CULTURE IN WESTERN INDIA-MAHARASHTRA

The states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya pradesh and Rajasthan are culturally varied and distinct. India’s royal heritage lies west, blended around the desolate sands of the princely states. Roosting around the lap of Western Ghats, its feet are washed through the pristine waters of the Arabian Sea. Having a malleable line of swaying palm-fringed beaches that extends in the warm sands of Gujarat towards the warm hearts of Goa, the western part can be an unsurpassable charisma for every tourist.

Culture in West India has relatively high standards of just living, although the city of Bombay suffers from extreme overcrowding because of immigration from across the country and Bollywood about this land.





MAHARASHTRA


Overview-About 79% of Maharashtrians are Hindu, and there are significant Muslim, Christian and Buddhist minorities. The Maharashtrian culture consists of people from all a vast majority of religions. Due to it being huge areawise, many sub-regional cultures also exist in Maharashtra.

Cuisine

Maharashtra cuisine covers a range from mild to very spicy dishes. Wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, vegetables, lentils and fruit form staple food of the Maharashtrian diet. Some of the popular traditional dishes include puran poli, ukdiche modak, and batata wada. Misal Pav,Pav Bhaji and Vada pav are dishes that became very popular in the last fifty years. Meals (mainly lunch and dinner) are served on a plate called thali. Each food item served on the thali has a specific place. In some households, meals begin with a thanksgiving offering of food (Naivedya) to the household Gods. Maharashtrian cuisine has many regional varieties including Malvani (Konkani),Kolhapuri and Varhadhi.Though quite different, both use a lot of seafood and coconut. The staple foods of the Konkani people are rice and fish. The bhaajis are vegetable dishes made with a particular vegetable or a combination. They require the use of goda (sweet) masala, essentially consisting of some combination of coconut,onion, garlic, ginger, red chilli powder, green chillies and mustard.Depending on the caste or specific religious tradition of a family, onion and garlic may not be used in cooking.A particular variant of bhaaji is the rassa or curry. Vegetarians prepare rassa or curry of potatoes and or cauliflower with tomatoes or fresh coconut kernel and plenty of water to produce a soup-like preparation rather than bhaaji. Varan is nothing but plain dal, a common Indian lentil stew. Aamti is variant of the curry, typically consisting of a lentil (tur) stock, flavoured with goda masala, tamarind or amshul, and jaggery (gul).Among seafood, the most popular fish is bombil or the Bombay duck. All non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes are eaten with boiled rice, chapatis or with bhakris, made of jowar, bajra or rice flours. Special rice puris called vada and amboli, which is a pancake made of fermented rice, urad dal, and semolina, are also eaten as a part of the main meal.


 Attire

Traditionally, Marathi women commonly wore the sari, often distinctly designed according to local cultural customs. Most middle aged and young women in urban Maharashtra dress in western outfits such as skirts and trousers or shalwar kameez with the traditionally nauvari or nine-yard lugade, disappearing from the markets due to a lack of demand. Older women wear the five-yard sari. In urban areas, the five-yard sari, especially the Paithani, is worn by younger women for special occasions such as marriages and religious ceremonies. Among men, western dressing has greater acceptance. Men also wear traditional costumes such as the dhoti, and pheta on cultural occasions. The Gandhi cap is the popular headgear among older men in rural Maharashtra. The Kurta (a long shirt) is worn by men on special occasions. Women wear traditional jewelries derived from Maratha and Peshwa dynasties. Kolhapuri saaj, a special type of necklace, is also worn by Marathi women.In urban areas, many women and men wear western attire.




 
Performing arts

Maharashtrian artists have made major contributions to Indian Classical music. Its vibrant folk form includes Powada, Bharuds and Gondhals. Cities like Kolhapur and Pune have been playing a major role in preservation of music like Bhavageet and Natya Sangeet, which are inherited from Indian classical music. The songs from Hindi films and Marathi films are popular in urban areas.
Marathi dance forms draw from folk traditions. Lavani is popular form of dance in the state. The Bhajan, Kirtan and Abhangas of the Varkari sect (Vaishanav Devotees) have a long history and are part of their daily rituals. Koli dance (as called 'Koligeete') is among the most popular dances of Maharashtra. As the name suggests, it is related to the fisher folk of Maharashtra, who are called Kolis. Popular for their unique identity and liveliness, their dances represent their occupation. This type of dance is represented by both men and women. While dancing, they are divided into groups of two. These fishermen display the movements of waves and casting of the nets during their koli dance performances.





