Home Minister Amit Shah to inaugurate the first phase on February 19
PUNE: The life and times of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be unfolded for history lovers in a unique audio-visual manner using state-of-art technology, with the opening of the first phase of ‘Shivasrushti’, a historical theme park, which was a dream of Padma Bhushan awardee late Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare.
The first phase of Shivsrushti, which is the largest theme park in Asia, has been completed and it will be open to visitors a day after it will be formally inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 19 – ‘Shiv Jayanti’. The project was conceptualized by Babasaheb Purandare, who had formed the Maharaja Shivchhatrapati Pratishthan for its execution. The information regarding completion and inauguration was shared by Pratishthan trustees Jagdish Kadam, and Vineet Kuber during a media conference in presence of ‘Shivasrushti’ administrator Anil Pawar.
Shah will inaugurate the first phase’s key element – Sarkarwada – a magnificent main structure reflecting the architecture of the 17th century. ‘Sarkarwada’ comprises exhibition galleries including ‘DurgVaibhav’, where stories about different forts like Devgiri, Purandar, Vishalgad, Panhalgad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Sindhudurg, and Sinhagad would be unfolded through an audio-visual medium. ‘Sarkarwada’ also features a section titled ‘Escape from Agra’, where visitors will be able to witness the historical tale of how Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje left Agra. The story is narrated with the use of 3D technology.
Another feature of the theme park is that the visitors would be able to listen to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj through mad mapping technology. The story of his coronation will also be unfolded in a special section. Two other exhibition galleries ‘Ranangan’, where an array of weapons used during the times of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, have been displayed, and ‘Enemies of Shivaji Maharaj’ are an added attraction for the visitors in ‘Sarkarwada. ‘Sarkarwada’ also houses an administrative center, research library, and multipurpose hall.
The overall expenditure of the theme park, which is being created in four phases, is Rs 438 crore and donations worth Rs 60 crore have been received for the first phase of the project. The funds collected through over 12,000 lectures given by Babasaheb Purandare and through the plays of ‘Janata Raja’ have also been utilized for the project.
The next phases will see Shivsrushti having elements like ‘Raj Sabha’, and ‘Rang Mandal’, which will have an inbuilt auditorium, screening the history of the Sahyadri mountain range and pre-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj era through audio-visuals, ‘Bhavani Mata temple’ on Pratapgad, ‘Rajwada’, ‘Machi’, ‘Attraction Centre’, ‘Konkan’ and ‘Amphitheatre’. They will be completed in the near future. Visitors can experience a day-long trip at the theme park, which is coming up on 21 acres of land.
Kadam also informed that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Rajya Sabha MP Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale, Pune Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil, Maharashtra Tourism Minister Mangalprabhat Lodha and BJP Maharashtra President Chandrashkhar Bawankule, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Western Maharashtra chief Nanaji Jadhav will also be present for the inauguration function.
The Prathishthan was formed in 1967 by the late Chhatrapati Rajmata Sumitraraje Bhosale of Satara and the late Chhatrapati Maharaj Shreemant Pratapsingh Raje Bhosale. 300 years after Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation ceremony in 1974, Maharaja Shivchhatrapati Pratishthan organized huge programs and exhibitions at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. Then the ‘Shivasrushti’ project commenced in 1998-99, with the aim of unfolding the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The entry ticket for ‘Shivasrushti’ is Rs 350 including taxes and it can be booked online.
