Mumbai BJP To Celebrate UNESCO Honour For 12 Forts Built By Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj With Shiv Aarti, Jallosh At 106 Locations Today

Mumbai: To celebrate the joyous occasion of UNESCO conferring the prestigious ‘Maratha Military Landscapes’ World Heritage status on 12 forts built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Mumbai BJP will organise Shiv aarti and Shiv jallosh (festive celebrations) at 106 locations across Mumbai on Sunday.

The celebrations began on Saturday with a grand event at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park, Dadar, honouring this proud milestone in Maharashtra’s cultural legacy. A large gathering of Mumbai BJP workers participated in a special ceremony at Shivaji Park. Mumbai BJP president and minister for cultural affairs Ashish Shelar offered floral tributes at the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

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The atmosphere came alive with the rhythmic beats of dhol-tasha (traditional drums) and resounded with chants of ‘Jai Shivray, Jai Bhavani’, creating a spirited and electrifying ambiance throughout the Dadar area. Joining the celebration were Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, MLAs Sanjay Upadhyay, Yogesh Sagar, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Pravin Darekar, Captain R Tamil Selvan, along with BJP district presidents, office-bearers, and a large number of karyakartas.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the honour a “proud and glorious moment” for the state. “Maharashtra Govt offers salutations to our beloved Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj!! Heartiest congratulations to all the citizens and ShivBhakts of Maharashtra,” Fadnavis said in a post on X.

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Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's Statement

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the development was a matter of immense historical and cultural significance and pride for the state. These forts bear witness to the valour, sacrifice and vision of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Maratha warriors, and now their legacy would gain global visibility and respect, Pawar said.

Later, Shelar said that the government will form separate committees for each Shivaji fort in the state included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, to ensure better management and preservation. “Each fort will now have a dedicated committee to oversee its management,” Shelar told reporters, adding that a state-level committee under the chief secretary and district-level committees under respective collectors are already functional for monitoring purposes.