Maharashtra is the third largest state of India in terms of land area and second largest in terms of population in India.It has a long history of Marathi saints of Varakari religious movement, such as Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Chokhamela, Eknath and Tukaram which forms the one of bases of the culture of Maharashtra or Marathi culture. Maharashtra had huge influence over India under the 17th-century king Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj of the Maratha Empire and his concept of Hindavi Swarajya which translates to self-rule of people. The state of Maharashtra spans multiple cultures which includes cultures related to Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, etc. Lord Ganesha, Maruti, Mahadeo in form of Shivlinga, Khandoba, Kalubai devi, and Lord Vitthal are some of the deities worshipped by Hindus of Maharashtra. Maharashtra is divided into 5 regions: Konkan, Paschim Maharashtra, North Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha. Each has its own cultural identity in the form of different dialects of Marathi language, folk songs, food, dress and ethnicity.

Around 80% of Maharashtrians are Hindu, and there are significant Muslim, Christian and Buddhist minorities. The Maharashtrian culture consists of people from all a vast majority of religions. Due to it being huge areawise, many sub-regional cultures also exist in Maharashtra. The sub region of Vidarbha, was earlier a part of Central Provinces and Berar, hence it has that influence upon its culture. There are many temples in Maharashtra, some of which are thousands of years old. These temples are constructed in a fusion of architectural styles borrowed from North and South India. The temples also blend themes from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cultures. The temple of Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur is the most important temple for the Varkari sect. Other important religious places are the Ashtavinayaka temples of Lord Ganesha, Bhimashankar which is one of the Jyotirling (12 important Lord Shiva temples). Near Sambhajinagar are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and famous tourist attractions. Mughal architecture can be seen in the tomb of the wife of Aurangzeb called Bibi Ka Maqbara located at Sambhajinagar. Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra and has humid climate throughout the year. The Gateway Of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Shaniwar Wada, Agakhan Palace and Deekshabhoomi are some of the historical monuments. Maharashtra has a large number of hill, land and sea forts. Forts have played an important role in the history of Maharashtra since the time of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Some of the important forts in Maharashtra are Shivneri, Raigad, Vijaydurg, Pratapgad, Sinhagad. The majority of the forts in Maharashtra are found along the coastal region of Konkan and the adjoining Sahyadri ranges.

Gudhi Padwa is celebrated as the first day of the Hindu year. Gudhi is symbol-characterized by bamboo stick with a coloured silk cloth and garlanded with flowers and sweet a top. Ganesh Chaturthi is the most important festival in Maharashtra. It is celebrated for ten days with huge fun fare. Banganga Festival, Bhaubeej, Elephanta Festival, Ellora Festival, Ganga Dashahara, Jivti Puja, Kalidas Festival, Kojagiri Pournima, Maharashtra Day, Naga Panchami, Narali Pournima, Pola, Shiv Jayanti and Vat Pournima are some of the important festivals of Maharashtra. In Diwali, kids build a replica of a fort, known locally as 'Killa', as a tribute to Maratha King Shivaji. They are made of mud and rocks and decked with mustard shoots, mavalas or toy soldiers, toy cannons and miniature animals.

The day of Gudhi Padwa is considered to be the beginning of the Hindu New Year. Shukla Pratipada of Chaitra month is called Gudhi Padwa or Varsha Pratipada or Ugadi (??????). The Hindu New Year begins on this day. The meaning of 'Gudhi' is 'Victory Flag'. It is said that Shalivahana defeated the powerful enemies (Shakas) with an army of clay soldiers. As a symbol of this victory, Shalivahana Shaka starts from this day. 'Yugadi' is made up of the words 'Yuga' and 'Adi'. This festival is celebrated as 'Ugadi'.Karnataka and 'Gudhi Padwa' in Maharashtra. Chaitra Navratri on this day begins.