Maharashtra Day 2019: From history to celebrations, all you need to know about the state holiday

What is Maharashtra Day?

First day in the month of May holds special significance for the state of Maharashtra as the existing state was formed on this day about 59 years ago when it was divided from Bombay in 1960. To commemorate this day, people of Maharashtra celebrate 1 May as the Maharashtra Day or Maharashtra Diwas, which also coincides with the International Labours’ Day.

Maharashtra Day: History and significance

The state of Bombay formerly comprised of speakers of different languages such as Marathi, Gujarati, Konkani and Kutchi.

During the mid-1950s, a movement known as the Samyukta Maharashtra Andolan started demanding a separate Marathi-speaking state while Mahagujarat Movement aimed at the formation of a state for Gujarati-speaking people. The protests and clashes came to an end in 1960 with the Bombay Reorganization Act. The act passed by India’s Parliament led to the official division of the multilingual state of Bombay into modern day states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, with Gandhinagar and Mumbai serving as their respective capitals.

The legislation came into effect on 1 May, 1960. As the division took place on linguistic lines, following it, Maharashtra comprised of areas where speakers of Marathi and Konkani language resided while Gujarat dominated the Gujarati and Kutchi speaking people.

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How is the day celebrated in Maharashtra?

Since then, every year on 1 May, Maharashtra Day is celebrated in the state. This day is observed as a public holiday for government offices, banks, stock markets and educational institutes. It is also a dry day in the state.

The governor of Maharashtra addresses a large gathering at Shivaji Park in Dadar to commemorate the formation of the day. With it, the state government and private sector also launches new projects and schemes. Private celebrations including traditional lavani performances and Marathi poem recitations also take place.