The Gazetteers Department

Most of the holidays and festival days in honour of deities or saints observed by Hindus in other parts of Maharastra are observed by Jalgaon Hindus also. Every month has one or other of such days. Some of these are fasting days also, such as Ekadasi and Maha Sivaratri. One or other day in the week is also a fasting day for some. This depends more or less on family tradition or individual choice. Fairs in honour of some deities are a feature of the countryside. The following are holidays commonly observed.

Gudhi Padva.

The first day of the first half of Caitra is the new year day according to the Salivahan era and observed as such in Jalgaon. A gudhi is erected in front or on top of a house. It is a bamboo pole at one extremity of which is fastened a silver or copper pot, a silk cloth piece or a costly bodice piece and a string of flowers and so it looks like a hoisted flag. People eat early in the morning after bath a mixture of Kadulimb leaves and sugar which is supposed to have healthy action on the intestines. Heavy dinner follows in the noon and a forecast of the whole year as given by the village priest usually a gramjoshi, is heard in a temple congregation. This is one of the four highly auspicious days of the year.

Ramanavami.

The birth day anniversary of Rama, seventh incarnation of Visnu around whose life Valmiki has written the great epic Ramayana is celebrated on the 9th of the first half of Caitra. On that day people gather together at the temple of Rama and at 12 noon, the birth of Rama is announced by the Kirtankar who for the previous eight days keeps on dilating on the doings of Rama as an ideal prince. Then prasad which is usually sunthavda, i.e., powdered dry ginger and sugar mixed together is distributed. Some people fast on this day.

Hanuman Jayanti.

Almost continuous with the Rama celebration is the Hanuman festival which starts with Kirtans in Maruti temples on Ramanavami and ends on the 15th full moon day of Caitra when the birth of Hanuman is announced at day-break.

Gauri Pujan.

Hindu women are in a festive mood from the 3rd day of Caitra to the third of Vaisakha. Many homes celebrate the Gauri puja on one of these days. The idol of Amba or Parvati. picked up from among the family gods, is decked with flowers, various decorative articles in the house arc arranged about her in a corner and illumination is improvised. Women relatives and friends are invited and served halad-kunku, handfuls of wet gram or groundnut and sweets are distributed. Even men who are intimate friends and relatives are separately entertained after the women have finished. A beverage of boiled raw mangoes sweetened by gul or sugar is a patent drink on this occasion, so is sugarcane juice. Serving ice-cream is also becoming a fashion.

Aksaya Trtiya.

The third day of Vaisakha, known as Aksaya Trtiya is one of the most auspicious four days of the year. On this day peasants make a beginning of their held activities in connection with the approaching rainy season.

Vata Purnima.

This day is particularly sacred to orthodox Hindu women of all communities whose husbands are alive. It is observed in memory of the great mythological lady, Savitri, an incarnation of conjugal loyalty. She is said to have regained her lost husband from the God of Death by her penance and wit. Women worship a banian tree and distribute vayans to other women and Brahmans and remain without food and water the whole day in close imitation of Savitri.

Sravana Month Events.

The mouth of Sravana is held as particularly sacred by all Hindus and a number of fasts and festivals occur in it. The two 11th days in the first and second half of the month are fasts even for children. The same is true about the two 11th days in Kartika. Followers of the Bhagvat or Varkari school are most particular about this. All Mondays in Sravana are regarded as God Shiva's specially dedicated days. Fast is observed in the morning and evening meal is a light feast. Fridays in Sravana are observed by women as Laksmipuja days. All Tuesdays are observed as Mangalagauri worship days by married women with husbands living for live successive years after marriage. Siva is also worshipped with a handful of rice on previous Mondays.

Nagapancami.

The bright fifth of Sravana is called Nagapancami when images of cobra drawn on a put with sandal-paste are worshipped. Even clay images are used by some. In villages it is a strict non-working day for the peasantry and the artisans, and activities like digging, ploughing, cutting are stopped as being hurtful to snakes. This is also the day on which orthodox Brahmans perform the Sravani, a ritual of changing the old sacred thread and putting on a new one.

Narali Purnima.

The full moon day in Sravana is called Narali Purnima or Cocoanut day. After a sumptuous feast in the morning, men and children go to the riverside and with due ceremonial worship offer a cocoasut to the God of water, Varuna. Yajurvedis and Arhar-vavedis wear new sacred thread on this day.

Janmastami.

