MY MARATHI CULTURAL TOUR

MY MARATHI CULTURAL TOUR

•Marathi language

•The Hindu Religion, Hindu Calendar, Hindu Holidays

•Hindu Mythology

a.Ramayan

b.Mahabharat, Bhagavad Gita

c.The 10 incarnations of Vishnu

d.The story of Ganesh

e.The sanskars or major milestones of one’s life

•Miscellaneous Cultural Traditions

•Maharashtra History, Indian independence

THE MARATHI LANGUAGE

Marathi, as well as many other languages, originated from Sanskrit. Marathi is spoken mainly in the state of Maharashtra and also in other central regions of India. Marathi is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. In different regions and due to different influences from British rule, the nature of the language differs from place to place. Dialects bordering other major language areas share many features with those languages. Konkani, Goanese, Deccan, Varhadi, Nagpuri, Ikrani, Gowlan are various dialects of Marathi.

HINDU RELIGION, CALENDAR, HOLIDAYS

The Hindu Religion

The various people of Maharashtra practice most of the world's major religions. They include Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, Jains, Buddhists, and many more. Eighty percent of Maharashtrians are Hindus. Hinduism is both a religion and a way of life. The Hindu Religion is based on dharma, or rules for good living. Hinduism believes not only in One God, but also in His Infinite manifestations around us and within us perpetually. Realizing that it is impossible for mankind to visualize the Infinite, Hinduism presents us with His forms to help us visualize him. This belief of Hinduism is often confused with polytheism. Hinduism believes in transmigration of the soul. Such transmigration is what results in reincarnation. This, in short, is the popular theory of Karma. Karma and rebirth are interrelated concepts in Indian philosophy. According to the theory of Karma, we are all part of a cycle of births and rebirths. This cycle has no beginning nor end. We are simply experiencing the results of our own actions in our journey through this cycle. Each spoke in the cycle is a predecessor to the next spoke. The classical theory of the origins of Hinduism tracesthe religion's roots to the Indus valley civilization

circa 4000 to 2200 BC. Among the most important of all Hindu sacred texts are the Vedas. Virtually all Hindus practice rituals of daily worship, or puja. The puja that takes place at home lays the foundation of all family actions and decisions. Hinduism embraces diversity and encourages daily spiritual, emotional and artistic acts of devotion. It embraces and accepts anyone who wants to be a part of it with open arms without trying to forcibly convert anyone to it.

Hindu Calendar

The Hindu calendar is based on the lunar cycle. It too has twelve months and to compensate for the difference in the number of days to the solar calendar, every three years an extra month is added called the adhik mahinA. (corresponds with the blue moon month.) Each month starts the day after a new moon and ends on the next new moon.

The 12 marathi months are:

Chaitra usually around April-May (Hindu Calendar)

Waishakh May-June (Hindu Calendar)

Jyeshhtha June-July (Hindu Calendar)

Ashhadh July-August (Hindu Calendar)

Shrawan August-September (Hindu Calendar)

Bhadrapad September-October (Hindu Calendar)

Ashwin October-November (Hindu Calendar)

Kartik November-December (Hindu Calendar)

Margasheershha December-January (Hindu Calendar)

Paushh January-February (Hindu Calendar)

Magh February-March (Hindu Calendar)

Phalgun March-April (Hindu Calendar)

.

Tithee day of the month (according to the lunar calendar)

Purnima full moon, full moon day (Lunar month)

Amawasya no moon, no moon day (Lunar month)

Hindu Holidays celebrated:

•Gudhee Padawa

Gudhee Padawa is 1stday of the new year celebrated on the 1^st day of the month of chaitra. Traditionally people well -wish everyone and hang decorations.

•Ram Nawamee

                Ram Nawamee - on the 9^th day of chaitra

•Hanuman Jayantee

                Hanuman Jayantee - full moon in chaitra month

•Akshay Trruteeya

                Akshay Trruteeya - one of the 3 ½ days of the year that the stars are aligned in a way that you don’t have to look for a muhurata- any time is good

•Buddha Purnima

                Buddha Purnima- day Buddha was born, full moon of waishakh month

•Wata Purnima

                Wata Purnima – day that women pray for their husband’s long life and to have the same husband in their next life, full moon of the Jyeshhtha month

•Ashhadhee Ekadashee

                Ashhadhee Ekadashee - 11^th day of the Ashhadh month

•Guru Purnima

                Guru Purnima - full moon of Ashhadh- where you are supposed to honor your teachers shrawan is often considered the most auspicious month

•Nagapanchamee

                Nagapanchamee - 5^th day of Shrawan month, worship cobras, perform puja, get mendee done

•Naralee Purnima

                Naralee Purnima - full moon day in Shrawan, the day people in coastal regions would send coconuts into the ocean to appease the got of the ocean.

