Maharashtra Day & International Workers Day – 1st May

May 1st is celebrated as Maharashtra Day, commonly known as Maharashtra Din in the state of Maharashtra, and International Workers Day throughout the world. However, for Maharashtrians and Marathi people, it is the day to celebrate the rich history and culture of the state.

The significance of 1st May

On May 1st, 1960, the Bombay State was divided into two states, viz. Gujarat and Maharashtra. The division was made based on the language. The struggle to form the Maharashtra state was great and cost many lives. Therefore, it is one of the most important dates in the history of independent India.

The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement was instrumental in this struggle. After five years of reckless fight, the people who were part of this movement finally tasted victory. The most important part of this struggle was to include Mumbai (then Bombay) in Maharashtra. People mainly led the movement from poor and middle-class families. Keshavrao Jedhe, Prabodhankar Thackrey, Acharya Atre, Senapati Bapat, Shahir Amar Shaik, S. A. Dange, and others were the prominent leaders of this movement. 106 people have laid their lives to retain the pride of Marathi speaking people. Therefore, as proud citizens of the Maharashtra State, we must not forget these sacrifices and try to contribute to the progress of society. 

How is the 1st of May celebrated in Maharashtra? 

May 1st is a public holiday in Maharashtra. The special day is celebrated with great vigor and joy by hosting cultural events, festivals, singing shows, and folk dances. Every year, a parade is organized in the Shivaji Park, Mumbai and the governor gives a speech after the parade. The state government usually announces public welfare schemes and inaugurates developmental projects on this day. The people celebrate this day by drawing Rangolis and paying homage to those who gave lives to form the Maharashtra state. 

We see that even today, there are many problems in our society. While many people don’t have access to proper medical services, the suicide of farmers is a major concern for the state establishment. If all the people come together and join forces as they did to form Maharashtra, concrete solutions can be found to these problems. 

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