How many of you know there are temples of Shivaji Maharaj? Frankly, I didn't know. In-fact there are two (in the whole world!). I got a chance to visit both of them in a short span of time and thought to share this on the occassion of Shivjayanti.
One of them is at Panhala Fort (Near Kolhapur) and is privately owned and is open just a day or so in a week.
While the second is on Sindhudurg Fort on Konkan coast. There is a sword used by Shivaji and also some jiretopes (crown?)
Though the actual idol is now covered with a metal mask, this is how it looks like. Shivaji Raje stayed at Sindhudurg, in disguise as a local, to oversee the construction of the fort building the navy.
The fort also has Shivaji's hand and foot imprints, the experience and feeling of seeing them from close is difficult to explain.
While celeberating his Birthday I wish and hope that people read and understand the great vision he had. Just check his instructions for the wood to be used for building armada (fleet, did the word 'aarmaar' get derived from armada?) - it applies even more today.