BY-

G.ABIRAMI

Comments

  1. imaginatively creativeFebruary 11, 2019 at 4:01 AM

    Hamsika
    Wow! This blog reminder me of the typical Maharashtra culture. The beautiful attire, the yummy cuisine and enthusiastic dance!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. imaginatively creativeFebruary 11, 2019 at 6:15 AM

    The culture of Maharashtra is always so interesting. This blog explains this culture in the most fascinated way.
    Varshaa.R

    ReplyDelete
  3. imaginatively creativeFebruary 12, 2019 at 5:05 AM

    The blog beautifully describes the state along with its culture and heritage. It is a pleasure to read.

    ReplyDelete
  4. imaginatively creativeFebruary 12, 2019 at 5:58 AM

    Thank you for this blog. Very informative. - Archita. T. Menon

    ReplyDelete
  5. imaginatively creativeFebruary 12, 2019 at 6:12 AM

    The blog is very well written and perfectly reflects the culture of Maharashtra
    Faaiqa Aisha

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CULTURE OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR CONT

Image
ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR CULTURE Andaman and Nicobar is home to many indigenous tribes and tribes that settled here from other parts of the world. Thus Andaman and Nicobar has an amalgamation of different cultures. And dances of these tribes represent the distinctness in cultures. Nicobari dance is one the most important and oldest traditional dances of Andaman & Nicobar.  It is practiced by the Nicobari tribe, who live in the Car Nicobar Island. One can witness the Nicobari dance during the Ossuary Feast, which is more commonly known as the Pig Festival. his dance is a way of showing one's respect to the departed head of the family. It is generally performed during the full moon, under the swinging palm trees. The dancers wearing coconut leaves, sway to the rhythm of traditional songs sung by the leader. One can witness many other dance forms in Andaman and Nicobar while visiting these tribes. Some folk dances can also be seen during the Island Tourism festi...
Read more

CULTURE OF EAST INDIA- ANDAMAN CONT

Image
CULTURE OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS Clothing in Andaman and the Nicobar islands Every region of India displays its own culture along with their language, religion and clothing styles. According to the Indian culture, both the men and women are expected to dress up in a civilized manner. But surprisingly enough, there still exists an isolated culture in India where people hardly care for covering their body with any clothes. Whereas modern dressing styles and ultra modern attires are ruling the multiplex markets and shopping malls in the cities of India and other parts of the world, the peasants of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are still far away from the touch of modernity. There is no such specific attire in Andaman and Nicobar islands.  Till date there are many people from Andaman and Nicobar Islands who do not wear any dress. This is mainly due to their detachment from the civilized world. The Sentinelese people still move naked in the islands.  The se...
Read more

CULTURE OF WESTERN INDIA-MADHYA PRADESH CONT...

Image
Jewellery Artists in Madhya Pradesh design beautiful gold and silver jewellery studded with precious stones and pearls. These ornaments jewellery with the enamel work which makes them look jewellery. Lac bangles and jewellery is the sunshine of Indore and Rewa Jewelry markets. Also, the heavy Rajasthani gold jewellery has a massive impact in Madhya Pradesh. The Goldsmiths forge chokers, bead, chains, earrings, and hair ornaments in the traditional designs, their forte being the Mangalsutra and Hansuli. If we focus on traditional jewellery, the tribal folks of the Bastar district are very tender to it. The use of grass, beads, and cane is excessive. The ornaments are spectacular in terms of their colour, size, and variations. The widely he ssories of the women in Bastar are   ld acceKhilli wala Kada (wrist), Daal and kavali (bangles), Taagali (necklace), Paan Wala haar (necklace), Jhumki (earrings), finger rings in spiral forms and toe rings like Bichua, Angootha,...
Read more