Festivals of Maharashtra

Every culture has its own nuances, its own traditions, its own heritage. Very often cultures are pretty much standard across a country, but this is where India differs. Cultural beliefs, prayer rituals and traditions are vastly different over the length and breadth of this vast land mass.
Be it the colossal durga puja celebrations in Kolkata, or the total shutdown of Gujarat during the 5 days of Diwali, each region seems to celebrate festivals in its own way.

To enjoy the beauty of every festival one would have to spend a full year in a particular region of India, because no photos or videos can duplicate the sights of the place and the energy of the people during a festival celebration.

But a cultural show in Mumbai is aiming to give its viewers a full fledged feel of the festivals, in 1 hour instead of 1 year.

Utsav – Festivals of Maharashtra showcases 8 festivals of the state of Maharashtra and a Maharashtrian marriage in a period of 60 minutes.
The narrator explains the significance of certain rituals and the legends behind the festivals and the dance troupe comes on stage to enact the festivals in song and dance.

How did the elephant-headed God Ganesha get his head? Why is a bamboo pole adorned with a piece of cloth, a garland and a pitcher and hung outside every maharashtrian house? What is the reason for clay pots filled with curd, milk and prize money being hung in the streets and for boys forming human pyramids to break them? Why is a fire lit on the night before the festival of Holi?
All these and many more questions are answered during this show.

You watch in bated breath as the young Lord Krishna is lifted on top of the human pyramid to break the clay pot, and you get goose bumps all over on seeing the anger in the eyes of Goddess Durga.
The vibrant colours of the costumes and the beats of the music make you feel like a part of the celebrations and not just a bystander.

So if you’re looking to enjoy a yearload of festivals compressed into 1 hour of enjoyment and celebration, then make sure to add ‘Utsav’ to your itinerary.

Utsav – Festivals of Maharashtra:
Date: Every Saturday until the end of March 2011
Time: 7 pm
Place: Mini Theatre, Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi, Mumbai, India
Ticket prices: INR 900 (US$ 20 approx) per person
Contact: Mr. Suresh Singh Tanwar (mobile: +91 9820070925)
Email: supersic@vsnl.com
Website: www.supersonictravels.org