Maharashtra and red Zone Culture

 Maharashtra

The history of the City Mumbai is rich with a great number of historical events, from trade to colonial eras that have shaped its identity and culture. Its present-day traditions have evolved over centuries, and it takes pride in its regional and geographic distinctions as well. These distinctions are not only shared outside the capital but within. As a result, many areas with different traditional customs survive on within the city itself, and each area has its own unique and distinctive name. One such area is red zone. This article will explain red zone history, red zone culture, current status and importance, and make recommendations for how this zone can be made more accessible and attractive to all and sundry. Although there are several similarities between these two terms, this term red zone is used primarily to mean the entire area of Greater Bombay or surrounding areas of Maharashtra (including Thane, Aurangabad, Raigaon, Nagpur, Pune, etc.). Red zone’s full name is Shiv Sena Mahalaya Sanghatya Vadhavan Yojana (SSVM) as originally defined by the government, an organization charged with promoting economic development and equity of people, especially in developing indigenous industries and social inclusion. The SSVM is headed by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray, who also heads Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology. The SSVM was a state-level project financed and administered through grants by the federal government until October 2013. Since 2015, this initiative has been overseen by the Ministry of Minority Development and Employment under PMI (Ministry of Minority Development). From 2014 onwards, the SSVM has been integrated with Indian Enterprise Agency (IEA), the Department of Human Resources (DHR), and other agencies and ministries which aim at helping improve employment opportunities

and empowerment of women. Amongst others, IEA provides financial support for

microenterprise projects, entrepreneurship, self-employment, training courses, community participation, etc. In addition, DHR offers vocational guidance, vocational placement services, rehabilitation education services, and job counselling. All these activities require funding and advisory support from non-governmental organizations, governments, private

sector business entities, etc., which often come up with their own initiatives to enhance socio-economic development and social inclusion

Red Zone Culture

Red Zone culture can be described as being multi-cultural as people from anywhere in the world may frequent red zones of India (from Nepal and South Africa to Australia), and they speak different languages. It is home to diverse groups of local communities, including those from the country’s aboriginal tribes, religious communities, indigenous societies,

minority groups, ethnic minorities, and some elements of immigrant communities. Some of this cultures overlap with other parts of India, for example, Sikhism. Also speaking of red zones, cultural heritage sites are common in places like Marathaswaram (Tamil Nadu), Ambattur (Maharashtra), Nandedar (Maharashtra), Koli district (Maharashtra), etc., where most locals reside. Other cultures include; Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikkism, Shinto,

Jainism, Ayurveda, and Zoroastrianism. However, the tradition of following any one

indigenous religion is quite rare. There are no distinct communal identities in the city of

Maharashtra and the rest of the country but many of the traditional practices do hold strong roots. Religious tourism is one of them. Tourism to red zones is growing rapidly owing to excellent infrastructure across the region, and the wide array of tourists visiting the region as well. For instance, Tola in Satara district can boast of 2 million tourists annually, while nearby Khadadi and Karakul is known for its historic temples; both attract

thousands of visitors. Thus, the red zone of the Maharashtra is increasingly becoming a

tourist destination for local as well as international tourists. At this juncture, it is important to know red zone cultures and learn more about them so that the red zone can continue being a wonderful place to visit, experience and explore.

Modernity versus Old Traditionalities

Historically speaking, red zones were less developed economically than major cities of

Europe, North America, and Asia. They were largely inhabited by nomadic tribes and

hunter gatherers whose survival depended on hunting wild animals, and trade as their

main source of livelihood. Traditionally, red zones had a weak military defense, and there were few formal institutions governing political life; although an army contingent became established soon after the British arrived in 1803 during his rule in Madras Presidency, it never existed anymore. Additionally, traditional red zone economies suffered from lack of industry, insufficient technology, and unfavorable climatic conditions. While early 19th century developments changed everything, the modern era came along in 1920s, 1940s,

1960s, and 1970s and started making massive contributions towards building the quality of the economy.

Red Location

Red means “black” in Hindi, while yellow means “white” in English, thus, when red zone boundaries are drawn, the color of the boundary can be anything from black to white depending on circumstances of the location. However, red zone boundaries have traditionally been colored white because many locals identify themselves as Indian/Indian, implying that they believe Indians have the right to live in the red zone freely. Such a sentiment is however not shared amongst the majority who have migrated to the region and settled there. Nevertheless, the general belief of Indians being considered immigrantsis widespread among red zone inhabitants, a circumstance that continues to affect the economy and culture, and thus, culture, of red zone area.

