CM Fadnavis unveils new statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg

Mumbai: Nearly eight months after a grand statue of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg district snowballed into a major political issue in Maharashtra, the new one has been unveiled on Sunday.

The old statue, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg on December 4, 2023 coinciding with Navy Day, sustained considerable damage due to strong winds, and collapsed on August 26, 2024.

The new structure is 91 feet tall from the ground, comprising a pedestal of 10 feet and the remaining being the statue. The figure from head to toe is 60 feet, while the sword is 23 feet. Ram Sutar Art Creations, which crafted the statue, will also maintain it for the next ten years.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the statue on Sunday.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg MP Narayan Rane, state Ports and Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane, Public Works Minister Shivendraraje Bhosale, BJP State Executive President Ravindraji Chavan, former ministers Deepak Kesarkar and MLAs Nilesh Rane, Kalidas Kolambkar, Niranjan Davkhare, Ravindra Phatak were also present.

In fact, after the old statue had collapsed, Vidhan Sabha polls were round the corner.

On August 30, PM Modi, during an official visit to Palghar, tendered an apology. “In 2013, after the BJP named me as prime ministerial candidate, the first thing that I did was sit before Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's samadhi at Raigad as a devotee and started on the path of a new journey…Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king. For us, he is our deity. Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity,” Modi had said, coming to the rescue of the leadership of Maha Yuti-NDA.

At the function on Sunday, Fadnavis said that the surrounding area would be developed to enhance the experience for visitors and showcase the grandeur of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's legacy.

“Today is a day of joy and pride, a day of self-respect for all of us. A decision to erect a new statue was taken on the same day after the collapse of the statue here. Sculptor Ram Sutar has erected the statue in record time,” he said.