Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Although the exact date of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth is still disputed, February 19, 1630, is recognized as the official birthdate. Indian nationalists in Maharashtra started to commemorate Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti in the 19th century. Today, a special holiday is observed to recognize Shivaji’s accomplishments as a great military leader and king. In Maharashtra, today is a holiday.
Shivaji was a son of Jijabai, a Yadav of Devagiri, and Shahaji Bhonsale, a commander of the Deccani Sultans. According to popular perception, Lord Shiva was not the inspiration for Shivaji’s name; rather, it was a well-liked local god. At the age of 16, Shivaji launched his conquering expedition against the nearby Bijapur Sultanate, which was in ruins due to internal strife at the time.
Early on in his campaign, Shivaji was successful, routing the 20,000-man Bijapuri Army under the command of General Afzal Khan. Aurangzeb, the Mughal Viceroy of the Deccan, was alerted to his victory against the Bijapur Sultanate, which was a subordinate state of the Mughal Empire. For the rest of his life, Shivaji engaged in sporadic warfare with the Mughal Empire; but, in 1674, from his fort at Raigad, he was formally installed as the Chhatrapati.
According to Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, a Maharashtrian social activist and leader, the birth anniversary of Shivaji was first commemorated in 1870. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, an Indian reformer and revolutionary, continued this practice.
Significance
Shivaji was a wise leader in addition to being a military prodigy. With his battles with the Mughal Empire, which at the time ruled the Indian subcontinent, Shivaji laid the groundwork for the Maratha Empire. A little more than a century after he started conquering, his kingdom grew to be the largest powerhouse on the Indian subcontinent, extending at its height from Goa to the Hooghly River and from Tamil Nadu to Peshawar.
The merging of many Hindu castes and religious tolerance were important aspects of Shivaji’s administration. The British East India Company only took control of the Indian subcontinent and the collapse of the empire as a result of the Second and Third Anglo-Maratha Wars. His government was renowned for its effective and honest governance, and he believed in defending the interests of the underprivileged and marginalized. Also, he supported the arts and promoted the growth of the Marathi language and culture.