The dark eighth is the birthday of Krsna. It is observed in temples of Krsna in the same way as Rama's birthday is observed in Rama temples, only the time being midnight the hour at which Krsna is believed to have been born. Next day is observed in villages as a day for play and spans by young boys who are given milk and curds by householders in Krsna's memory.

Pithori Amavasya.

The last day of Sravana is called Pithori Amavasya. Some women pray to Goddess Pithori to bless their children, particularly those women whose offsprings die prematurely. It is observed as a vrata and observed throughout life.

Ganesa Caturthi.

On the 4th day of Bhadrapada comes Ganesa Caturthi when a clay image of Ganapati, painted brightly is brought from the market and installed with enthusiasm and devotion, it is an occasion for healthy merry-making for children. Ganapati is worshipped for ten days, five days or a day and a half according to family usage. Modaks or rice flour-balls, stuffed with cocoanut-kernel and gut or sugar are a special dish for this occasion as it is regarded as a favourite of this God of learning. The image is immersed in a well, pond or river according to convenience. During the last five or six decades, public Ganapati festivals have become very popular when for ten days programmes of entertainment and education are carefully drawn up and gone through. Lectures, kirtans, musical concerts, dramatic performances, elocution competitions, etc., form part of the programmes.

A day earlier to Ganesa Caturthi, Hartalikas, i.e., Parvati and her companion are worshipped in clay images by women who remain without cooked food for the whole day and live only on fruits and roots.

Gauripuja.

Rsipancami and Gauripujan follow the installation of Ganapati. Rsipancami is observed in honour of the ancient sages as a fast chiefly by Brahman women. Nothing that is grown by the labour of cattle or any animals is eaten on this day. Gauripuja is particularly popular among the peasantry. It is a dance festival for them. Gauri is Ganesa's mother.

Pitrpaksa.

The second half of Bhadrapada is dedicated to ancestor adoration. A day from this fortnight corresponding to the date on which one's father breathed his last is selected for a special sraddha ceremony and pindas (rice balls) are offered to all dead elderly ancestors. The ninth day, known as Avidhava Navami is reserved as the anniversary day for all female ancestors who died within the lifetime of their husbands and, lest there be any mistake in propitiating the spirits of the forefathers, the last day of Bhadrapada, called Sarvapitri Amavasya is set apart for invoking all of them and appealing to them for blessings. A collective sraddha ceremony for all is performed by the leader of the household.

Navaratra and Dasara.

The Navaratra festival is held in honour of the Goddess Amba for nine days beginning with the first day of Asvin and ending with the tenth day which is known as Dasara or Vijayadasami. What is called Ghatasthapana is done in almost all Hindu households in honour of Amba, Siva s consort. An earthen put is filled with water and a cocoanut is placed on top of it. it is planted on a small heap of rice and is worshipped in the customary way. A string of flowers of varied colours in hung over the top of this jar, i.e.. ghata for nine days. There are nine such strings and they are to he removed together on the tenth day.

The tenth day, Vijayadasami is one of the four most important auspicious four days in the year. Every article in the household that represents some important function or other is worshipped. Artisans and men in similar vocations are particular about worshipping their tools on this auspicious day. That is why it is also known as the ayudhapuja day. If a family has preserved old relics of weapons like the sword, musket, shield, etc., they are also worshipped. It is an auspicious day for children being put to school and to begin studies. In the afternoon villagers go out to the boundary of the town, make a heap of Apia or Sami twigs worship it under the leadership of a priest and the leader of the village and afterwards exchange the leaves among relatives and friends as gold. Younger people are expected to present this leafy gold to eiders and receive their blessings. In towns, a big ceremony like the being impossible, only social visits and exchange of Apta leaves are gone through. Dasara was regarded as a day for beginning the campaigns of Mahratha troops for the recovery of their dues.

Navanna Purnima.

The full moon day in Asvina is called Navanna Purnima or Kojagari Purnima. It is considered as practically the end of the rainy season and fresh foodgrains nearly ripen by this time. Ears of different grains are plucked and a decorative plait or arch is hung up at the entrance of a house after due worship. Symbolic eating of fresh foodgrains is also gone through. Goddess Lakshmi who symbolizes plenty is supposed to be going about on the night of this Purnima and expects everybody to be awake and gaily enjoying. She curses those who do not so. People, therefore, keep on playing at dice or cards and even indulge in betting to the accompaniment of music. Sugared milk is served to all.

Divali Festival.

