Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The 396th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Kranti Chowk on Thursday. Lakhs of Shiv devotees gathered from midnight to pay tribute to the warrior king, marking the beginning of the celebrations late Wednesday night.
The statue and surrounding area were illuminated, and thousands continued to visit throughout the day and late into the night. Devotees, including women and young girls in traditional Nauvari sarees and youths dressed as Shivaji Maharaj, raised slogans of “Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji” and paid homage.
A formal programme organised by the district Shiv Jayanti festival committee was attended by guardian minister Sanjay Shirsat, mayor Sameer Rajurkar, OBC welfare minister Atul Save, MPs Dr Bhagwat Karad and Dr Kalyan Kale, police commissioner Pravin Pawar, MLA Sanjay Kenekar, corporator Anil Makariye, Jalinder Shendge, founder president Prithviraj Pawar, BJP city president Kishor Shitole, and others. Shirsat and Shitole garlanded the equestrian statue using a crane and appealed to citizens to celebrate peacefully.
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Students, drum troupes impress
Students from Shri Mauli Gurukul Ashram School, Nillod, dressed as Warkaris, presented a tableau of Lord Vitthal and Rukmini, which received appreciation. Drum performances by the Ranzhunjar troupe led by Shivraj Damuanna Shinde and the Gajvakra troupe of Swayamsevak Foundation energised the crowd.
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Organisations felicitate devotees, CPI sets book stall
Several organisations set up stages to felicitate devotees and extend greetings, while the Communist Party of India organised a book stall displaying literature on Shivaji Maharaj and other great personalities.
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Khichdi, Pulao distributed to devotees
The Shiv Jayanti festival committee also organised distribution of khichdi and pulao, with hundreds of devotees participating in the food donation programme held throughout the day.