The Maharashtra government has declared a holiday on September 29 to mark the simultaneous occurrence of Anant Chaturdashi — the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi — and Eid-e-Milad — celebrated as the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. Both the occasions are coinciding this year on Thursday (September 28), which was already declared a state holiday for Anant Chaturdashi. This means two consecutive state holidays will be clubbed with Saturday and Sunday (September 30 and October 1), and then with a national holiday — Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 (Monday) — culminating in a five-day weekend and good news for office-goers in the state.
The announcement has been made to facilitate crowd control and smooth management of processions, which are taken out on Anant Chaturdashi as well as Eid-e-Milad in Mumbai and other parts of the state. Muslim leaders had requested the state government to declare September 29 as a state holiday for the same reason. A delegation of All India Khilafat asked chief minister Eknath Shinde to find a solution to it, a statement said.
“The delegation has requested that a holiday be declared on Friday, September 29, so that the police can make arrangements for the processions on both days (September 28 and 29). The state government has decided to announce a government holiday on Friday as well,” Shinde said.
Here’s how it will be a five-day weekend:
September 28, Thursday: Anant Chaturdashi
September 29, Friday: Eid-e-Milad (government-declared holiday)
September 30, Saturday
October 1, Sunday
October 2, Monday: Gandhi Jayanti
The State Govt has declared public holiday on Friday 29th Sept on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad.This decision has been taken in the wake of Anant Chaturdashi and Eid e Milad falling on the same day i.e. tomorrow on 28th.All India Khilafat Committee has requested CM…— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) September 27, 2023
Shinde appealed to people to maintain peace. “On Anant Chaturdashi, we offer our heartfelt devotion to Lord Ganesha. Even during the immersion process, we must maintain discipline and a peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
He added: “In the past ten days, the arrival of Lord Ganesha has created an auspicious atmosphere. In the upcoming days, we have festivals such as Eid, followed by Navratri, and Diwali. All of us should celebrate these festivals with unity and devotion, further enriching the state’s traditions.”
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