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Chhatrapati Shivaji Jayanti 2022: What is allowed, what's not amid Covid-19?
Shiv Jayanti 2022: The Maharashtra home department has asked people to not take out bike rallies and organise cultural programmes on a big scale.
Today is the 392nd birth anniversary of the great warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha empire. The birth anniversary of Shivaji is celebrated, largely in Maharashtra, as Shiv Jayanti. Every year, the day, a public holiday in Maharashtra, is celebrated in a grand manner with huge bike processions taken out across the state
As Maharashtra celebrates Shiv Jayanti on Saturday, the state government has announced guidelines in view of the prevailing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) situation. The home department has asked people to not take out bike rallies and organise cultural programmes on a big scale.
As per the guidelines, 200 people can take part in the 'Shiv Jyoti' run and 500 people can attend a ceremony to mark the 'Shiv Jayanti'.
Earlier this week, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray approved a proposal submitted by Shambhuraj Desai, minister of state for home, as a special case in view of the Shiv Jayanti. Thackeray urged the public to celebrate Shiv Jayanti while adhering to public health-related norms. The government has advised people to organise events like garlanding of statues and images by observing adequate social distancing.
Shivaji Jayanti: PMC requests Maha govt to celebrate in a grand manner
The followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj gather at Pune’s Shivneri Fort – where the warrior king was born – or other forts at February 18 midnight to mark his birth anniversary. The state government said that the anniversary should be celebrated without congregating in large numbers and avoid large-scale cultural programmes.
“But cultural programmes should not be organised on a big scale this year. Arrangements should be made to broadcast such programmes through cable networks or online media,” the department said.
All political parties have, meanwhile, decided to celebrate the day in a grand manner eyeing the upcoming municipal elections. BJP MP Udayanraje Bhosale and the party’s state unit president Chandrakant Patil were present at Baner to celebrate the birth anniversary. Various programmes will be organised at Lal Mahal, the childhood home of the Maratha king.
