Formation of the western Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra; also known as "Maharashtra Day".
Maharashtra Day, commonly known as Maharashtra Din (Marathi: ) is a state holiday in the Indian state of Maharashtra, commemorating the formation of the state of Maharashtra in India. from the division of the Bombay State on 1 May 1960. Maharashtra Day is commonly associated with parades and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history and traditions of Maharashtra. It is celebrated to commemorate the creation of a Marathi speaking state of Maharashtra.
Gujarat (, Gujarati: [ˈɡudʒəɾɑt] (listen)) is a state on the western coast of India with a coastline of about 1,600 km (990 mi) – longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula – and a population of 60.4 million. It is the fifth-largest Indian state by area and the ninth-largest state by population. Gujarat is bordered by Rajasthan to the northeast, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the south, Maharashtra to the southeast, Madhya Pradesh to the east, and the Arabian Sea and the Pakistani province of Sindh to the west. Its capital city is Gandhinagar, while its largest city is Ahmedabad. The Gujarati people of India are indigenous to the state and their language, Gujarati, is the state's official language. The economy of Gujarat is the fifth-largest in India, with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹16.30 trillion (US$210 billion) and has the country's 10th-highest GSDP per capita of ₹213,936 (US$2,800). Gujarat ranks 21st among Indian states in human development index. The state traditionally has low unemployment and is widely considered one of the most industrially developed states of India and a manufacturing hub.The state encompasses 23 sites of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation (more than any other state). The most important sites are Lothal (the world's first dry dock), Dholavira (the fifth largest site), and Gola Dhoro (where 5 uncommon seals were found). Lothal is believed to have been one of the world's first seaports. Gujarat's coastal cities, chiefly Bharuch and Khambhat, served as ports and trading centres in the Maurya and Gupta empires, and during the succession of royal Saka dynasties in the Western Satraps era.
Along with Bihar, Mizoram and Nagaland, Gujarat is one of four Indian states to prohibit the sale of alcohol. The Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat is home to the only wild population of the Asiatic lion in the world.