Mumbai BJP organises 'Shiv Aarti' and 'Shiv Jallosh' after UNESCO confers status to Shivaji forts

Mumbai, July 12 (IANS) To celebrate UNESCO’s move to confer the prestigious ‘Maratha Military Landscapes’ World Heritage status on 12 forts built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of ‘Hindavi Swarajya’, the Mumbai BJP will organise Shiv Aarti and Shiv Jallosh (festive celebrations) at 106 locations across Mumbai on Sunday.

The celebrations kicked off today with a grand celebration at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park honouring the milestone in Maharashtra’s cultural legacy. The forts built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are not merely architectural marvels - they stand as enduring symbols of the valour and vision that defined Hindavi Swarajya.

With UNESCO granting World Heritage Site recognition to these 12 iconic forts, Maharashtra has gained a moment of global historical pride.

To mark this historic milestone, a large gathering of Mumbai BJP workers participated in a special celebration at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park, Dadar, where Mumbai BJP President and Maharashtra’s Minister for Cultural Affairs, Ashish Shelar, offered floral tributes to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and paid his humble respects.

The atmosphere echoed with the sound of dhol-tasha (traditional drums) and resounded with chants of ‘Jai Shivray, Jai Bhavani’, creating a spirited and electrifying ambience throughout the Dadar area.

This global recognition of Shivaji Maharaj’s extraordinary leadership and foresight is a matter of immense pride for every Shiv bhakt and citizen of Maharashtra.

The entire Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park resonated with a powerful ‘Shiv’ spirit, filled with the energetic drumbeats, slogans, and jubilant celebrations.

On this occasion, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, MLAs Sanjay Upadhyay, Yogesh Sagar, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Pravin Darekar, Captain R Tamil Selvan, along with BJP district presidents, office-bearers, and a large number of karyakartas joined in large numbers to mark the celebration.

Meanwhile, the celebration is set to continue on Sunday with ‘Shiv aarti and Shiv jallosh’ planned at 106 locations across Mumbai to commemorate this proud moment, said the release issued by Minister Shelar’s office.

Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “The resonance of Shivaji-era heritage now echoes on the global stage. The listing of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s 12 forts as a ‘World Heritage Site’ by UNESCO is not only a matter of pride for Maharashtra but also a glorious honour for the entire nation, celebrating our cultural splendour and the heroic Maratha history. We express our heartfelt gratitude to Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for his efforts in bringing this historic initiative to the global platform.”

Minister Shelar said: “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, with his valour, bravery, and dedication to protecting Swarajya, our native language, and Hindavi Swarajya, the forts and strongholds he built have been recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. In this process, the unique global value of these forts was meticulously presented before UNESCO through the combined efforts of the Maharashtra government and the central government, and those efforts have been crowned with success. It is our great fortune that we have been granted this opportunity to serve.”

--IANS

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