The Marathi patriotic and iconic song - ‘Jai Jai Maharashtra Maza, Garja Maharashtra Maza’ - has been designated as the ‘state song’ and would be played at all official functions and ceremonial events.
The song will be adopted as the state song on 19 February, the birth anniversary of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who laid the foundation the “Hindavi-swarajya” or self-rule of the Hindu people.
For several years, the song was the de facto state song for Maharashtra but now it has got a formal tag.
The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting presided over by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
“‘Jai Jai Maharashtra Maza' is now the state song,” Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
After the Shinde-Fadnavis government came to power, state’s Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar mooted the idea to give the song a formal state song tag.
'Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha, Garja Maharashtra Majha', which means 'Glory to Maharashtra', was penned by Raja Badhe.
The music was composed by Shrinivas Khale.
The song was sung by balladeer Krishnarao Sable, popularly known as Shaheer Sable.
Maharashtra becomes the 13th state in the country to have a state song.
The state song was adopted as part of the Azadi Ka Amit Mahotsav when India is celebrating 75 years of Independence.
According to the Cabinet decision, the song would be sung along with the prayers and national anthem in schools of the state.
The state government adopting two paragraphs of the song so that it has a maximum length of 1.41 minutes. The original song is approximately 3.5 minutes long.
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