By universal agreement, Divali is the biggest Hindu festivals and the illuminations that are to he seen in the households of all, whether rich or poor are an index of universal rejoicing when Divali comes. Nowadays wherever possible electric illuminations are substituted for the old earthen lamps which were burnt in hundreds. They are called Pantis. No part of the house is allowed to remain unilluminated. The festival begins on the dark 13th of Asvin known as Dhanatrayodasi. Everything is kept spick and span, sweep dishes of various kinds are prepared and women resort to a special bath with perfumes, etc. The turn of the menfolk for a similar bath very early in the morning comes on the next day known as Naraka Caturdasi. On this day Srikrsna is said to have killed the demon Narakasura. The whole day is spent in merrymaking, everybody is in a real holiday mood, people wear new clothes and even sport ornaments, and temples are visited. Fire works at night is a feature of this festival only. Or. the last day of Asvin, i.e., Amvavasya Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped in the presence of friends and guests and a prasad consisting of coriander seeds and gul is distributed besides pansupari, perfume and rose water. The next day is the first day of Kartika, on which he new year of the Vikrama Samvat era begins. Landlords, merchants and shopkeepers worship their account books as it is the beginning of their commercial year. It is also called Balipratipada. On this day, Visnu as Vamana is said to have put down the demon King Bali. On this day, wives wave a lamp before their husbands who in their turn make presents to them. The last day known as Yama Dvitiya or Bhaubeej is the brother's day. Every sister waves a lamp before her brother or brothers and gets presents. If the sister is married, the brother is expected to pay a visit to her house and give her presents. Divali is the occasion when it is customary for scattered members of the family to get together at least once a year.

Tulasi Vivaha.

The 12th day in the bright half of Kartika is known as Tulasi vivaha day. The Tulasi plant which is indispensable in every Hindu courtyard is married to Krsna with due ceremonial as if it was a human marriage. The Hindu marriage settlements season begins with this event and permission is regarded as universally granted for people to eat fresh tamarind, avalas and sugarcane. The first taste of it is given on this day.

Makara Sankranta.

The day the Sun enters Makara (the Zodiac sign of Capricornus) which as a solar incident occurs on January 14 every year but on an uncertain tithi (lunar date) in the month of Pausa is celebrated as Makara Sankranta. It is marked with a feast in the morning and in the afternoon people exchange Tilgul or halva made of sesamum and gul or sugar as friendly greeting of the season. The universal wish to maintain fraternal feelings is indicated by this exchange of sweets. The day previous to Sankranta is called Bhogi. On this day, it is customary to cat at daybreak a number of food articles in which ghee is a predominant ingredient. A preparation known as khicadi made of rice and mug pulse with the addition of a number of condiments and ghee is the main item in the menu. Newly married girls celebrate the day with a liberal distribution of some auspicious articles to Suvasinis. It can be anything useful and dainty but usually it is some uniform pot or pan, or cloth or grain.

Mahasivaratra.

On the 13th day of the second half of Magha comes Mahasivaratra, which is devoted to a fast and worship of Siva. The night is spent in singing devotional songs and kirtan is performed. Next morning a feast is held in which all participate, if it is a village. In some places, a dramatic performance also follows. Mahasivaratra is usually a community festival.

Simga or Holi.

The last festival of the year is Simga or Holi. In villages it is an occasion for general merry-making for ten days especially for the young and children. Women are conspicuously absent. From the 5th day of Phalguna, children and young men burn firewood and cowdung cakes in a heap and indulge in physical pastimes till hue every night. Purnima is the main day of the festival when the Holika goddess is worshipped with ceremony by a village leader and cocoanuts are offered to the lire. Even elderly men are present on this day and there is usually a muscial concert with dance performances by professional dancing girls. There used to he much obscene and vulgar shouting, but under the influence of modern education this practice is dying out. In the cities, the Holika festival has taken the form of social gatherings when lectures are delivered, debates held and plays staged by amateurs.

The next day known as Dhulvad is also observed as a holiday. This was a gala day for boisterous and mischievous elements for mud-slinging and wayward, vulgar talk, but now this has practically ceased to be. The 5th day of the second half of Phalguna is called Ranga Pancami. Coloured water is thrown against one another through a piston or even helterskelter and clothes are spoilt but that is to be taken as part of the game by everybody and no one complains about it. It is a day for sport events such as wrestling and other physical culture feats. Prizes are spontaneously offered to those who show special proficiency.

Public Holidays.

Besides these religious holidays the Hindus observe Indian Republic Day (26th January), Ambedkar Jayanti (14th April). Shivaji Jayanti (17th April), Maharashtra Din (1st May), Punvatithi of Lokmanya Tilak (1st August) and Independence Day (15th August) as public holidays.

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