Maharashtra Facts for Kids

Map of Maharashtra, Republic of India

Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र) is a large state in India. It is the third biggest state in the country by size. Only one other Indian state has more people living in it. The main language spoken here is Marathi. Mumbai is the capital city of Maharashtra. The name 'Mumbai' comes from the city's old name, Mumbapuri.

Maharashtra is located on the western side of India, right next to the Arabian Sea. Seven other Indian states share a border with Maharashtra. The state covers a huge area of about 118,530 square miles (306,993 square kilometers). This makes it bigger than countries like Italy, but smaller than Oman. In traditional Indian geography, it is part of the West Indian region. Maharashtra also has more businesses than any other state in India.

Culture and Traditions
Images for kids
See also

Culture and Traditions

Symbols of Maharashtra

State bird: Yellow-footed Green Pigeon
State animal: Indian Giant Squirrel
State tree: Mango
State flower: Jarul

Most people in Maharashtra follow Hinduism. This faith has a big influence on the culture of the state. You can find many temples in Maharashtra, some of them are very old. The way these temples are built mixes styles from both North and South India. They also show ideas from Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain cultures.

Maharashtra is also home to many historic forts. Famous ones include Raigad and Pratapgad. These forts were very important during the early days of the Maratha Empire. There are also sea forts, like the one at Sindhudurg.

Music, Literature, and Entertainment

The folk music of Maharashtra is very diverse and interesting.

One of the earliest and most important Marathi books is Bhawarthadeepika. It is also known as Dnyaneshwari and was written by Dnyaneshwar. Religious songs called bhajans, written by Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, and Namdev, are still very popular today. Modern Marathi literature also has famous writers and poets. Some of these include P. L. Deshpande, Kusumagraj, Prahlad Keshav Atre, and Vyankatesh Madgulkar. Many new books are published in Marathi every year.

Most of the plays, movies, and television shows in Maharashtra are made in Mumbai. Actors often work in all these different areas. Some important people in the movie world are Dadasaheb Phalke, Dada Kondke, Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Mahesh Kothare, and V. Shantaram. Early Marathi theatre had great writers like Kolhatkar, Khadilkar, Deval, Gadkari, and Kirloskar. They wrote musical plays called Sangeet Naatak. The music from these plays is known as Natyasangeet. Famous actors from that time included Bal Gandharva, Keshavrao Bhosle, Bhaurao Kolhatkar, and Dinanath Mangeshkar.

Some popular Marathi television channels are Mi Marathi and ETV Marathi. They show many different types of programs. These include soap operas, cooking shows, travel shows, funny political shows, and game shows.

Food and Clothing

The food in Maharashtra changes depending on where you are in the state. People living in the Konkan region, near the coast, eat more rice and lots of fish. In eastern Maharashtra, people eat more wheat, jowar (a type of millet), and bajra (another type of millet). Other common foods in Maharashtra include lentils, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, chilies, garlic, ginger, and aamras (a sweet dish made from mango pulp). Many people also enjoy eating chicken and mutton.

In the past, women traditionally wore a long sari, and men wore a dhoti or pajama with a shirt. Today, in cities, women often wear other clothes like Salwar kameez (dresses from Punjab). Men in cities usually wear trousers and a shirt.

Sports and Festivals

Cricket is extremely popular in Maharashtra. Many people play it, and even more love to watch it. Kabaddi is another popular sport. Children often play traditional games like Viti-Dandu and Pakada-pakadi (which is similar to Tag).

Hindus in Maharashtra follow the Saka era calendar. Many festivals are celebrated here. Some of the main ones include Gudi Padwa, Diwali, Rangapanchami, Gokulashtami, and Ganeshotsav.

Ganeshotsav is the biggest festival in Maharashtra. It lasts for ten days and honors Ganesha, the Hindu god of learning and knowledge. People celebrate it with great respect and joy throughout Maharashtra. This festival has also become popular in other parts of India.

Images for kids

Late Harappa figure from Daimabad hoard, Indus Valley civilization
2nd century BCE Karla Caves are a group of Buddhist caves near Lonavala
Bibi Ka Maqbara, a replica of the Taj Mahal, was built during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb
Statue of Shivaji opposite Gateway of India in South Mumbai
The Bombay-Poona Mail Train of the GIPR company in 1907
Dried up the Godavari at Puntamba, Ahmadnagar district after a poor Monsoon
A Bengal tiger in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai. Hinduism is the dominant religion in Maharashtra
Mantralaya or administrative headquarters of Maharashtra state government in South Mumbai
The Bombay High Court, one of the oldest high courts in India
Mumbai is a major contributor to the economy of Maharashtra
Freshly grown sugarcane, agriculture is the second leading occupation in Maharashtra
Mumbai–Nashik Expressway
Students at a state-run primary school in Raigad district.
Founded in 1887, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) is one of the oldest engineering colleges in Asia
Situated in Pune, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune was established in 1948 after the Indian independence.
Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (Agricultural University) at Akola
A Primary Healthcare center in the village of Amboli in Pune district
Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station, the state's power production source
Maharashtrian Vegetarian Thali
Misal Paav, a popular dish from Maharashtra
A Girl and a Woman dressed in traditional Maharashtrian Nauvari lugada (nine-yard sari)
Lavani performance
Playwright Vijay Tendulkar
P L Deshpande (in center), one of the most popular authors in Marathi language
Times of India building in Mumbai
Children playing cricket in a farm outside the village of Chinawal in Jalgaon.
Night-time skyline of Downtown Mumbai at Nariman Point
Ganeshotsav festival in Pune
Khandoba mandir of Lord Khandoba in Jejuri
Venna Lake at Mahabaleshwar
Indian Tigers at Tadoba Tiger reserve
Pandharpur, a Hindu pilgrimage centre in the state

Maharashtra facts for kids

Contents