Latest news with #ChhatrapatiShivaji
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Malvan jinx? Ground near Shivaji statue pedestal sinks
Navi Mumbai: Just over a month after the new statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji was inaugurated by CM Devendra Fadnavis at the Rajkot fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg, a portion of the ground around the pedestal was found to have subsided on Saturday, reports Umesh K Parida. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The new 60ft statue was built after the earlier statue collapsed in Aug last year, so this is the second time there has been a problem at the site. As Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed the pedestal had developed a big hole and Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged corruption, Sindhudurg collector Anil Patil was quoted as saying by PTI the ground around the pedestal had sunk due to rain but the issue had been rectified. PWD has already carried out repairs. After reports of the ground near the pedestal of the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Rajkot fort in Malvan having subsided, the public works department's Sawantwadi division started repair work. Konkan divisional chief engineer Sharad Rajbhoj, who inspected the site on Monday, said the issue was not serious and the statue was intact. The pedestal area had earlier been reclaimed through filling to facilitate work on the new statue after an earlier one collapsed in 2024. Dumping of earth there was followed by concretization work, claimed locals. PWD experts attributed the sinking to the natural phenomenon of soil settlement caused after the first rain. As workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress lodged a protest during the visit of the Konkan divisional chief engineer and demanded an inquiry, he said a committee will inquire into the matter and if required, action will be taken against the contractor. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The identity of the contractor is not known. The 60 ft tall (83 ft including the pedestal) statue was designed and installed by veteran sculptor Ram Sutar. The PWD has said that the contracting firm, whose identity is not known, will carry out maintenance of the statue for ten years. The statue, installed at an administrative cost of Rs 31.7 crore, can withstand wind speed of around 200 km per hour. Two IIT-Bombay professors of the structural engineering and metallurgy departments had overseen the structural framework and stability aspects. Windtech, a company based in Sydney, has given the wind tunnel clearance. The previously-installed 28 ft tall statue inaugurated by PM Modi in Dec 2023 collapsed on Aug 26, 2024 due to gusty winds, sparking a political controversy. CM Fadnavis inaugurated the new statue on May 11 this year after performing a puja. State Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged on Monday, "It is a sign of poor construction if the pedestal has developed a big hole in one month. The statue inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi fell in just eight months due to huge corruption in carrying out the work."
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Raj unveils new primary school curriculum aligned with NEP'20
1 2 Jaipur: The Rajasthan education department has announced a comprehensive overhaul of primary education textbooks, aligning them with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 guidelines. The new curriculum, set to be implemented from July 1, will cover classes 1-5 and introduces a wide range of topics from Indian history to contemporary achievements. The reformed textbooks will feature stories of national heroes and revolutionaries, including Maharana Pratap, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Subhash Chandra Bose and Vallabhbhai Patel. Students will also learn about modern achievements like the Chandrayaan Mission and cultural events such as the Maha Kumbh. "These changes reflect our commitment to providing education that is both child-friendly and relevant to current needs," said Shweta Fageria, director of RSCERT. The curriculum introduces practical subjects like road safety and municipal body functions, while also highlighting environmental conservation through stories like the Khejarli Balidan, which documents the sacrifice of over 360 Bishnois who protected Khejri trees. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Education minister Madan Dilawar emphasised that the new approach moves beyond traditional bookish knowledge. "Students will receive practical and interesting information about Indian culture, history and geography, along with stories of our brave warriors," he said. In accordance with NEP guidelines, primary education will be conducted in local languages and mother tongues, with specially prepared dictionaries for various dialects. The education department has established a clear timeline, ensuring that all students up to class 5 will receive their new textbooks by July. A state-level committee formed in Nov continues to review the entire school curriculum. The initiative represents a significant step toward modernising education while preserving cultural heritage and promoting practical learning in Rajasthan's primary schools. The new system will introduce revolutionary leaders and democratic concepts from class 3 onwards, integrated across Hindi, English and EVS subjects. By class 5, students will study detailed biographies of historical figures like Veer Durgadas Rathore and Dayanand Saraswati, providing a comprehensive understanding of India's rich historical legacy.
