Maharashtra Day

Maharashtra is a state located in India. The word Maharashtra is derived from the Sanskrit
words Maha meaning Great and Rashtra meaning Nation, thus rendering the name
Maharashtra (Great Nation). It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third
largest state by area in India. It is the richest state in India, contributing to 15% of the
country's industrial output and 13.2% of its GDP in 2005-06.

Maharashtra is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, Gujarat and the Union territory of
Dadra and Nagar Haveli to the northwest, Madhya Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to
the east, Karnataka to the south, Andhra Pradesh to the southeast, and Goa to the
southwest. The state covers an area of 307,731 km2 (118,816 sq mi) or 9.84% of the total
geographical area of India. Mumbai, the capital city of the state, is India's largest city and the
financial capital of the nation. Marathi is the language of Maharashtra.

In the 17th century, the Marathas rose under the leadership of Chhatrapati Shivaji against the
Mughals who were ruling a large part of India. By 1760, Maratha power had reached its
zenith with a territory of over 250 million acres (1 million km²) or one-third of the Indian sub-
continent. After the third Anglo-Maratha war, the empire ended and most of Maharashtra
became part of Bombay state under a British Raj. After Indian independence, Samyukta
Maharashtra Samiti demanded unification of all Marathi speaking regions under one state. At
that time Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was of opinion that linguistic reorganizaion
of states should be done with - "One state - One language" principle and not with "One
language - One state" principle. He submitted a memorandum to the reorganization
commission stating that, " Single Government can not administer such a huge state as United
Maharashtra".The first state reorganization committee created the current Maharashtra
state on 1 May 1960 (known as Maharashtra Day). The Marathi-speaking areas of Bombay
state, Deccan states and Vidarbha (which was part of Central Provinces and Berar) united,
under the agreement known as Nagpur Pact, to form the current state.

Maharashtra Day
Introduction to the Maharashtra Day :

The Fairs and Festivals in Maharashtra are celebrated with a great deal of fervor and
enthusiasm. Maharashtra Day is one such festival about which all Maharashtrians
irrespective of their caste, creed, religion or color are equally excited because it marks the
day Maharashtra attained statehood. It was on this day that several decades ago in the year
1960 the state which was to eventually become religiously refined, culturally enriched,
socially improved, economically powerful and commercially commanding emerged. Even to
this day Maharashtra Day is celebrated to mark the formation of what is undisputedly one of
the most important states of India.

Time for celebrating the Maharashtra Day Festival:

Maharashtra Day is celebrated each year on the first of May.

Description of the Maharashtra Day in Maharashtra:

Initially the present states of Maharashtra and Gujarat constituted one state by the name of
Bombay. Marathi and Gujarati speaking people co existed in the same state. However certain
problems ensued in this bi lingual state. So it was decided upon in the Bombay
Reorganization Committee to divide Bombay into two states and get over the difficulties.
Hence the erstwhile Bombay Presidency ceased to exist and two new states of Gujarat and
Maharashtra were formed.

On this day, official celebrations are held at the Shivaji Park in central Mumbai. Members of
the state reserve police force, Brihanmumbai Commando Force, home guards, civil defense,
fire brigade and city police participate in a parade. The state governor takes salute at this
ceremonial parade. Common people also come to watch this formal march past.

Many people had fought in favor of this unified cause. Some had even given up their life
while protesting. On Maharashtra Day, these martyrs are remembered and homage is paid to
them. Hutatma Smarak, a memorial which was built in honor of the martyrs is attended to by
many. On this occasion several distinguished individuals are also honored for their
contribution. Illustrious teachers, police officials, sportsmen, doctors are congratulated for
their effective roles in their respective fields.

What is Maharashtra Day

Maharashtra Day, celebrated on 1st May every year, is the day when Maharashtra attained
statehood. All Maharashtrians irrespective of their caste, creed, religion or color are equally
excited because it marks the day Maharashtra attained statehood. It was on this day that
several decades ago in the year 1960 the state which was to eventually become religiously
refined, culturally enriched, socially improved, economically powerful and commercially
commanding emerged. Even to this day Maharashtra Day is celebrated to mark the formation
of what is undisputedly one of the most important states of India.

Celebrations to mark Maharashtra Day are held at Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai. The
governor of the state takes salute from an impressive parade at the ceremony. The armed
services lining the parade route include members from State Reserve Police Force (SRPF),
Brihanmumbai Commando Force, Home Guards, Civil Defense, Fire Brigade and City Police.
Along with the state capital, the guardian ministers of respective districts hoist the Tri-Colour
at the district headquarters early in the morning to commemorate the Day and pay tributes
to the martyrs. On this occasion several distinguished individuals are also honored for their
contribution. Illustrious teachers, police officials, sportsmen, doctors are congratulated for
their effective roles in their respective fields.

When India became an Independent State in1947, Bombay in Western India, was a separate
state with the areas in the existing Maharashtra and Gujarat states. In 1950s Samyukta
Maharshtra Samiti (SMS) spearheaded the demand for creation of a separate Marathi
speaking state out of the then bilingual State of Bombay. The demand was in line with the
pledge, the Indian National Congress had taken for linguistic states prior to Independence.
However after the Independence, Nehru adamantly opposed to linguistic states. Though
Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka came into formation in 1950, the Central Government
was not paying any heed to popular demand for creation of Maharashtra on the same line.

Tired of the adamant attitude of the then Government at the Center, people at last decided
to fight against it. The government used force to suppress the demand. More than hundred
people were killed when the police opened fire at Flora Fountain in Mumbai. Samyukta
Maharshtra Samiti (SMS) achieved its goal when the state, with Mumbai as its capital, was
formed on 1st May, 1960, under the Bombay Re-Organization Act. It is to commemorate this
tragic incident that Flora Fountain is renamed since then as Hutatma Smarak.

However Goa (then a Portages Colony), Belgaum, Karwar and adjoining areas, part of the
Maharashtra State envisioned by the Samiti, were not included in the newly formed state.
Even to this day Belgaum district with a majority of Marathi speaking people is an active
dispute with a petition by the Maharashtra government pending in Supreme Court.