Red Zone Geography And People

Red zone is composed of 7 districts namely; Aurangabad, Raigaon, Karnataka, Deveer,

Satara in central Maharashtra, Thane District, Akola in north-east Maharashtra, Amravati in south-central Maharashtra and Gokarna in south-central Maharashtra. Of course, the seven districts are subdivided into sub districts: Kalgaon, Aurangabad District, Sonegiri District, Rachol in Ahmednagar District, Ashwobhan in Deveer districts, Bhosari in Saurashtra Metropolitan Region, etc. Also, there is a division of the seven districts into three districts (or a total of eight): Aurangabad–Karnataka–Sonegiri, Aurangabad district, Karnataka

district.

In Aurangabad district alone, approximately half of its population is engaged in agriculture, and thus, many red zone residents engage in farming activities. Similarly, most red zone households consist of husband and wife, children, dogs, and horses. In addition, there are numerous vendors and markets in Aurangabad including coffee shops, vegetable, fruit, fish

market, food market, ice cream parlors, souvenir stalls, etc. Moreover, red zone’s climate can be divided into high and low temperatures, and thus, different types of crops such as mustard, sweet corn, peanuts, soybeans, chillies, tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, and papaya, etc. are grown and consumed every day in this hot and dry climatic zone. More importantly, red zone’s flora and fauna are varied, and are mainly found in coastal and hilly areas, which

have abundant forests and vegetation. In general, red zone dwellers have long hair (in men and women), small stature and slim figure. Besides, red zone’s cuisine is mostly spicy and vegetarian, as well as alcoholic beverages are common to eat. With regards to clothing, red zone garments, dress code, and etiquette, red zone residents’s clothes are comparatively conservative. Unlike in most metros, red zone residents and their dressing codes are very loose and often casual,

Red Zone Identity And Culture Today

Red zone identity of individual differs widely depending on the geography and the people inhabiting the area. Nonetheless, since everyone speaks different languages in the red zone, people speak different tongues. For instance, Gujarati and Malayalam are widely spoken, and thus, most red zone inhabitants speak either one or the other language (if they even know it). Likewise, red zone inhabitants practice Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Yoga, etc. Generally speaking, people belong to different religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. Religion plays a very significant role

in daily life and communication. Even though most of the red zone people follow orthodox, there are also Parsis and Gypsies, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs,

Presbyterians, Anglicans, Franciscan Church, and Roman Catholics, as well as Buddhist

monks and nuns. Therefore, since most red zone people are Muslims, some of them also

practice Christian practices. Religious practices in the red zone are also varied, from pre-Islamic rituals to postcolonial Hindu practices (especially Buddhism) and Islam. Regardless of differences in religion, red zone people share beliefs and values such as honesty, forgiveness, compassion, love, courage, tolerance, peace, and justice, together with egalitarianism, justice, equality, accountability, freedom, personalization, responsibility,

tolerance, justice, and tolerance. When talking ofred zone identity, one should mention its emphasis on honoring tradition and preserving original traditions, particularly in maintaining and protecting ancestral rites, and upholding ancestral rights. Also, red zone inhabitants do not usually drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and generally use mosquito repellents, and, unlike their counterparts in most parts of India (except for Kerala where smoking is strictly illegal), red zone natives do not drink liquor at home. Consequently, red zone lifestyles are relatively simple to understand, and are easier to maintain.

