Maharashtra's Festivals Shopping and Economy

Fairs and Festivals:

There are about 1,700 towns, village sites and sacred spots where fairs and festivals are periodically held. Most of these are annual fairs, though some towns have more than one fair in honour of local deities. Regional distribution of the fair centres shows an interesting correspondence with local relief and the distribution of rural settlements. More significant is the seasonal rhythm of the associated Shravan (August) as a tryambak in Nashik district. The short break between the kharif and the ensuing rabi season marks a minor 'peak' with Dassera, Kartiki and Datta Jayanti as the important occasions. The major season, however, is the one that extends from the end of the harvest until the beginning of the south-west monsoon. This comprises broadly the period from late January to May. Maghi Purnima and Chaitri Purnima, Maha Shivaratri, Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, and the days of feast associated with deities such as Tuljapur Bhavani, Jejuri Khandoba, Siddeswar, and saints like Changdem Goroba, Nivritti Nath, Muktabai, Eknath and Narsainh Saraswati belong to this period. To rural Maharashtra, this is the season of comparative rest from work on the soil, and a season of marriages, festivals and visits to family deities and sacred places.

The beginning of the rainy season on the plateau is marked by the most famous wari (pilgrimage) of Ashadhi, from Alandi to Pandharpur via Pune, Saswad and Phaltan, which is a unique experience to the participants. It is a movement of devotees, surprisingly orderly and neat, merging followers of all castes and creeds, rich and poor, and carrying the palanquin of Sant Dnyaneshwar to the shrine of Pandurang in all humility and unquestioning faith. As in other forms of social and economic organisation, the fairs and festivals show, up to a limit, a kind of hierarchy in status. Nashik, as a pilgrim centre, enjoys a national status, and receives its periodic strength through the Adhik Mas and Sinhastha fairs. At the regional level are the fairs at Pandharpur, Tuljapur, Shikar Shingapur, jejuri, Alandi, Karanja, Ramtek, Vani, Paithan and Pali, to mention the more important ones. The smaller fairs are locally important both in the number of visitors and in the area from which they come. Some of them are specialised centres for the sale of livestock and local commodities.

Economy:

In terms of economy, Maharashtra is one of the leading Indian states; where the co-operative movement has spread its early roots far and wide into the countryside. In the agricultural section, there are the marketing and warehousing societies, the co-operative farming and lift irrigation societies, the milk, fisheries, and the poultry and piggery co-operative societies. Forest labourers have their own societies for their labour contracting services. Handloom weavers’ co-operatives supply the raw material required, process them and sell the finished product. In the industrial sector, setting up of industrial estates has been a welcome move for dispersing industry into smaller units and for avoiding concentration in already crowded places. Mumbai-Pune region has been a concentrated industrial estate of unusually vast proportions, holding many industries within its com- pass. Mumbai, being the chief port for import and export, is where the major part of the country's import and export activities takes place. The Atomic Energy Establishment and The Tara pore Atomic Power Station are proud achievements of Indian scientific thought that win appreciation from all people who come visiting. Maharashtra is a place, where there is scope of every kind of industry to flourish.

Handicrafts:

Maharashtra's handicrafts include carved brass and copper pots, black woodcarving, tortoise-shell carving, inlay work and pottery. Mumbai produces India’s finest finished leather goods. Shoes, bags, wallets, jackets, belts, pouches, briefcases, short and long coats compare favourably with those sold at major fashion centres of the world, but at just a fraction of their costs. ’Kolhapuri Chappals' which is the favourite footwear for people of all ages are tough, elegant, extremely durable slippers made of buffalo hide. The most imaginative range of silverware both in contemporary and age-tested classic designs are available in Mumbai; jewellery, cigarette cases, goblets, plates, glasses, cutlery, serving dishes, ’paan’ boxes and vases are all available in silver.

Shopping:

Maharashtra offers a plethora of shopping delights. As Maharashtra is a vast state, every region and every district has its own specialty. There are marketplaces lo suit every type of pocket. Chor Bazaar, Mutton Street and Zaveri Bazar are some of the important shopping areas. The shopping arcades of five-star hotels like Oberoi and Taj Mahal offer a good variety of up-market items. In central and suburban Mumbai, the Dadar, Bandra-Linking Road, and Juhu Road areas are good spots for shopping. Colaba and Flora Fountain (Hutatama Chowk) sell items like ethnic artefact’s and also harbour a lot of departmental stores. State emporiums at the World Trade Centre, at Cuffed Parade are perfect for buying souvenirs, rare artefacts and textiles. The prices at the Central Cottage Industries Emporium (Apollo Bunder) and Khadi Village Industries Emporium (D.N. Road) cannot be bargained, but the quality is genuine. In Aurangabad, himroo shawls, mashroo and kimkhab weaves are the popular buys that also make excellent souvenirs, one can't overlook the well-known, fine paithani silk sarees.

The silver inlay craft of Bidriware too is world famous. Shopping in Pune too is like that of Mumbai. Jewellery, Maharashtrian traditional wares, pearl nose ring, necklace and the nine-yard sarees are available at Tulsi Garden. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar or Deccan Gynikhana is another place for good shopping, while Mahatma Gandhi Road is a place with big stores. Kolhapur is popular for its cotton textiles, in particular - the Kolhapuri sarees. This city is also popular for its jewellery and leather sandals or Kolhapuri chappals. Kolhapur is also famous forits special type of necklace called Kolhapur saaj. This jewellery is very special to Maharashtrian women. Har and malas, mohanmal, borinal, chaplahar, kolhapuri saaj, pohehar and putlihar are the other jewellery items made in Kolhapur. These names are derived from the peculiar shapes of the jewels. Thushi, a choker with closely bound tiny gold beads, is also very popular in Kolhapur. In Nagpur, Sitabuldi, WHC Road, Dharampeth Road, Residency Road (Sadar) are famous for shopping. Poonam Chambers in Chhindwara Road is a shopping mall for branded as well as non-branded clothes, shoes, super bazaar buys, gifts and cards, jewellery shops, furniture, snacks and fast food, and music. Nagpur is famous for its world-class oranges. Orange products like jam, jelly, marmalade and fruit squash can also be purchased here. In Nashik, one can find a wide varieties of little brass statues and beaded necklaces everywhere.