About Maharashtra Day
Maharashtra Day, or Maharashtra Din, marks 1 May 1960, when the Bombay Reorganisation Act split Bombay State and Maharashtra was born as a Marathi-speaking state with Bombay as its capital. It is a public holiday across Maharashtra, marked with a parade at Shivaji Park in Mumbai and tributes at Hutatma Chowk. In 2027 it falls on Saturday, 1 May 2027.
Maharashtra Day has no puja and no special dish. It is a day of state pride: flags, a parade, the state song, and a stop at a memorial in south Mumbai for the people killed so that Mumbai would belong to the new state.
Why is Maharashtra Day celebrated on 1 May?
Maharashtra Day is on 1 May because Maharashtra came into being on 1 May 1960. Before that, Marathi and Gujarati speakers lived in one large bilingual state, Bombay State, which from 1 November 1956 stretched from Kutch and Saurashtra to Vidarbha and Marathwada. Parliament passed the Bombay Reorganisation Act in April 1960, and on 1 May it split Bombay State in two. That is why Gujarat Day falls on the same date.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru formally inaugurated the new state at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai, now renamed Lok Bhavan. Sri Prakasa became Maharashtra's first Governor, and Yashwantrao Chavan, who had been Chief Minister of the bilingual state, became its first Chief Minister. Bombay, the city at the heart of the fight, became the capital.
The Samyukta Maharashtra movement
The state was won through a long and at times bloody campaign called the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. Samyukta means united, and the demand was one state for Marathi speakers with Bombay as its capital. The city was the sticking point. The States Reorganisation Commission had recommended a bilingual state, and a strong lobby wanted Bombay kept apart from both language groups.
- 1946The demand takes shape
A Marathi literary conference at Belgaum calls for a united Marathi state.
- 21 Nov 1955Firing at Flora Fountain
Police fire on demonstrators in Bombay's Fort area. The square is later renamed Hutatma Chowk.
- 16–22 Jan 1956Protests over Bombay
Nehru announces that Bombay city will be run by the Centre. A week of protests and bandh follows, and more than 80 people are killed in police firing.
- 6 Feb 1956The Samiti is formed
The Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti is set up at Tilak Smarak Mandir in Pune, with S. A. Dange as president and S. M. Joshi as general secretary.
- 1 Nov 1956A bigger bilingual state
Bombay State is enlarged to take in Marathi and Gujarati regions. The agitation goes on.
- 1 May 1960Two states
The Bombay Reorganisation Act comes into force. Maharashtra and Gujarat are born.
The Samiti brought together parties that rarely agreed on anything: the Communist Party, the Praja Socialist Party, the Peasants and Workers Party and the Republican Party. Acharya P. K. Atre used his newspaper *Maratha* to attack the central leadership, and the writer Annabhau Sathe was among the cultural figures who campaigned for it. Morarji Desai, Chief Minister of Bombay State at the time of the firings, was widely blamed for them and was replaced by Chavan.
Not every demand was met. Belgaum, Karwar and nearby Marathi-speaking areas stayed with Mysore State, now Karnataka, and the border dispute is still open.
Hutatma Chowk: 105 or 106?
Hutatma Chowk, "martyrs' square", is the junction around Flora Fountain in Mumbai's Fort area. A statue of two figures dressed as a farmer and a worker, holding up a flame, stands there, because the movement drew its strength from both. Behind it is a wall with the names of the dead, the words "Jai Maharashtra" in large letters, and an eternal flame that burns all year.
The number you will see most often is 106, the count on the memorial wall and in most accounts. But sources differ. Some histories give 105 deaths in the struggle for Bombay city, while others count 106 across the whole agitation and across the state. If you want to mention the dead in a public message, "the martyrs of Samyukta Maharashtra" is accurate and avoids the argument.
On the morning of 1 May the Chief Minister lays a wreath at Hutatma Chowk, and leaders of almost every party in the state visit through the day.
How is Maharashtra Day marked?
The main state function is at Shivaji Park in Dadar, officially Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park. The Governor unfurls the national flag, inspects a ceremonial parade of state police and other forces, and gives an address. Flags are also hoisted at district headquarters across the state, and schools, colleges and offices hold their own short flag ceremonies, often with songs and essay contests.
Since 2023 the flag hoisting has had its own music. "Jai Jai Maharashtra Maza, Garja Maharashtra Maza" ("Victory to my Maharashtra, roar, my Maharashtra"), written by the poet Raja Badhe, set to music by Shrinivas Khale and sung by Shahir Krishnarao Sable, was approved by the state cabinet on 31 January 2023 and adopted as the official state song on 19 February 2023, Shivaji Jayanti. A shortened two-stanza version is played at government events and, on Maharashtra Day, right after the national anthem. The government asks everyone who can to stand for it.
A few practical points for the day:
- Holiday: 1 May is a public holiday in Maharashtra, so state offices, schools and banks close. Elsewhere in India it is a normal working day unless that state has its own 1 May holiday.
- Markets: the BSE and NSE are based in Mumbai, and the stock markets close for Maharashtra Day.
- Dry day: the sale of alcohol is banned for the day in liquor shops, bars, hotels and restaurants across the state. Don't plan an office party with drinks.
