preparations for the auspicious day when Lord Ganesh was born
– begin
with great enthusiasm. It is an 11-day festival, beginning with the
installation of
beautifully sculpted Ganesh idols in homes and large pandals, colorfully
decorated,
depicting religious and cultural themes.
On the 11th day comes the time to bid farewell to Ganesha. People take the idols in
procession with an accompaniment of music and dance for immersion in the sea or
nearby river or lake.
Lord Ganesha, the deity of wisdom, is the most loved in Maharashtra and Ganesh
Chaturthi is celebrated with the most grandeur.

3. 3. KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI 5. ELLORA FESTIVAL
4. SHIVAJI JAYANTI
Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Lord
Krishna. Devotees fast
till midnight on the eve of the birth of Lord
Krishna. The next day is celebrated as
Gokulashtami. Devotees remember how the
Lord was very fond of butter and used
to go to great lengths to obtain butter. In
honour of the beloved Lord, a ritual
performed on this day is the dahi-handi. Clay
pots filled with curd, puffed rice and
milk are strung high up above the streets.
Groups of enthusiastic youngsters form
human pyramids to reach up to these and
break them open – the way Lord Krishna
and his friends would, after sneaking into the
houses of gopis to steal butter.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the greatest
ruler of Maharashtra. He was known for
his courage and intelligence. All
Maharashtrians have great reverence and
regard for
him and his birthday is celebrated all across
the state as Shivaji Jayanti.
Processions are carried out that narrate
stories of his greatness and songs that
celebrate this bravery and kingship are sung.
The state fondly remembers their great
king and pledge to imbibe his qualities in their
day-to-day life.
Ellora festival is the celebration of culture,
classical music and dance, organized on
the backdrop of the majestic Ellora caves.
Organized by the Maharashtra Tourism
Development Corporation, the
performances at this grand event are fun
to witness if
you are a connoisseur of Indian arts,
crafts and traditions..

4. QUINTESSENTIAL MAHARASHTRIAN DISHES
PAV BHAJI VADA PAV PURAN POLI MISAL PAV
POHA SHRIKHAND BOMBAY DUCK SOL KADHI
MODAK
AAMRAS
BHEL PURI
AAMTI

5. CLOTHING IN MAHARASHTRA
1. DHOTI 2. KURTA / SHIRT 3. SAREES 3. CHOLIS
The men in Maharashtra usually wear a
dhoti. A dhoti is a single piece of cloth
that is tucked around one's waist, and
it covers the entire leg till the ankle.
Dhotis are secured by making five
tucks on each side, and then the loose
ends are put in at the back. Dhotis are
usually saffron or cream or white in
colour. Dhotis are an unstitched piece
of clothing that do not require any
proper measurements as one could
make it however tight or loose they
wished it to be.
Maharashtrian men usually wear Kurtas
above their dhoti. The tops are made up of
cotton These tops are thin and loose,
generally white in color.
The Maharashtrian men occasionally wear
waistcoat called Bandi. Bandi is a sleeveless
jacket or coat. They are worn above their
shirts. Bandi made the Maharashtrian attire
look more formal and proper.
The men usually wear simple but sturdy
footwear. Their footwears are open sandals
making it comfortable for them to wear. The
sandals are strong and are made up of
leather.
Women wear sarees that are 9 yards long.
The saree is tucked in the middle giving it
a similar look to the dhoti. The rest of the
saree is wrapped around the upper body
of the women. This type of saree is
usually called Lugade. There were many
variations in how women wear their
saree. Some only wear knee length
sarees. Some wear it in a skirt manner
without the tuck in the middle. But the 9-
yard saree is the traditional costume of
women in Maharashtra.
The Maharashtrian women wear choli
or blouse underneath the saree. It is the
'top' or shirt that they wear to cover
their upper body. The choli covers half
of the torso. the blouses are short, or
half sleeved that have hooks in the
front making it easier for the women to
wear them. Similar to men's clothing,
women's clothing is also made up of
cotton and sometimes of silk. The
commonly found colors in
Maharashtrian sarees are green and red
and sometimes even Kesari (yellow)
color.

6. POLITICS IN MAHARASHTRA
• Maharashtra is home to various regional parties with various rallying
points
• These parties maintain a lot of influence in the state due to linguistic
and cultural diversity of the state
• However national level parties like the BJP and the INC also maintain a
lot of influence
• One of the major parties are SHIV SENA founded by Balasaheb
Thackrey
• They are dominant in the state and their ideology revolves around
Marathi ethnocentrism and Hindutva nationalism
• In the recent years there has been a split in the party where the
majority of the party led by Eknath Shinde joined hands with BJP and
pushed the Udhav Thackeray faction out.
• Another party is Sharad Pawar's NCP which is similar to the INC as it is
a breakout party from the congress and recently there was a split in
the NCP when Ajit Pawar joined the BJP and Shinde shiv sena alliance.
• Another party is Raj Thackrey’s MNS which was founded in 2006 and
is a very FAR-RIGHT version of the Shiv Sena but electorally the party
has very little influence having only one seat in the Maharashtra
Vidhan Sabha.
• Other parties like AIMIM and CPI and various other regional parties
exist
• But they have minimum to non existent influence electorally.

7. RELIGIOUS DEMOGRAPHICS
Hinduism (79.83%)
Sikhism ( 0.20%)
Other ( 0.16%)
Not Stated ( 0.25%)
• Hindus are a Majority in the state being almost 80% of the states
population
• Muslims Are The Largest Minority with 11.5% of the population in
which most are Sunnis with a significant Shia minority.
• Buddhists are nearly 6% of the population most of them belonging
to the recently formed navayaan Buddhism sect
• Jains are 1.25% of the state.
• Christians are nearly 1% with east Indians being the Catholics and
other Marathi Christians being protestant with other Christian
communities of various denominations existing as well.
• There is also a micro minority of Sikhs in the state being 0.20% of
the population.
• And there are other communities as well along with people who
haven’t stated their religion in the 2011 census.

