Pune: Hindavi Swarajya Mahotsav 2024 – Big Festival Depicting Inspiring History Of Maharashtra To Be Held At Junnar

Sandhya Garaware Khandare

Pune, 15th February 2024: Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj laid the foundation of the Maratha empire by establishing efficient progressive administration with his discipline and ideals. He implemented and created innovative concepts in war strategy and defence science. It was great Shivaji Maharaj who invented Guerrilla warfare, a new warfare style. We are celebrating 394th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who is an idol of Maharashtra who is worshipped like a deity on February 19th. This day also marks 350th year of coronation of Shivaji Maharaj and various events are being organized throughout the state to celebrate it. To mark the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on February 19th 2024, the tourism department of the Maharashtra Government along with Pune district administration has organized celebrations in Junnar city between February 17th and 19th 2024.

Would provide a boost to development of Forts – Tourism Minister Girish Mahajan

Tourism Minister Girish Mahajan said that history of Marathi empire and culture is around more than 400 forts in the state. To conserve this rich heritage and culture we are celebrating Hindavi Swarajya Mahotsav on February 19th with various events for three days. Appealing people of the state to participate in these events, Minister Mahajan informed that there are forts on hills, forts on plane land and forts in sea which have different set of rules and laws of the state government and the Union Government.

He expressed the need for development of forts which have not been registered, recorded and documented other than those which have been registered with the state and the Union Government as well as those which are under the custody of private owners. Stating that the state government is giving priority to fort development related works, he said that to boost fort tourism, Caravan camping along with tent camping and virtual reality aided presentation about the history of forts would be provided at the foothills of all the forts. There are works related to creating history exhibitions with the help of sculpture are also being undertaken and all these works are done under tourism policy. Pointing out that there are 11 forts and hills in the state which are in the list of World heritage he said that the tourists all over the world would visit Maharashtra which would boost tourism in the state. He informed that through district annual plan, CSR funds and regional tourism schemes a boost would be provided to forts development.

Hindavi Swarajya Mahotsav big celebration

Tourism department is organizing various events based on the calendar to boost tourism and last year 3-day Hindavi Swarajya Mahotsav 2023 was celebrated in a big way.

This year also various events such as cultural programs, tent cities, wrestling and Rangoli competition, trekking exhibition, food festival along with temple visit, lake stay is also organized in Hindavi Swarajya Mahotsav 2024. Through these events, the state government is making an effort to take our glorious history and rich culture to coming generations.

Conservation and development of forts in the state

The rulers in the Maratha empire created history with their valour and there are many forts giving the evidence of past glory in various parts of the state including Sahyadri ranges, the Deccan Plateau as well as Konkan coastline which carry geographic and cultural importance. There are 400 historical forts and all these forts are big tourist attractions since they are built on plain land as well as on hill ranges and even in the sea.

The Archaeological Survey of India has 47 forts in its custody while the state archaeological survey department has 51 forts with it. Other than these forts, there are 337 forts registered with the revenue and forest department of the state government and it also includes a few forts which are owned by private owners. There are separate sets of rules and laws of the state and the Union Government regarding conservation and development on these forts. Efforts are being made to avail permissions for the conservation of forts in the state from the Union Government.

There is a need for development of forts which are out of this list of forts registered with the state and the Union Government as well as those of private owners. Various developments including the approach road till the foothill of the fort, information centre for the tourists, parking facility, toilet blocks beautification and a centre for selling local products and food items would be given priority by the state government. The fort development would be provided a fillip through district annual plan, CSR and regional development plan.

Efforts to be made for development of Fort Shivneri

Many decisions have been taken under Tourism Policy 2016 for the developments at Fort Shivneri which is the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The agricultural tourism Centres have been given registration certificates. Under tourism policy 2016, various concessions are given to special tourism areas and Junnar Taluka is declared as a special tourism area on March 21, 2018.

There are efforts being made so that amendments would be made in laws of the Union Government to enable development at Fort Sinhgad on the lines of Fort Raigad. The state government is considering giving priority to works like approach road till the foothill of Fort Shivneri along with information centre giving information on life and work of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, display boards giving detailed information, toile blocks, light and sound show, beautification of the adjoining areas.

Future plans for forts

The state government is making efforts to organize picnics of school and college students so that the new generations are given information about forts and history. Organizing NCC, NSS and MCC camps at forts, afforestation with the help of local bodies, promoting homestay near forts and publicity of forts at National and international level is also being planned.

The forts which witnessed valour of Sri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would become world heritage

UNESCO has been requested to recommend inclusion of 11 forts which witnessed the valour of Sri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the World Heritage list. The proposal by the state government in this regard has been accepted by the Union Government and has recommended the same to UNESCO. It includes forts Raigad, Shivneri, Lohgad, Salher, Khanderi, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijay Durg, Sindhu Durg and these forts which are witness to valour and leadership of Chhtarapati Shivaji Maharaj are underway in the process of coming in the list of World Heritage for the year 2024-25.

Museum and Theme Park based on Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj life and work

Since it is the 350th year of coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the deputy chief minister and finance minister of the state Devendra Fadnavis in his budget speech of 2023-24 had announced setting up museum and theme park at five places giving information about life and work of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It includes Chhtrapati Shivaji Maharaj Theme Park and museum at Gorai, Buldhana, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Nashik and Ramtek.

The unauthorized structures at Gorai in Mumbai on MTDC lands have been removed and at this place, on the 25 acres of land, a war museum depicting war strategy along with the Navy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would be built. Rajmata Jijau Museum at Buldhana, Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Museum at Sambhaji Nagar, Chhatrapti Shivaji Maharaj Museum giving diplomatic prowess of Shivaji Maharaj at Nashik and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hindavi Swarajya museum at Ramtek have been provided with allocation of Rs. 50 crores each.

These museums, Shiv Srushti, gardens and Theme Parks would provide a rich experience to coming generations about the glorious history of Rajmata Jijau, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj.

Creating Shiv Srushti at the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Taking the fact in to account that every tourist visiting Maharashtra wants to know about and experience history of Chharapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Shiv Srushti would be designed and at Shivneri a museum named Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bal Sanskar Museum would be built which would provide information about the values inculcated during the childhood. The Shiv Srushti would be created on 16.89 hectares R of land at Mauje Vadaj, Taluka Junnar District Pune and the entire life and work of Chhatrapti Shivaji Maharaj would be given to the tourists.

Various activities are undertaken through the tourism department of the state government along with local administration so that new generations come to know about the valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and historic forts of Maratha empire along with its history. So, let’s become a participant of Hindavi Swarajya Mahotsav 2024 celebrations and let’s become witness to the unforgettable moments of this festival.

(Sandhya Garaware Khandare is Department Liasoning Officer from Directorate General of Information and  Public Relations (DGIPR))