“Tribute to the The Great Maratha Indian Warrior King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Birth Anniversary,” by Sudarsan Pattnaik (World renowned Sand artist)

One of my SandArts to pay tributes to #ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj on his birth anniversary with message "A true patriot". ?? pic.twitter.com/FvquaS1vez

— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) February 19, 2018

Shivaji Born

Born on fort Shivneri in the year 1630, his mother Jijabai named him Shivaji in honour of the goddess Shivai, to whom she had prayed for a healthy child. Shivaji was extremely devoted to his mother Jijabai, who was deeply religious.

The legendary Maratha warrior challenged the Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur and the Mughal rulers and created the Maratha empire, the legacy of which continues to live on. Shivaji established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of a disciplined military and well-structured administrative organisations.

Coronation ceremony

In 1674, he was formally crowned as the Chhatrapati (Monarch) of his realm at Raigad. As per Hindu calendar it was on the 13th day (trayodashi) of the first fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha in the year 1596. Pandit Gaga Bhatt officiated, holding a gold vessel filled with the seven sacred waters of the rivers Yamuna. Ganga, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Godavari & Indus over Shivaji’s head, and chanted the coronation mantras. After the ablution, Shivaji bowed before Jijabai and touched her feet. Nearly fifty thousand people gathered at Raigad for the ceremonies. Shivaji was entitled Shakakarta (“founder of an era”)and Kshatriya Kulavantas (“head of Kshatriyas) and Chhatrapati (“paramount sovereign”). He also took the title of “Haindava Dharmodhhaarak”.

Shivaji maharaj revived ancient Hindu political traditions and court conventions and promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit, rather than Persian, in court and administration. Shivaji’s legacy was to vary by observer and time but he began to take on increased importance with the emergence of the Indian Independence Movement as many elevated him as a proto-nationalist and hero of the Hindus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also paid his tribute to the Legendary King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Birth Anniversary.