On Sunday, while the state of Maharashtra enthusiastically celebrated Shiv Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the cries of ‘Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji’ could also be heard in the United Kingdom as several Indian students studying in London celebrated Shiv Jayanti with great zeal and warmth.
Adv Sangram Shewale, who shifted to London for his further studies gathered Indian students and celebrated Shiv Jayanti at London City Parliament Square. Several students from Queen Mary University, Soyas University, and the London School of Economics gathered and remembered the founder of Hindavi Swarajya, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The students, dressed in white and orange scarf could be seen raising slogans like, “Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji”, and “Jai Jai Shivrai” in the City Parliament Square, the video of which went viral over the internet.
Shivaji Maharaj was born on February 19, 1630, at the Shivneri fort in the Junnar Taluka of Maharashtra’s Pune district. His father, Shahajiraje Bhosle, was a commander of Ahmednagar’s Nizamshah. Rajmata Jijabai, his mother, instilled dharmic and patriotic ideals in him since infancy. She nurtured him by telling stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and also instilled in him the characteristics of heroism and morality.
She taught her son, Shivba (as a child) the importance of Shastra and Shaastra. Shivaji Maharaj then happened to swear his oath at the temple of Rayareshwar at the age of 16 to build a Hindu state as the supreme Lord intended.
By 1659, Shivaji Maharaj had taken control of several forts in both the Adilshahi and Nizamshahi kingdoms. He also killed Adilshahi commander Afzal khan who was sent by the Adilshahi court to assassinate him. This left Islamic rulers terrified and they started recognizing Shivaji Maharaj’s valor and became fearful of him.
Shivaji Maharaj, while on his mission to establish Hindavi Swarajya, recaptured lost Maratha areas and reclaimed around 350 forts that were illegally grabbed and controlled by the Mughal sultanate. On June 6, 1674, he was coronated as the first Chhatrapati of the Hindavi Swarajya with Hindu religious ceremonies. He then built a powerful and progressive state on the strength of a disciplined army and a well-organized administrative system.
The Indian students in London remembered the courage and valor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and paid homage to him on his 393rd birth anniversary. “Scholars from many countries come to India to study all these things and this is the tradition of Maharashtra and we paid tribute to Shivaji Maharaj at Parliament Square in London,” informed Adv Shewale who organized the event at the London City Parliament Square yesterday.
Local reports mention that Omkar Kokate, Darishsheel Kale, Vinayak Garje, Adv Deepak Chatap, and Dr Rishikesh Andhalkar aided Adv Sangram Shewale in organizing the event in London.
