Shivaji Jayanthi

Highlight of the day: Shivaji Jayanti (Birthday of Chatrapati Shivaji)

Shivaji was the creator of the Maratha empire and was crowned Chatrapati ('paramount sovereign') of the Marathas in 1674. He was instrumental in uniting the Maratha chiefs of Mayal, Konkan and Desh regions. Shivaji established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of a disciplined military and well-structured administrative organisations. He innovated military tactics, pioneering the guerrilla, Shiva sutra or ganimi kava methods, which leveraged strategic factors like geography, speed, surprise & focused pinpoint attacks to defeat his larger and more powerful enemies. He revived ancient Hindu political traditions, court conventions, and promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit in court and administration.

Shivaji Jayanti is celebrated in various parts of North Karnataka on a grand scale. Programs and processions remembering the achievements of the great ruler are organised. In Belgaum, a ceremonial puja was offered to the “Shivaji Palki” at Nargundkar Bhave Chowk today. A colorful procession was organised with tableaux depicting incidents during the life of the Maratha warrior. In Bidar, celebrations were held with pomp at the Barid Shahi function hall. Last year, the event was commemorated at Ravindra Kalakshetra (Bangalore) through an array of cultural programes which displayed the cultural diversity of Karnataka.

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