Red Zone Potential

Red zone potential and culture can be improved by facilitating its promotion and marketing efforts, encouraging tourists

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Maharashtra before the Times of Shivaji Maharaj part 2

Village (Mauja) : Most of the people lived in villages. A village was also called mauja. The chief of the village was the Patil. He used to try to bring maximum land under cultivation. When there was any dispute in the village, the Patil resolved it and made peace. A Kulkarni helped the Patil in his work. The Kulkarni kept the record of the revenue that was collected. There were various artisans in the village. They had hereditary rights regarding their occupation. The peasants gave a share of their agricultural produce to the artisans for the services they rendered to the village community. This share was known as baluta. At the beginning of the seventeenth century CE, most of the territory in Maharashtra was under the control of Nizamshah of Ahmadnagar and Adilshah of Bijapur. The Mughals had entered Khandesh. Their objective was to expand their power in the south. There were settlements of Siddi people, who had come from Africa, along the coastline of Konkan. The competition and conflict amongst the Portuguese, the British, the French and the Dutch, who had come from Europe, was getting intense during this period. There was stiff competition amongst them to capture the markets for trade. The Portuguese had already established their rule in Goa and Vasai on the western coastline. The British, the Dutch and the French had found an entry through the medium of trading companies by setting up factories. All these powers assessed the strength of other powers, kept themselves safe and tried to dominate as much as possible. This conflict had created instability and insecurity in Maharashtra. These different people from Europe were called Topkar' on the basis of their customary headgear. It is necessary to get acquainted with the village (mauja), Kasba and pargana to understand the nature of settlements in that period as also of the officers that formed a link between the rulers and their subjects, and also the markets and the craftsmen. Pargana was made up of many villages. Generally, the headquarters of a pargana was called 'Kasba'. A village smaller than a Kasba was called 'Mauja'. Let us get acquainted in brief with Village, Kasba and Pargana respectively.

Kasba : A kasba was like a big village. It was usually the headquarters of a pargana, e.g., Indapur kasba of Indapur pargana, Wai kasba of Wai pargana were the headquarters of those parganas. Agriculture was the main occupation. There were skilled artisans like carpenters, blacksmiths, etc. in a kasba. There was usually a market (peth) adjacent to a kasba. The Shete and Mahajan were the watandars of the peth. Every village did not necessarily have a peth. The setting up of a peth was the job of the Shetes and the Mahajans. For that, they received some land from the government and some rights from the villagers. The Mahajan maintained the accounts of the peth.

Pargana : Many villages together made a pargana. But the number of villages was not the same in all parganas. For example, the Pune pargana was a big pargana. It consisted of 290 villages. There were 64 villages in the Chakan pargana. The Shirwal pargana was small. It had only 40 villages. The Deshmukh and the Deshpande were the watandar officers of the pargana. The Deshmukh was the chief of patils in a pargana. The Deshmukh did at the pargana level, what the Patil did at the village level. The Deshpande was the chief of all Kulkarnis in the pargana. The Deshpande did at the pargana level, the work that Kulkarnis did at the village level. These watandar officers were the link between the people and the government.

       In case of enemy invasion or drought, these watandars represented the grievances of the people to the government. Sometimes, these officers misused their powers. They collected more money from the people than was due or did not remit the money so collected to the government in time. On such occasions, the people suffered harassment.

      calamity of a famine: Agriculture was dependent on rainwater. The If it did not rain, crops would fail. The prices of foodgrains rose. It became difficult for the people to get foodgrains and other things. There was no fodder for the cattle. Water became scarce. It became difficult for people to live in the village. They were forced to leave the village. A famine was a great calamity for the people.

    A great famine occurred Maharashtra in 1630 CE. People were greatly distressed due to this famine. It A in has been described in these words "People were ready to sell themselves for a piece of bhakri, but there was nobody to buy them'. There was a severe scarcity of foodgrains. Entire families were destroyed. Cattle and farm animals died. Agriculture was devastated. The famine put an end to industries. All financial transactions came to a standstill. People had to wander to faraway regions in search of a livelihood. It was a great challenge to bring back to normalcy, the devastated life of the people.

The work of the Varkari movement: Society was greatly influenced by blind beliefs and rituals. People had become fatalistic and inert. They had lost all initiative. The condition of the common In such people circumstances, the Sants in Maharashtra endeavoured to inspire the masses. was miserable.

         In Maharashtra, the tradition of Sants which began with Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Namdeo was carried on by Sants coming from various strata of the society. People from all strata of society were part of the Sant tradition. For example, Sant Chokhamela, Sant Goroba, Sant Sena, Sant Sawata, Sant Narhari, Sant Shaikh Muhammad, etc. Sant Chokhoba's wife Sant Soyrabai, and sister Sant Nirmalabai, Sant Muktabai, Sant Janabai,  Sant Kanhopatra, Sant Bahinabai Siurkar and other women were also among them. Pandharpur was at the centre of the Sant movement. Vitthal was the object of their worship. On the banks of the river Chandrabhaga at Pandharpur, the Sants and pilgrims (varkari) used to rejoice in their devotion (bhakti). There, equality was propagated through bhajans, keertans, and unity meals (kala).

