Maharashtra is a state in the western and central peninsular region of India. It is the third-largest Indian state by area and the second-most populous, with Mumbai as its capital and Nagpur as its winter capital and the seat of the state legislature's annual winter session. The state was formed on 1 May 1960, a date observed annually as Maharashtra Day, following the bifurcation of the bilingual Bombay State into the Marathi-speaking Maharashtra and the Gujarati-speaking Gujarat.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| Region | Western India |
| Formation | 1 May 1960 |
| Capital | Mumbai |
| Winter capital | Nagpur |
| Largest city | Mumbai |
| Official language | Marathi |
| Districts | 36 |
| Divisions | Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Amravati, Nagpur |
| High Court | Bombay High Court |
| Legislature | Bicameral (Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad) |
Geography
Maharashtra is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, Gujarat and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the north-west, Madhya Pradesh to the north and north-east, Chhattisgarh to the east, Telangana to the south-east, Karnataka to the south, and Goa to the south-west. The state has three principal physiographic regions: the narrow coastal lowland of the Konkan, the Western Ghats (locally known as the Sahyadri), and the extensive Deccan Plateau to the east. Major rivers include the Godavari, Krishna, Bhima, Tapi, Wardha and Wainganga.
Administrative divisions
The state is divided into six administrative divisions and 36 districts. The Vidarbha region in the east comprises the Nagpur and Amravati divisions, and includes districts such as Gondia, Bhandara, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. Marathwada in the central-east, the Konkan along the coast, and Western Maharashtra (Desh) form the other principal cultural-geographic regions of the state.
History
The region has a long recorded history under the Satavahanas, Vakatakas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas of Devagiri and the Bahmani and Deccan Sultanates. The 17th century saw the rise of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, founded in 1674 with his coronation at Raigad. The Marathas later expanded across much of the subcontinent under the Peshwas before British dominance was established following the Anglo-Maratha Wars in the early 19th century.
Under British rule, much of the present state lay in the Bombay Presidency, with parts of Vidarbha in the Central Provinces and Berar, and the Marathwada region under the Nizam of Hyderabad. After Indian independence in 1947, the Marathi-speaking areas were progressively integrated. The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement campaigned for a unified Marathi-speaking state, leading to the creation of Maharashtra on 1 May 1960 under the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960.
Government and politics
Maharashtra has a bicameral legislature consisting of the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) and the Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council). The Governor is the constitutional head, while executive authority is exercised by the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers. The Bombay High Court, headquartered in Mumbai with benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad and Panaji, has jurisdiction over Maharashtra, Goa, and the union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Major political parties active in the state include the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena (in its successor formations), the Nationalist Congress Party (and its factions), and the Indian National Congress.
Economy
Maharashtra is the largest contributor to India's gross domestic product among states. Mumbai is the country's principal financial centre and hosts the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, and the headquarters of numerous Indian and multinational corporations. Pune is a major hub for the automotive, manufacturing, and information technology industries. The state is among the leading producers of sugarcane, cotton, oilseeds and horticultural produce, and Nagpur is well known for oranges. Major ports include the Mumbai Port and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port at Nhava Sheva.
Demographics and culture
Marathi is the official language and is written in the Devanagari script. Hindi, English, Urdu, Gujarati and Konkani are also widely spoken. The state's culture is shaped by traditions associated with the Bhakti movement saints such as Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Namdev and Eknath, and by the Warkari pilgrimage to Pandharpur. Festivals widely observed include Ganesh Chaturthi, Gudi Padwa, Diwali, Eid, Christmas, and the Pola festival celebrated by farming communities. Lavani, Powada and Tamasha are traditional performing art forms; the Marathi film industry and the Hindi film industry (Bollywood) are both based in the state.
Transport
Maharashtra has an extensive road, rail and air network. The Mumbai–Pune Expressway was India's first access-controlled expressway. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai and Pune International Airport are major aviation hubs, along with airports at Nagpur (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport) and other cities. Mumbai is the headquarters of the Central Railway and the Western Railway zones of Indian Railways, and is also the home of the Mumbai Suburban Railway, one of the busiest commuter rail systems in the world.