I was doing my own thing, taking my usual evening walk when I heard sounds of music coming from somewhere. I followed the noise and came across a huge crowd. It wasn't just a normal crowd...some were dancing weirdly wearing almost scary masks; not to mention doing weird antics and acrobatics too. It was the Gudi-Padwa carnival that I realised later. This carnival usually has parades of maharashtrian women wearing orange turbans, sun glasses along with their traditional nauvari-kasta saree and riding motorcycles; but, this was something else altogether - a spectacle! Not that I'm complaining - it freaked me out a bit - as to whats going on. Nonetheless, I enjoyed watching this aspect of maharashtrian culture too.
is that a lion and a cow?
oh..hi there...how'ya doing...nice to meet yew...whatcha carrying on your head...?
ahem...don't get too close to me puhleeze...you scare me...
forming human pyramid...
three tier pyramid...it was so tall the top guy ( touching the sky almost ) didn't come in my frame...
by evening as lights lit up, more processions followed and drum-beats grew louder...
dhol baje, dhol baje, dhum dhum dhum baje dhol...
some unique get-ups...
a 'live' durga imitation...
tribal dance of 'kolis'...
very colourful...
tutari being played in unison and tilaks offered to onlookers by performers wearing traditional marathi attire...
goddess bhavani arrives...( psst...my camera goes blind after dark, hence, the blurriness :s )
insane crowds gathered to watch the gudi padwa carnival...
almost always, all maratha festivals mandatorily has a statue of chatrapati shivaji somewhere in the background...
moi, trying to 'fit in' and make sense of it all :D
see the entire video here :-)
Well...well...sometimes, India never fails to surprise even Indians!
The Gudi Padwa festival is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, and the Gudi flag is considered to ward off evil spirits. A spring festival, it is celebrated in and around Maharashtra and is also known as the Maharashtrian 'lunisolar' New Year celebrated by marathi and konkani hindus ( wiki ).
Address : Maharashtra
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