  Sant Namdeo : He was a great Sant of the Varkari movement . He was a skilled organiser . He performed excellent keertans as well . He awakened the sense of equality in men and women belonging to all castes through the medium of keertans . His pledge was ' नाचू कीर्तनाचे रंगी । ज्ञानदीप लावू जगी ।। ' His abhanga compositions Sant Namdeo are well - known . Many Sants as well as common people were influenced by his teachings . He went up to the Punjab , propagating his thoughts . His compositions are included in the ' Guru Granth Sahib ' of Sikhs . He propagated the message of Bhagwat religion in all quarters . He built a memorial to Sant Chokhamela at Pandharpur . His work is unforgettable .

Sant Dnyaneshwar : He was a great Sant in the Varkari movement . He wrote the ' Bhavartha - deepika ' or ' Dnyaneshwari ' which elucidates the meaning of the Sanskrit ' Bhagavad Geeta ' He also composed the * Amrutanubhav ' . He preached the importance of the path of devotion through his works and compositions . He showed a simple way of worship and conduct which the common people could follow easily . He gave the prestige of a religion to the Varkari movement . Though his life was spent in extremely adverse circumstances , he never lost the calm of his mind and never harboured bitterness His * Pasayadaan ' in Dnyaneshwari uplifts the mind . The poetic compositions of his brothers Sant Nivruttinath and Sant Sopandev and sister Muktabai are well known .

are Sant Eknath : He was a great Sant of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra . His compositions many and diverse , They include abhanga , gavalana , bharud , etc. He has stated Bhagvat Dharma in detail and in a simple manner . He has portrayed people's life in Bhavarth Ramayana through the story of Ram . He explained in Marathi , the Bhakti part of the Sanskrit work ' Bhagwat ' . His abhangas show the warmth of devotion . He demonstrated through his own conduct that there is no need to renounce worldly matters for attaining the highest truth , Paramarth . He was a teacher of the people in the true sense of the term . He believed that our Marathi language was inferior to no other language . He asked the Sanskrit Scholars forcefully . संस्कृत वाणी देवे केली । तरी प्राकृत काय चोरापासुनि झाली ? ' He heavily criticised those who hated other religions .

Sant Tukaram : He belonged to Dehu near Pune . His compositions or abhangas are very pleasing and lucid , reaching the greatest poetic heights . His ' Gatha ' is a precious treasure of the Marathi language . He asks us to find  God by showing love to the unhappy and the tormented in the following lines : * का रंजले गांजले । त्यांसी म्हणे जो आपुले । तोचि साधु ओळखावा । देव तेथेचि जाणावा ॥ ' With this viewpoint , he threw in the river Indrayani , the documents of the loans that people had borrowed from him and freed many poor families from the bonds of loan . He criticized the hypocrisy and superstition in the society in very strong terms . He stressed that devotion ( Bhakri ) should be coupled with morality . His teachings can be summed up as ' जोडोनिया धन उत्तम व्यवहारे । उदास विचारे वेच करी || Some dogmatic people opposed the social awakening that he had undertaken , and sank his abhangas in the Indrayani . Sant Tukaram faced the opposition with noble courage . Sant Tukaram's disciples and associates were of different castes and creeds . They include Navji Mali , Gavnarshet Wani , Santaji Jagnade , Shivba Kasar , Bahinabai Siurkar and Mahadajipant Kulkarni . An important task completed by Gangarampant Maval and Santaji Jagnade was writing down the abhangas of Sant Tukaram .

Work of Sants : Sants gave the message of equality to people . They taught humanity . They preached that people should live together in harmony , unity and love . Their work resulted in social awakening . They taught how to live in the face of foreign invasions , drought - like situations or any other natural calamities . Their teachings proved to be a big support for people . Their work created self - confidence among the people of maharastra. 