- Labour Day: 1 May is also Labour Day, *Kamgar Din* in Marathi. Many Marathi wishes combine the two: "Maharashtra ani Kamgar Dinachya hardik shubhechha".
What to write on Maharashtra Day
The standard Marathi wish is "Maharashtra Dinachya hardik shubhechha" (महाराष्ट्र दिनाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा), which means "heartfelt wishes on Maharashtra Day". "Jai Maharashtra" works as a greeting or a sign-off. Writing it in Roman letters is fine.
A good message names something real: a town, a song, a person, the mango season. A Marathi friend in New Jersey or Dubai wants a line that smells of home, not a history lesson.
Maharashtra Dinachya hardik shubhechha, Aai-Baba. I know Baba will have the Shivaji Park parade on TV and will sing along to "Garja Maharashtra" louder than the band. Calling you after lunch.
Jai Maharashtra from Pune. It's 39 degrees, the hapus has arrived and your Aaji is asking when you're coming home. Maharashtra Dinachya hardik shubhechha, wherever you are.
Happy Maharashtra Day to you and your family. Enjoy the holiday; the report can wait till tomorrow.
Maharashtra Dinachya hardik shubhechha, Kaka. You were in Bombay the year Maharashtra was born. Tell us again what the city was like that May.
Maharashtra ani Kamgar Dinachya hardik shubhechha. A salute to the hutatme of Samyukta Maharashtra, and to everyone whose work keeps this state running.
Maharashtra Dinachya hardik shubhechha to every family in our mandal. Thank you for keeping Marathi and our festivals alive so far from home. Jai Maharashtra.
Gujarat Sthapana Divas ni shubhechha from your Marathi friend. Our states share a birthday, 1 May 1960, so today we both celebrate.
- Maharashtra Din
- Marathi for Maharashtra Day.
- Hardik shubhechha
- Heartfelt wishes; the usual Marathi greeting for any happy occasion.
- Hutatma
- A martyr; hutatme is the plural.
- Shahir
- A folk balladeer of Maharashtra who sings powada, songs of heroes and history.
- Aai, Baba, Aaji, Kaka
- Mother, father, grandmother, uncle (father's brother).
- Hapus
- The Alphonso mango, grown along the Konkan coast and in season in May.
Do
- Use the Marathi line even if your Marathi is basic; Roman letters are fine.
- Wish every colleague in Maharashtra, whatever language they speak at home. The holiday is everyone's.
- If you mention the martyrs, do it plainly and with respect.
Avoid
- Don't use the day to reopen the Belgaum border dispute or language debates in a family or office group.
- Avoid party symbols and slogans in a wish meant for everyone.
- Don't confuse it with Gudi Padwa, the Marathi New Year in March or April.
How to wish someone on Maharashtra Day
A good Maharashtra Day wish is about Marathi pride and the people who fought for the state. "Maharashtra Dinachya hardik shubhechha" is the standard Marathi line, and "Jai Maharashtra" works as a sign-off. For Marathi friends abroad, name the town, food or song they miss. The same day is Labour Day, so a line for workers fits, and a word for the martyrs of Samyukta Maharashtra should be respectful, never casual.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Marathi.
When is Maharashtra Day in 2026 and 2027?
Maharashtra Day is on 1 May every year. Only the weekday changes.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
When is Maharashtra Day in 2027?
Maharashtra Day 2027 falls on Saturday, 1 May 2027.
Why is Maharashtra Day celebrated on 1 May?
Maharashtra Day is celebrated on 1 May because the Bombay Reorganisation Act came into force on 1 May 1960, splitting the bilingual Bombay State into Maharashtra and Gujarat. Maharashtra was formed as a Marathi-speaking state with Bombay, now Mumbai, as its capital.
How do you say Happy Maharashtra Day in Marathi?
In Marathi, Happy Maharashtra Day is "Maharashtra Dinachya hardik shubhechha" (महाराष्ट्र दिनाच्या हार्दिक शुभेच्छा), meaning heartfelt wishes on Maharashtra Day. Because 1 May is also Labour Day, many people write "Maharashtra ani Kamgar Dinachya hardik shubhechha" and end with "Jai Maharashtra".
How many people died in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement?
Sources give either 105 or 106 deaths in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement between 1955 and 1960. The memorial at Hutatma Chowk in Mumbai lists 106 names, while some histories count 105 deaths in the struggle for Bombay city.
What is the state song of Maharashtra?
The state song of Maharashtra is "Jai Jai Maharashtra Maza, Garja Maharashtra Maza", written by Raja Badhe, composed by Shrinivas Khale and sung by Shahir Krishnarao Sable. It was adopted on 19 February 2023 and is played after the national anthem at Maharashtra Day flag hoisting.
Why are the stock markets closed on Maharashtra Day?
The BSE and NSE are based in Mumbai, and 1 May is a public holiday in Maharashtra for Maharashtra Day, so the stock markets close for the day. Banks and state government offices in Maharashtra also close.
Is 1 May a dry day in Maharashtra?
Yes, 1 May is a dry day across Maharashtra because of Maharashtra Day. Liquor shops, bars, hotels and restaurants cannot sell alcohol that day.
Last verified by the Kehdoo team on .