8. ETHNIC COMPOSITION
• Marathis: Marathi's are the largest ethnic group in Maharashtra and form the
majority of the state's population.
• Kolis: The Koli community is one of the indigenous fishing communities of
Maharashtra, predominantly found along the state's coastline.
• Muslims: Maharashtra has a substantial Muslim population, with communities like
Memon, Bohra, and Konkani Muslims, each contributing to the cultural mosaic of the
state.
• Christians: Christianity has a long history in Maharashtra, with communities like East
Indians, Gonas, and Mangalorean's living in different parts of the state
• Jains: The Jain community in Maharashtra is significant and has a strong presence in
cities like Mumbai and Pune.
• Parsis: The Parsi community, originally from Persia, has made Mumbai their home
for generations. They have had a notable impact on the city's culture and history.
• Buddhists: Maharashtra has several Buddhist communities, with places like Ajanta
and Ellora being important Buddhist pilgrimage sites. The Dalit Buddhist movement,
led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, has its roots in the state.
• Adivasis: Maharashtra is home to various Adivasi (indigenous) communities,
including the Varli, Warli, Bhil, and Gond tribes

9. ETHNIC COMPOSITION
• Sindhis: Sindhi refugees who migrated to India after the
partition in 1947 have settled in different parts of
Maharashtra.
• Gujaratis: Due to its proximity to Gujarat, Maharashtra has
a sizable Gujarati-speaking population.
• Konkanis: They are found in the coastal Konkan region of
Maharashtra, and their culture and cuisine are distinct
from the rest of the state.
• South Indians: Cities like Mumbai and Pune have
significant populations of South Indians, including Tamils,
Malayali's, Telugus, and Kannadigas.
• Sikhs: There is a Sikh community in Maharashtra, with
gurdwaras and Sikh institutions in various cities.

10. LANGUAGES IN MAHARASHTRA
• Marathi Is The Official Language Of Maharashtra
• It Is Spoken By 73 Million People
• It Is Written In Devnagari Script Just Like Hindi
• Marathi Is Also Spoken To Some Extent In Bordering States Like
Gujarat & M.P
• But There Are Also 38 More Languages In The State
• There Are Also Various Dialects Of Marathi Such Varhadi, Judaeo
Marathi ( Spoken By Bene Israeli Jews) And East Indian Marathi.
• Other Languages Such As Bhojpuri, Gujarati , Kannada , Tamil,
And Various North East Indian Languages Can Be Heard Being
Spoken Due To The Presence Of Various Immigrant Communities
In The State Specially In Pune And Mumbai.
• English Is Also A Major Established Language For Government,
Business And Cultural Use
• Hindi Is Also Well Understood In The State
• The Konkani Language Is Spoken In The Konkan Region And Is
Distinct From Marathi
• In The State You Will Also Find Urdu Speakers And Lots Of Perso-
arabic Script Shop Signs And Sign Boards Can Be Found.

11. WEDDINGS IN MAHARASHTRA
While most weddings in the country take with a lot
of pomp and splendor, Maharashtrian weddings
are not quite so. They are classically simple,
traditional and cheerful in themselves. It’s all
about finding joy in the little things!

12. Pre Wedding Rituals
SAKHAR
PUDA
engagement ceremony
The groom’s family
gifts the bride a saree
and a packet sweets,
usually sugar (known
as sakhar in Marathi).
Rings are exchanged
between the couples.
.
KELVAN
RITUAL
In this Maharashtrian
wedding ritual, both the
families offer their
prayers to their
kuldevta (family deity).
All family members are
requested to attend the
prayer. This is followed
by a lunch.
HALAD
CHADAVANE
Maharashtrian version of
the Haldi ceremony.
mango leaves are
immersed in turmeric
paste and then applied on
the body of the bride. The
same happens at the
groom’s house. Close
family members are invited
to attend the event
SEEMANT
PUJA
This Maharashtrian
wedding ritual is
performed when the
groom and his family
enter the wedding
venue. The bride’s
mother washes his feet
and her family gifts his
family with gifts
ANTARPAT
RITUAL
In this Maharashtrian
wedding ritual, a silk
shawl is hung between
the bride and groom
while a priest chants
some mantras. This is
done because the two
are not supposed to
look at each other until
after the priest finishes
his chanting.

13. Wedding Rituals
SANKALP
RITUAL
After the priest finished
reciting his mantras,
the shawl is removed
and the couple look at
each other. Guests
shower the couple with
Akshata (unbroken rice
grains) and the two
exchange garlands.
KANYADAN
RITUAL
the father of the bride
giving his daughter’s
hand to the groom.
The groom then ties a
mangalsutra around
the neck of the bride
and applies sindoor on
her hair parting. The
bride applies a
chandantikka on the
groom’s forehead
SAPTAPADI
RITUAL
The couple takes seven
rounds around the holy
fire. The bride is required
to touch seven betel nuts
placed on top of small
mounds of rice with her
right foot. Once the seven
rounds are done, she
places her foot on a
grindstone, while the
groom holds her hand or
foot, symbolizing that she
needs to be strong and he
will always support her.
KARMASAMP
ATI RITUAL
the bride’s father
along with the
couple pray to god
for blessings. A add
some fun, the bride’s
brother playfully
twists the groom’s
ear, warning him
that he better treat
his sister well!
.

14. thank you, questions?