The samadhi of Chhatrapati Shahaji Raje, father of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in Hodigere village, Davanagere district, Karnataka, will be developed into a ‘world-class tourist destination’, the Karnataka government said in a recent reply to a representation from a Mumbai resident. The government said that a request for help has also been submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the Jana Spandana portal.
Shahaji died on January 23, 1664, of injuries sustained in a fall off a horse during a hunting trip. He was then a general in Bijapur sultanate and controlled Bengaluru and surrounding areas that were part of his jagir or fiefdom. The samadhi is the site where his ashes are buried. The simple unroofed structure in stone and a deep stambh or a lamppost, was built by Ekoji Raje, his son and Chhatrapati Shivaji’s brother who was also known as Vyankojiraje Bhosale.
The monument is currently under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India. ASI has added public amenities at the samadhi premises, the Karnataka government informed Vinod D’souza, a Bandra resident and a history enthusiast who said the monument should be preserved for future generations. The Karnataka government said that pathways, landscaped gardens, and solar lighting have been added within the protected area. For the financial year 2024, the ASI planned the installation of granite stone benches, CCTV surveillance systems, and grill frames along with a protective gate, according to the Director General of ASI, New Delhi. Other plans include a central entrance gate to the samadhi premises, laying of paver blocks in front of the memorial, in additional signage, two smaller entrance gates, and parking space.
There have been demands for the construction of a grand memorial over the simple samadhi. However, historians disagree. “The beauty of the samadhi is its simplicity. It is an archeological monument and should be preserved in its original form,” said historian Indrajit Sawant, founder of Sahyadri Itihas Sanshodhan Kendra, Kolhapur.
Instead, Sawant suggested that the government acquire the wada, a manor, in the village where Shahaji lived for some time. “It is a historical structure and should be protected and converted into a memorial,” said Sawant who added that the samadhi was declared as a national monument due to the efforts of Punjabrao Deshmukh, union agricultural minister who visited the site in 1956. “Around 20 ghuntas of land around the monument was acquired by the government. It is preserved because of this.”
