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Hindus form 79.83% of the state's total population as per 2011 census. Hindus form the majority in all the districts of the state.The religion plays an important role in the lives of the Maharashtrian people in their day-to-day life. Vitthoba, along with other incarnations of Vishnu such as Rama and Krishna, Hanuman, Dattatreya, and Shaiva deities such as Shiva, Parvati, and Ganesha, are popular with Hindus of Maharashtra. The Varkari tradition holds a strong grip on the local Hindus of Maharashtra. The public Ganesha festival started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in the late 19th century is very popular. Marathi Hindus also revere Bhakti saints associated with varkari sects such as Dnyaneshwar, Savata Mali, Tukaram, Namdev, Janabai, and Chokhamela. Many religious figures from 19th and 20th century are revered. They include Swami Samarth, Gajanan Maharaj, Sai baba of Shirdi, Tukdoji Maharaj, Gondavalekar Maharaj, and Gadge Maharaj.
References
- ↑ D. B. Mokashi (1 July 1987). Palkhi: An Indian Pilgrimage. SUNY Press. pp. 110–. ISBN 978-0-88706-462-3.
- ↑ K. R. Sundararajan; Bithika Mukerji (2003). Hindu Spirituality: Postclassical and Modern. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 38. ISBN 9788120819375.
- ↑ Sujit Mukherjee (1998). A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850. Orient Blackswan. p. 145. ISBN 9788125014539.
- ↑ Maxine Berntsen (1 January 1988). The Experience of Hinduism: Essays on Religion in Maharashtra. SUNY Press. pp. 97–98. ISBN 978-0-88706-662-7.
- ↑ Hariprasad Shivprasad Joshi (1965). Origin and Development of Dattātreya Worship in India. Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. p. 101.
- ↑ Hariprasad Shivprasad Joshi (1965). Origin and Development of Dattātreya Worship in India. Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. p. 101.
- ↑ Ramchandra Dattatraya Ranade (1 January 1983). Mysticism in India: The Poet-Saints of Maharashtra. SUNY Press. pp. 214–. ISBN 978-0-87395-669-7.
- ↑ Pushkar Sohoni (30 August 2018). The Architecture of a Deccan Sultanate: Courtly Practice and Royal Authority in Late Medieval India. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-83860-928-3.
- ↑ Savitribai Khanolkar (1978). Saints of Maharashtra. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 99.
- ↑ Shantsheela Sathianathan (1996). Contributions of saints and seers to the music of India, Volume 2. Kanishka Publishers, Distributors. pp. 438–439. ISBN 9788173911118.
- ↑ R. D. Ranade (1982). Mysticism in Maharashtra: Indian Mysticism. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. p. 214. ISBN 9788120805767.