Battling over Shivaji's legacy at the Raigad Fort

It will be interesting to see if the move to preserve Maharashtra's history will go beyond politics

Men of all ages are roaming the ruins of what used to be the durbar hall in Raigad Fort, the erstwhile capital of the Maratha empire. Most sport saffron kurtas or turbans, beaded necklaces and sunglasses. Seen commonly are flags with an image of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the words “jaanta raja”, often waved enthusiastically by the youngest in the group. Their chests, variously big and small, swell with pride as the men pose for photographs in front of a large statue of the warrior-king that is now behind a haphazard barricade of iron rods.

It is Shivaji Jayanti or