•Raksha Bandhan

          Raksha Bandhan - full moon day in Shrawan. That day women will tie a thread around a man’s wrist and ask them to vow to protect them. Though popularly considered a brother/sister holiday, tradition has also shown that even a wife can tie a rakhee on her husband for protection. The thread being considered a talisman of protection for both the wearer and the tie-er.

•GokuL Ashhtamee

                GokuL Ashhtamee - on the 8^th day of Shrawan (which is 8^th day after the full moon).It is the birth anniversary of Shrikrishna. Because Shrikrishna is associated with a young boy stealing butter, this festival is celebrated with earthen pots filled with curds hung high on the roads. Young people come in groups and try to break the dahee handee. “GowindA ala re ala” is the famous song sung on that day.

•Haritarika

                Haritarika - the 3^rd day of the bhadrapad where ladies do haritarika puja- to obtain a good husband and to pray for long lives for their husbands

•Ganesh Chaturthee

                Ganesh Chaturthee - The fourth day of Bhadrapad month is regarded as Ganesh chaturthee. Aratee is performed in the morning as well as in the evening. prasAd is distributed. Ganesh (also known as Ganapatee) likes the sweet dish modak. Lokmanya Tilak started this festival as a social function. A ten days utsaw is celebrated in each and every lane of towns and cities. The atmosphere is filled with people saying ‘Ganapatee Bappa Moriya.’The festival continues for different

periods – 1 ½ , 5, 7, or 10 days. The tenth day is called anant chaturdashee. For Ganesh Chaturthee different idols are made from clay. On anant chaturdashee the idols are submerged into the sea or a river with a grand procession.

•Nawaratree

                Nawaratree - the first 9 days of ashhwin are the nawaratree festival symbolizing the first nine days Lord Rama battled with the demon Rawan

•Dasara/Wijayadashamee

                Dasara/Wijayadashamee The tenth day of the month of ashwin is called Dasara. Dasara is regarded as the victory day as in Hindu mythology God Rama killed Ravana. At that time the monsoons are over and the harvests are about to begin. That is why that day people give each other leaves of the shami tree as representation of gold coins to share Prosperity. People worship weapons and vehicles also.

•Kojagiree

                Kojagiree - full moon day in ashwin people stay up to watch the full moon while drinking sweetened warm milk with saffron and almonds. It is believed that the Goddess Laxmi (goddess of wealth) is wandering on that day to bless those who are awake.

•Diwalee

Diwalee - is a group of festivals. The last two days of the ashwin month and the first two days of the kartik month together are celebrated. The festival lasts for four days. People wear new clothes, decorate their homes with lights, and prepare pharal foods (incl. Ladu, karanjee, chiwada, Tsakalee, Anarase, etc.)

1.Narakachaturdashee - This is the day that the Goddess Laxmi slaid the filthy demon Narak Asur. On this day people get up early and clean the house and then have Abhyanhsnan - massaging the body with different oils and lotions before having a bath with scented soap. Then people go to the temple for darshan and come home to have pharal.

2.Lakshmee Pujan - Inspite of it being a no moon night (Amawasya), this day is regarded as an auspicious day.

Laxmi, the goddess of wealth is worshipped. People decorate their houses with lamps as a sign to welcome the Laxmi

into their house.

3.Balipratipada - is the first day of the month of kArtik on which the wife performs “Owalanee” (waving a tray of lamps clockwise) in front of the husband. A newly married couple is invited by the girl’s father to celebrate Diwalee. People visit each other and exchange good wishes and generosity with family and friends.

4.Bhaubeedz – on this day the sisters invite their brother to their house. Sisters perform Aratee for their brother and give them sweets. Brothers give presents to their sisters.