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Time of India
Residents oppose construction of resort and tree cutting at Sadashivagad fort
Karwar: The tourism department had proposed resort in the middle of the historic Sadashivagad fort, which is stoutly opposed by the residents of Sadashivagad (Chittakula) village in Karwar taluk. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Village locals lodged a complaint against the Tourism, Forest and Jungle Lodge Resorts Ltd; for destroying trees and damaging the fort, which falls under the Archaeological Survey of India. "The fort was built by Sadashivaraya of the Sonde kingdom and was completed by his son in the 16th century. It served as a protector for Coastal Karnataka, from the Portuguese attacking from Goa. Chhatrapati Shivaji visited the fort twice. A historical Durga temple was built there about 400 years ago. It was listed as an important monument by the ASI. Despite all that, the tourism department cut down about 100 trees and drilled stones in the fort wall, without any permission from either ASI or the local authorities. This act is unpardonable. We have lodged a complaint against the officials for damaging the historic fort and destroying trees," said Kishor Desai, advocate and activist. President of Sanatana Seva Sangha, Vinayak Gaonkar said that the fort is built in a picturesque place at the confluence of River Kali and the Arabian Sea. "For generations, hundreds of tourists used to visit the place to watch the sunset at the Kali confluence. But now the tourism department set up a gate and restricted the entry of the common people a few months back. The area is of religious and historical importance, and destruction in the name of tourism cannot be tolerated," he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Ashok Rane, an activist alleged that he and members of other organisations went to Chittakula police station to lodge a complaint against tourism officials. "Instead of accepting the complaint, the PSI threatened them not to file any complaint. If police can behave in this manner with officials, what will they do with common people? Police department should look into this," Rane said. When contacted, forest officials washed their hands of the matter, and said they were not aware of any such tree cutting and that the department would look into it. Tourism department official, on condition of anonymity, said that they did not violate any law and that the construction of the road in the fort and cutting of trees was as per law. JRL officials were not available to comment. Meanwhile, local organisations submitted a memorandum to the district administration, and the additional DC assured action against the erring officials. Locals threatened to launch an agitation if the construction inside the fort is not stopped immediately.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
We should guard ourselves against false narratives created by vested interests, says Minister
'We should guard ourselves from the evil designs of vested interests who are trying to divide society using false narratives from history,' Minister Satish Jarkiholi said in Belagavi on Sunday. 'Some forces are trying to paint a picture of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as an anti-Muslim leader. This is not true. He had both Hindus and Muslims in his army. They lived like brothers and the King never discriminated against between them. His close confidantes, advisors and army generals were Muslims. If he fought the Mughals and other Kings, it was because of political reasons and not communal ones. There should be no attempt to distort facts for political benefit or other selfish reasons. It is detrimental to society,' he said. He was speaking after releasing a book, Chhatrapati Shivaji, The Great Maratha, by Sarjoo Katkar. He urged writers to take up intensive research and publication of books about great personalities, including Kings and saints. 'There needs to be done a lot of work that answer several questions about great personalities like Basavanna, B.R. Ambedkar and Shivaji Maharaj. They should be supported by well documented facts and not myths. It is well documented that some priests refused to officiate his coronation only because he was a Shudra. For centuries, some forces kept hidden the information about Shivaji's grave. They wanted to prevent him from becoming a great leader of the depressed classes. We should be indebted to Jyotiba Phule who identified Shivaji's resting place and cleaned it up,' the Minister said. He said that Shivaji Maharaj should be referred to as the Great Indian and not the Great Maratha. 'We should realise that historic personalities belong to the world and not to any particular community or group. We should also reflect on the fact as to why those who were opposed to him then, are his great supporters now,' he said. 'There is a growing trend of people blindly believing and thoughtlessly forwarding messages on social media. We should not fall prey to this,' he said. 'Shivaji Maharaj means several things to different people. But I would like to think of him as a social leader who tried to introduce equality in society. There are instances where he mandated that those considered untouchable be allowed inside temples. He continues to guide in such matters. His guerilla war strategies are well documented. In fact, some leaders of Vietnam have said that Shivaji's guerilla strategies helped them defeat the U.S.,' the Minister said. 