Varied customs and traditions co-exist peacefully in Maharashtra. The Parsee’s, Christians, Anglo-Indians, the folk population of lohars (blacksmiths), the dhangars (shepherds) and of course the fishermen and women called the Kolis, have made Maharashtra their home,
In addition, there are two major influences who, operate simultaneously in Maharashtra to mould their thinking and therefore customs. One is a strong Brahmanical influence; Pune has been and still is, to a certain extent, the center of Sanskrit learning. The second is the influence of BR Ambedkar, who introduced neo-Buddhist thoughts in the minds of the people. |
