Satara: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Iconic Wagh Nakh to be Displayed at Museum
Satara: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Iconic Wagh Nakh to be Displayed at Museum
The legendary Wagh Nakh, associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, will be showcased at the government museum in Satara from July 19 for seven months. This historic artifact, which was brought from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, arrived at the Satara district collector’s office at 12:15 pm on Wednesday.
The State government has organized a special ceremony on July 19 to commemorate this event. The ceremony will feature prominent attendees, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, and descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
State Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar announced in the assembly that the decision to bring the Wagh Nakh to Maharashtra was in response to the demands of Shivaji Maharaj’s devotees. He also clarified that the cost of transporting and securing the agreement for the artifact was ₹14.08 lakh, dismissing claims of exorbitant expenses.
The agreement with the Victoria and Albert Museum allows the Wagh Nakh to be displayed in Maharashtra for three years. After its initial seven-month stay in Satara, the artifact will be exhibited at the Central Museum in Nagpur, Lakshmi Vilas Palace in Kolhapur, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai.
Historically, the Wagh Nakh was in the possession of Shivaji Maharaj’s descendants in the Satara court. It was later given to East India Company officer James Grant Duff, who took it to Britain, where it was eventually donated to the museum.