•Datta Jayantee – Datta Jayantee full moon day in Margasheershha is called birth of the God shreedatta

•Makar Sankrant – January 14^th of every year- traditionally married women get black saris from their parents.

•Mahashiwaratree – 2^nd to last day of magh month is people worship Lord Shiva

.

•Holi - full moon day in Phalgun month. During the day people paint each other with color,throw colored water balloons and at night big bonfires are lit and burn puppets representing the demon Holika. Puran Polee is specially prepared on this day.

HINDU SANSKARS

The sanskars are the major Hindu cultural milestones or sacraments of a person’s life. There are actually 16, but the major ones are:

•(Conception)

•Dohal jewan – celebrated during pregnancy

•Janma - birth

•Barasa- naming ceremony for a baby

•Munja - marks the beginning of schooling

•Sod-munja - marks the beginning of life after education is complete

•Lagna - marriage

•Antya Sanskar - last rites

Lagna

The sacrament of marriage impresses upon a couple that Earthly life is not to be despised; rather it should be consciously accepted and elevated to the level of a spiritual existence. Marriage is a union of two souls for their own betterment, for the betterment of their progeny and relations. The Hindu wedding is not a contract; it is based upon mutual love and realization of responsibilities which must be upheld for the proper maintenance and perpetuation of the society.

The basic steps of the Hindu wedding ceremony:

•Madhuparka - welcoming the Bridegroom. The groom arrives for the ceremony with his family. The bride’s parents welcome the groom and escort him to the mandap (altar). The ceremony begins with the following invocation by the priest: “May pleasant winds enrich all the seasons, may the rivers be always filled with clean water, may the medicinal herbs be plentiful in the vegetation, may there be appropriate rainfall round the year. May this sky always keep us well provided through the sun, the plants and animal life.”

•Arrival of the Bride - The bride is escorted to the altar by her maternal uncle (Mama) and family. The bride and groom stand facing each other ready to receive blessings from the congregation. A curtain called an antarapat Antarapat is held between the couple to signify their separate identities, which will soon be merged.

•Mangalashhtaka - blessings to the bride and groom. Auspicious and benedictory verses are recited by close relatives. At the end of each verse, the congregation joins in the blessings by throwing rice on the couple. Finally,the urtain is removed at an auspicious moment called muhurta  and the couple exchanges garlands.

•Kanyadan - giving away the bride. The Bride’s mother pours water which flows from her husband’s hands through the daughter’s hands to the groom’s hands before returning to the ground, symbolizing the life cycle. The bride and groom take vows.

•Akshataropanam - expression of aspirations. The Bride and Groom in turn express their aspirations and express their agreement by sprinkling rice.

•Tying the auspicious necklace- Mangalasutra - The bridegroom places a sacred necklace around the bride’s neck as a symbol of the sanctity of marriage. The bride and groom also exchange rings.

•Viwaha hom - prayers before the sacred fire. Offerings are made and the pledges are sanctified in front of the fire god Agni, who destroys ignorance and temptations and illuminates the path to truth and knowledge. The bride and groom walk around the sacred fire.

•Bride’s brother steps forward and admonishes the groom to take good care of his sister by twisting

his ear!

•Saptapadee - Seven steps. The bride and groom take the seven symbolic steps together to symbolize their journey through life towards tranquility: “When you take the first step, you become my provider; walk the second step for us to have strength and courage; this third step is for prosperity; please take the fourth step for happiness; let us walk this fifth step for progeny; walk this sixth step for many happy seasons together; with this seventh step, our everlasting friendship is confirmed.”

•Conclusion of the Rites:  “I pray, may this sacred fire consider this ceremony to be complete. Everything here belongs to God; it is not mine. O God, you are complete; may our lives also be complete. Just as you pervade everything, may our lives be fulfilling. You are one and all; so be everything for us. You are without end; so make us like you. May there be Peace, eternal Peace.”

•Invocations and Blessings: Ashirwad “When you are absorbed in the contemplation of God, that’s the true union, the auspicious time, support of the constellations, the knowledge and fortune. Let only noble thoughts come to us from the cosmos.” The priest leads the congregation in reciting the following verses: “Come together, speak in harmony and may your minds stay in unison. May your union be enhanced through the union of your hearts, thoughts and minds. This God is complete, homogenous and infinite. From this unmanifest God, the manifestyet complete cosmos has merged. May there be Peace forever.”