'The medieval era King shall be known for his patriotism, strategic struggles with enemies for the protection of the country, his military strategy, good governance for the prosperity of all people and his efforts to establish social harmony and a society without discrimination,' Mr. Jarkiholi said. Author Sarjoo Katkar spoke about the effort of two years in researching for the book. 'I have travelled across several States and read over 200 books and research papers in preparing material for the book,' he said. He said that he was astonished by several things that he found during the research. 'Director of the Dr. Ambedkar Study Centre Sambhaji Rao Birje gave me copies of a letter by Shahu Maharaj to Dr. Ambedkar, where he says that Shivaji's Guru was Kshatra Jagadguru from Patgaon and not Samarth Ramdas. In fact, there is no documentary evidence to show that Shivaji and Samarth Ramdas ever met,' he said. He clarified that he had used the sobriquet The Great Maratha as it was the term used by Queen Victoria to describe the Maratha King in one of her letters. Dr. Katkar said that he had translated the books of researcher R.C. Dhere into Kannada. 'As per some of his research work, Shivaji's family originated from Sortur in Gadag district. Baliappa from the Hoysala clan moved from Sortur to Maharashtra to avoid drought conditions. His descendants became the governors of Bengaluru and later the Kings of the Maratha empire,' he said. The former president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat Manu Baligar described the book as a reference work for future researchers on Shivaji Maharaj. 'There are thousands of books on Shivaji. But this stands out as it is based on researched facts and not myths and legends. It traces the history of India for over 10,000 years. It also sheds new light about the achievements of Shivaji like establishing his navy,' Dr Baligar said. Writers Gurudevi Huleppanavaramath and Y.R. Patil introduced the work. Ramakrishna Marathe, Basavaraja Kuppasagoudar, Suma Katkar and others spoke.
The Print
02-05-2025
- The Print
IRCTC to launch heritage tour to places associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji's life
The six-day itinerary will commence its journey from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai. On Day 1, it will reach the Mangaon railway station on the Konkan Railway network, the closest railway link to the Raigad Fort. A press statement issued by the IRCTC said the tour package has been attractively priced at Rs 13,155 per person in Economy (sleeper class), Rs 19,840 per person in Comfort (3AC) and Rs 27,365 per person in the Superior (2AC) category. New Delhi, May 2 (PTI) The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is all set to operate a first-of-its-kind heritage tour to cover the key sites associated with the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha kingdom. 'The first destination is Raigad, known for the eponymous hill fort where Chhatrapati Shivaji's coronation took place. It later became his capital from where he ruled,' the release said. 'After the sightseeing, the train will proceed for the next destination, Pune, where the tourists will have dinner followed by night stay at a local hotel,' it said. On Day 2, the tourists would cover some popular sites in Pune, including the Lal Mahal, Kasba Ganapati and Shivsrushti, the IRCTC said. 'Lal Mahal, as the name suggests, is a red-coloured palace constructed by Chhatrapati Shivaji's father Shahaji Bhosale for his wife Jijabai and son in 1630 CE,' the press note said. As per the tour itinerary, the guests will have a night's rest in Pune. On Day 3, they will visit the Shivneri Fort atop a hill located at a distance of 95 km from Pune. 'It is the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji and a symbol of Maratha pride,' a senior IRCTC official said. 'Post lunch, the tourists will visit the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples, before returning to Pune for night halt,' the release said. 'On Day 4, the tourists will head to Satara where they will visit the Pratapgarh Fort, which holds historical importance because of the Battle of Pratapgad that took place in 1659 between Chatrapati Shivaji and Bijapur Sultanate general Afzal Khan,' the IRCTC official said. 'This battle set the stage for the establishment of the Maratha empire,' he added. From Satara, the train will proceed towards its last destination — Kolhapur, according to the itinerary. 'In Kolhapur, the tourists will visit the Mahalakshmi Temple popularly known as 'Ambabai' before proceeding towards the Panhala Fort,' it said. Sitting atop the Sahyadri range, the hill fort bears a testament to many battles and is closely connected to Chhatrapati Shivaji, who spent more than 500 days there after he was held captive before escaping. From Kolhapur, the train will commence its return journey to Mumbai, the IRCTC said. 'The all-inclusive price in all categories will cover train journey in respective classes, night stay at comfortable hotels, all meals (vegetarian only), all transfer and sight-seeing in buses, travel insurance, services of tour escort etc.,' it added. PTI JP ARI This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
