HesterBrewer at 08:01, 12 June 2025

2025-06-12T08:01:44Z

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{{Short description|Indian holiday}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = Maharashtra Day
|type = State
|image = Maharashtra_State_map.jpg
|imagesize =
|caption = [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], [[Yashwantrao Chavan]] and [[Sri Prakasa]] unveiling a map of the new state of Maharashtra at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai, on 1 May 1960
|nickname = Maharashtra Din
|observedby = [[State of Maharashtra]], [[National Stock Exchange of India]], [[Bombay Stock Exchange]]
|litcolor =
|longtype =
|significance = The day the state of Maharashtra was formed by the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960
|begins =
|ends =
|date = 1 May
|duration = 1 day
|frequency = Annual
|celebrations = [[Parade]]s
|observances =
|relatedto =
}}

'''Maharashtra Day''' is a state holiday<ref name=hol>{{cite news|url=https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/india/maharashtra/2014.php|title=Public Holidays in Maharashtra, India in 2014 – Office Holidays|author=|date=|newspaper=Office Holidays}}</ref> in the [[States of india|Indian state]] of [[Maharashtra]], commemorating the formation of the state of Maharashtra in India<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.maharashtratourism.net/festivals/maharashtra-day.html|title=Maharashtra Day – Maharashtra Day Celebration|author=|date=|website=www.maharashtratourism.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Do We Celebrate Maharashtra Day On May 1? Know History And Significance |url=https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/why-do-we-celebrate-maharashtra-day-on-may-1-know-history-and-significance-5557618 |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=NDTV.com}}</ref> from the division of the [[Bombay State]] on 1 May 1960.<ref name=hol/> Maharashtra Day is commonly associated with parades and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history and traditions of Maharashtra. It is celebrated to commemorate the creation of a Marathi-speaking state of Maharashtra.

==Background==
The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 defined boundaries for the states within India on the basis of languages.<ref>{{cite web | title=THE STATES REORGANISATION ACT, 1956|url=http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/1211891/|publisher=[[Government of India]]|accessdate=6 December 2012}}</ref> The [[Bombay State]] that was formed as a consequence of this act, however, was composed of different areas where different languages were spoken; [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]], [[Kutchi language|Kutchi]] and [[Konkani language|Konkani]]. The [[Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti]] was at the forefront of the movement to divide the Bombay State into two states; one composed of areas where people primarily spoke Gujarati and Kutchi and the other where people primarily spoke Marathi and Konkani.<ref>{{cite book | last=Guha |first=Ramachandra |title=India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy | year=2008 | publisher=Harper Perennial | page=320}}</ref><ref name="KaminskyLong2011">{{cite book|last1=Kaminsky|first1=Arnold P.|last2=Long|first2=Roger D.|title=India Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Republic|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wWDnTWrz4O8C&pg=PA440|accessdate=30 April 2012|date=23 September 2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-37462-3|page=440}}</ref>

The state of [[Maharashtra]] and [[Gujarat]] were formed as a result of this movement according to the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960 enacted by the [[Parliament of India]] on 25 April 1960. The act came into effect on 1 May 1960,<ref>{{cite web|title=THE BOMBAY RE-ORGANISATION ACT, 1960 No.11 OF 1960|url=http://www.legalhelpindia.com/bareacts/THE%20BOMBAY%20RE-ORGANISATION%20ACT,%201960%20No.11%20OF%201960.doc|publisher=[[Government of India]]|accessdate=6 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203075507/http://www.legalhelpindia.com/bareacts/THE%20BOMBAY%20RE-ORGANISATION%20ACT,%201960%20No.11%20OF%201960.doc|archive-date=3 December 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> hence the reason of annual celebration. from onwards.

==Observance==
Every year the [[Government of Maharashtra]] issues a notification declaring 1 May to be a public holiday to be celebrated as Maharashtra Day. This holiday applies to all the schools, offices and companies under the jurisdiction of the State and Central Government celebrate this day by organising various programmes.<ref>{{cite web | title=Public Holiday – 2015 | work=[[Government of Maharashtra]] | url=https://www.maharashtra.gov.in/PDF/HolidayList-2015.pdf | accessdate=11 May 2015}}</ref>

The Indian stock markets remain closed on Maharashtra Day.<ref>{{cite web | title=Holidays for the calendar year | work=[[National Stock Exchange of India|National Stock Exchange]] | url=https://www.nseindia.com/resources/exchange-communication-holidays }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Trading Holidays | work=[[Bombay Stock Exchange]] | url=https://www.bseindia.com/static/markets/marketinfo/listholi.aspx }}</ref>

==Customs==
Every year a parade is held at [[Shivaji Park]] where the [[Governor|Governor of Maharashtra]] makes a speech.{{cn|date=April 2019}}

Liquor sales to Indians are prohibited on this day across Maharashtra, excluding foreigners.<ref>{{cite web | title=List of dry days to be followed by retail licensee every year | work=Commissionerate of State Excise, Maharashtra State | url=http://stateexcise.maharashtra.gov.in/EXCISE/list_of__dry_days.htm | publisher=[[Government of Maharashtra]] | accessdate=6 December 2012}}</ref>

==Unique or historical celebrations==
The [[Golden Jubilee]] celebrations for Maharashtra Day were conducted on 1 May 2011 across Maharashtra.<ref>{{cite web | title=Maharashtra's golden jubilee grand finale on Monday | url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-30/mumbai/29490594_1_finale-jubilee-celebrations | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126053445/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-30/mumbai/29490594_1_finale-jubilee-celebrations | url-status=dead | archive-date=26 January 2013 | work=[[The Times of India]] | accessdate=6 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Maharashtra: Political parties gear up for a grand golden jubilee day | url=http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/apr/29/how-maha-will-celebrate-its-golden-jubilee-day.htm | work = [[rediff.com]] | accessdate=6 December 2012}}</ref>

==Inaugurations and launching of new projects and schemes==
In Maharashtra [[Government of Maharashtra|state government]] and [[private sector]] inaugurates and launches various new projects and schemes on 1 May. Annual celebrations of such institutions and projects are also held on Maharashtra Day.{{cn|date=April 2019}}

The [[Marathi Bharatpedia|Marathi language Bharatpedia]] was started on 1 May 2003.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Indian state foundation days}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Culture of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:May observances]]
[[Category:Indian state foundation days]]

Maharashtra Day - Revision history

HesterBrewer at 08:01, 12 June 2025