Maharashtra: 351st anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's coronation celebrated in Nagpur

A large number of people gathered to witness the celebrations to mark the coronation of the warrior king who established an enduring legacy as the founder of the Maratha Empire in the 17th century.

The 351st anniversary of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's coronation was celebrated in Nagpur in Maharashtra on Thursday. A large number of people gathered to witness the celebrations to mark the coronation of the warrior king who established an enduring legacy as the founder of the Maratha Empire in the 17th century.

On June 6, 1674, he ascended to the throne in a grand ceremony as 'Chhatrapati or the "supreme sovereign." In the Hindu calendar, his coronation ceremony is held on the 13th day (Trayodashi) of the first fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha in the year 1596. The coronation of any king had to be approved by the Mughal Emperor but Shivaji challenged the Mughal authority. In this way, Shivaji was formally declared the independent King of the Maratha Empire.

Last year Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde while formally announcing commencement of the 350-year celebrations of the coronation of the Maratha king stated that the Cultural Affairs Department has been entrusted with collecting and collating literature, relics, and other things from the era of the Maratha warrior from across the world in a bid to propagate his ideas and beliefs and preserve his legacy. The coronation is also known as the 'Shivrajyabhishek Sohala'.

During the Battle of Purandhar fought between the ought between the Mughal Empire and the Marathas in 1665, he defeated the army led by Fattekhan. In the Battle of Pratapgad, the forces of Shivaji emerged victorious over those of the Bijapur Sultanate.

Under him, the Marathas emerged as a formidable national force, challenging the hegemony of the mighty Mughal Empire in the Deccan region.(ANI)

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