Maharashtrian culture:

Tribes
Attire
Cuisine
Folk music
Dance

Ethnicity:
The Marathi people or Maharashtrians are an IndoAryan ethnic group of India that inhabits the
Maharashtra region and as well as some border
districts such as Belgaon and Karwar of Karanataka
and Madgaon of Goa states in western India.
Their language, Marathi, is part of the southern
group of Indo-Aryan languages.
Although their history goes back more than two
millennia, the community came to prominence when
Maratha warriors under Shivaji Maharaj established
the Maratha Empire in 1674.

Tribes:
Artisan castes: There are several artisan castes such as Sutar
(carpenters), Mali ( florists/gardeners), Kumbhar (potters),
Sonar (swarnakar / goldsmiths), Teli (oil pressers), Gurav
(temple priests) and Nabhik (barbers). These communities fall
under the Other Backward Class (OBC) classification.
Agri
Bhandari
Brahmin
Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu - Traditionally considered to be
a well-educated Kshatriya-Brahmin community.
Dhangar - Today it is classified as a Nomadic Tribe by the
Government of India
Maratha - The Marathas were traditionally considered to be
Kshatriya in the Hindus. The founder of the Maratha Empire,
Shivaji, belonged to this caste.
Matang
Pathare Prabhu
Wani

Attire:
Mens:Dhoti and phetta is the most common dress of
Maharashtra men. Wearing dhoti dates back to historical
times; it is in fact part of cultural heritage of the state.
A shirt or a trouser is worn along with dhoti; sometimes they
prefer to wear a bandi over their shirts. This, in combination
with a turban or "pheta" adorns their heads. Gandhi topi is to
be worn on special and religious ocassions.
Dhoti is generally made up of a piece of cotton that is about
2-3 meters long. The turban is also known by the names
"patka", "rumal" etc.
The style of wearing differs from region to region. The
Brahmin men allow at least 5 tucks of dhoti in their waist with
two tucks in front and rear.
Kolhapuri brand is the most famous. As economy of
Maharashtra is still agrarian, preference is given to ethnic
footwear.

Footwear: kolhapuri Chappal

( Sandals)

 Womens: Pune, Paithan and Kolhapur are

some of the ideal places to shop for
typical women in Maharashtra for
clothing.
Paithani, Kasthi-Nauwari (Nine yards
sari), Kaata-padrachi (Padar/palu is of
golden work done with threads of
minimal embroidery or fancy)

 They call the sari as sadi or lugade. It covers about

half the length of the back.
Its width varies between 42 to 45 inches and it has
two length wise borders, called as 'kanth' or 'kinar'.
It has also two borders breadth wise at both the ends,
which is called as 'padar'.
One side is more decorated than the other.
The Maratha Brahmin ladies and ladies of other classes
too wear this lugade with the hind pleats, which are
tucked into the waist at the center of backside.
The decorated end is thrown over the left shoulder.
The traditional Maharashtrian accompaniment with
nine yard saree and the choli.

Kaatapadrachi sari

Nauwari Sari: Nau-Nine,WariYards

Paithani sari:

Cuisine:
Maharashtrian (or Marathi) cuisine is
cuisine of the Marathi people from the
state of Maharashtra in India.
Maharashtrian cuisine covers a range
from being mild to very spicy dishes.
Wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, vegetables,
lentils and fruit form staples of
Maharashtrian diet.

Diversified types:
Meat preparations:
Mutton Kolhapuri
Taambda rassa (red
curry)
Mutton Kolhapuri
Pandhra rassa (white
curry)
In Maharashtrian
cuisine, soups are
consumed along with
the main course.

Soups:
Dal Soup called Amti or
Varan made mainly with Toor
dal or other Split beans such
as Mung or Chickpea.
Kadhi- This soup is made
from a containing Buttermilk
and Chickpea flour. It is
mainly served with Khichadi,
boiled rice or as part of the
Thali.
Solkadhi - This soup
prepared from coconut milk
and Kokam and is a specialty
of cuisine from the coastal
Konkan region
Tomato saar Maharashtrian spicy tomato
soup
Kokam saar - Soup prepared
from dried fruit of Kokam
(Garcinia indica)

Sweets:

Puran Poli: It is one of the most popular sweet item in the

Maharashtrian cuisine. It is made from jaggery (molasses or gur),
yellow gram (chana) dal, pain flour, cardamom powder and ghee
(clarified butter). It is made at almost all festivals. A meal
containing puran poli is considered "heavy" by Marathi people.
Modak: is a Maharashtrian sweet typically steamed (ukdiche
modak).,Modak is prepared during the Ganesha festival around
August, when it is often given as an offering to lord Ganesha, the
elephant-headed God, as it is reportedly his favorite sweet. For
more info, visit . Modak can also be fried with various sweet
stuffings.
Basundi: Sweetened dense milk dessert.
Amras: Pulp/Thick Juice made of mangoes, with a bit of sugar if
needed and milk at times.
Shrikhand: Sweetened yogurt flavoured with saffron, cardamom
and charoli nuts.
Ladu:These are popular snack in Maharashtra traditionally
prepared for Diwali. There are a number of different ladus based
on semolina, gram flour or bundi.
Pedha: Round ball made up of khoa, sugar and saffron.

Sides:

Vada pav
Misal Pav
Thalipeeth
Theecha
Jhunka,
Bhakar

Folk Music:
Abhangas- Basically in Sanskrit,
devotion to God/Godess
Bhajans
Lavani- Music for tamhasa dance.
Gondhal- Rebelious tune for Godesses
and Gods.
Powada- Dhangar tribe music.

Dance:
Lavani-The word Lavani derived from Lavanya, meaning
beauty. This form is a combination of dance and music,
which is dealt with different and varied topics such as
society, religion, politics, romance, etc.
Powada-This dance form describes the events in the life
of the great Maratha ruler, Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj.
Koli dance- Performed by fishermens/womens, coastal
regions.
Dhangar Gaja-As the Dhangars of Sholapur district of
Maharashtra herd to green pastures for grazing for
their cattle, they become acquainted with the nature.
Inspired by the scenic beauty, they compose poetry,
called ovi writing about the nature and their God Biruba.