In Maharashtra, Dasara festival is celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Ashwin (which falls in October) according to the  Hindu Calendar. These three and a half days in the Hindu Lunar calendar are considered very auspicious. On the day of Dasara, the deities installed on the first day of the Navratri are immersed in water. People visit each other and exchange sweets.

People worship the Apta tree (Piliostigma racemosum) and exchange its leaves (known as golden leaves) as a symbol of gold wishing each other a bright and prosperous future. The tradition of exchanging Apta leaves is symbolic of Raghuraja, an ancestor of Rama and Kubera. Many artisan communities ritually worship tools of all kinds and they are given rest on this specific day. The saffron-coloured Marigold are particularly associated with and sold in significant quantities during this festive period. They are used for both worship and decorating homes and work-places.

On this day people also ritually cross the border of their community in a ceremony known as Simollanghan. This practice has its roots in the idea that this day is an auspicious one on which to start new ventures. In ancient times kings used the feast of Dasara to cross the frontier and fight against their neighbouring kingdoms. Thus Dasara also marks the beginning of the war season.