There was a deterioration of ethics and religion in the society . At such a time , the Sants came forward to protect the society . They taught the true meaning of religion . They showed the path of devotion by living amongst people and sharing their joys and sorrows . Some orthodox and dogmatic people opposed them . But the Sants believed that facing this opposition was a part of their duty Sant Tukaram has explained the mark of a true Sant in these words - ' तुका म्हणे तोचि संत । सोशी जगाचे आघात । '

The Sants elucidated the complex dharma of the scholars ( Shastris and Pandits ) in the language of the people . They prayed to God using simple , everyday terms . They took the view that all are equal before God . They taught society to do away with the pride arising out of caste and varna and see everyone as God's children . A characteristic of the Sants was that they did not forget their duties on the path of devotion . They found God in their work . Sant Sawata said , ' कांदा मुळा भाजी । अवघी विठाई माझी ॥ ' This statement refers to farm work but applies to work in all walks of life . The Sants carried on with their duties even as they were engaged in devotion , teaching and composing verses . They developed the moral sensibilities of the society .

Ramdas Swami : 

He was from Jamb in Marathwada . He explained the importance of physical fitness to the people , ' मराठा तितुका मेळवावा । महाराष्ट्र धर्म वाढवावा । ' I ' This message of Ramdas Swami is famous . He gave practical education and lessons in good conduct through his works like Dasbodh , Karunashtaka , Manache Shlok . He stated the importance of people's movement and organisation and founded the Samarth Sampradaya . Chaphal was the centre of this Sampradaya . He propagated the worship of Ram and Hanuman . He travelled far and wide to propagate his thoughts .

Inspiration for independence during foreign rule : Such was the political , social , cultural , situation , etc. in Maharashtra before the times of Shivaji Maharaj . In that period , Maharashtra was under the control of Adilshahi and other powers . It was not independent . Even so , some personalities and streams of thought were dreaming of freedom . Among them , Shahaji Maharaj , who is considered to be a visionary of Swaraj was on the forefront

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starting of swarajya

We call Shivaji Maharaj a great man. We celebrate his birth anniversary with great pomp and reverence. It is a happy day for you children. You sing songs and 'powadas' in his honor. You garland his picture and say 'Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai'. Who was this Shivaji Maharaj? What was the great work he did that we celebrate his birthday every year? The time in which Shivaji Maharaj lived was that of the medieval period. In those days, monarchy or the rule of kings prevailed everywhere. Many of the kings pursued their own pleasures and enjoyments instead of the welfare of their subjects. But even in those days, there were some kings who looked after the welfare of their subjects. The Moghul Emperor Akbar in the North and Emperor Krishnadevraya of Vijaynagar in the South are famous in history for their benevolent rule. Likewise, Shivaji Maharaj also commands great respect even today. Shivaji Maharaj established Swaraj in Maharashtra. Swaraj means self - government, our own rule. For about four hundred years before Shivaji, Maharashtra was not free. A large portion of it was under the rule of the Nizamshah of Ahmadnagar and the Adilshah of Bijapur. These two Sultans had divided Maharashtra among themselves. Their officers ruled Maharashtra on their behalf. These two Sultans, Adilshah and Nizamshah, were narrow in their outlook and oppressed the people over whom they ruled. They were also swom enemies of each other. They constantly fought against each other with the result that the people suffered and were harassed. ThePeople could not get enough to eat, nor could they celebrate their festivals or worship their gods openly and freely. They were not sure of safety even in their own homes. There was injustice everywhere. In Maharashtra there were many Watandarslike Deshmukhs and Deshpandes who owned Jagirs. They loved only their Jagirs and not their country. This constant fighting among them brought great misery to the people. There was misrule everywhere. People were tired of this oppression and were very unhappy. Shivaji saw all this. He undertook the noble task of establishing Swaraj in Maharashtra which would bring happiness to the people. He first brought to book the Watandars who fought among themselves. He then used them in his plan to establish Swaraj. He fought against the Powers that oppressed the people, and defeated them. He established "Hindavi Swaraj 'based on justice, fair play and equal treatment to people of all castes and religions. Shivaji made no distinction between Hindus and Muslims. He honored the saints of all religions and sanctioned annual grants for them. We draw inspiration from These noble deeds of Shivaji. During a period of about three to four hundred years before Shivaji, many saints were born in Maharashtra. Their work helped Shivaji in his successful effort of establishing Swaraj. We shall see in the next chapter what these saints did.

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