Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant paid rich tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sanquelim on Shiv-Rajya Abhishek Day. Celebrations marking the 353rd anniversary of the Maratha king’s coronation were held across the country, including in Nagpur.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday paid rich tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Sanquelim on the occasion of Shiv-Rajya Abhishek Day and extended greetings to people on the anniversary of the Maratha king’s coronation.
Addressing the gathering, Sawant said, “I extend my heartfelt best wishes to everyone on the occasion of ‘Shiv-Rajya Abhishek’ Day.” Referring to the celebrations being held across the country, he said, “Just as the ‘Shiv-Rajya’ festival is being celebrated at Raigad today, the anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation is being celebrated with equal enthusiasm everywhere.”
Nationwide Tributes and Celebrations
Celebrations marking the 353rd anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation, observed according to the Hindu calendar as Shivrajyabhishek Din, were also held in Nagpur on Saturday.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation took place at Raigad Fort in 1674 on Jyeshtha Shukla Trayodashi. While the event is observed every year on June 6 as per the Gregorian calendar, this year’s Tithi-based celebration fell on June 27.
Devotees and followers paid tribute to the Maratha warrior king, remembering his contribution to the establishment of Hindavi Swarajya and his legacy of people-centric governance.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde paid homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and extended greetings on the occasion. “On Shivrajyabhishek Din (as per Tithi), my respectful salutations to the idol of undivided Maharashtra, Shrimant Yogi Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Heartiest wishes to all Shiv-premis on the auspicious occasion of Shivrajyabhishek Din,” Shinde posted on X.
Historical Significance of the Coronation
On June 6, 1674, he ascended to the throne in a grand ceremony as ‘Chhatrapati’, or the ‘supreme sovereign’. In the Hindu calendar, his coronation ceremony is held on the 13th day (Trayodashi) of the first fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha in the year 1596.
The coronation of any king had to be approved by the Mughal Emperor, but Shivaji challenged the Mughal authority. In this way, Shivaji was formally declared the independent King of the Maratha Empire. The coronation is also known as the ‘Shivrajyabhishek Sohala’.
Major Victories and Legacy
During the Battle of Purandhar, fought between the Mughal Empire and the Marathas in 1665, he defeated the army led by Fattekhan. In the Battle of Pratapgad, the forces of Shivaji emerged victorious over those of the Bijapur Sultanate.
Under him, the Marathas emerged as a formidable national force, challenging the hegemony of the mighty Mughal Empire in the Deccan region. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)