 "Did Shivaji have a dog named Waghya? The controversy over a memorial at Raigad explained")
A new controversy surrounding Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has been making headlines recently.
A descendant of the Kolhapur royal family has reportedly raised an issue with the memorial of a dog at the historic Raigad Fort.
Former Rajya Sabha member Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, asking him to remove the dog’s memorial, saying that it is “unfortunate” and “demeans the legacy” of the great Maratha emperor.
Let’s take a closer look.
Calls for removal of Waghya’s statue at Raigad Fort
Sambhajiraje, in a letter to CM Fadnavis dated March 22, has stressed that the dog’s memorial should be removed before May 31.
“A few decades ago, a memorial of a dog named Waghya was erected near that of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Raigad Fort, his capital in the 17th century,” his letter read.
“However, there is no documentary evidence concerning Waghya, the name of the pet dog of Shivaji Maharaj. As there is no evidence, it is an encroachment on the fort, which is legally preserved as a heritage structure,” he added.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has also clarified that there was no evidence or written proof of the dog’s existence, he claimed.
“It is unfortunate and demeans the legacy of the great Shivaji Maharaj,” said the former MP.
A structure older than 100 years is protected as per ASI’s policy.
The dog’s commemorative structure should be removed before it earns such a status, Sambhajiraje added.
The state government is yet to respond to the letter.
Also read: Why a Shivaji statue in Ladakh has sparked a debate
The truth about Shivaji’s dog
According to HistoryDraft, ‘Waghya’, which means tiger, was born in Raigad, Maratha Empire, in the 1670s.
Legend has it that he was a mixed-breed dog of the Maratha emperor.
When Shivaji died in 1680, the grieving dog reportedly jumped onto his funeral pyre and immolated himself.
In 1906, Prince Tukoji Holkar of Indore donated Rs 5,000 to erect the dog’s memorial close to Chhatrapati Shivaji’s samadhi at Raigad Fort in honour of Waghya.
Shri Shivaji Raigad Smarak Samati (SSRSS), led by Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar, is said to have erected the statue in 1936.
Waghya’s heroic story was also portrayed in noted Marathi playwright Ram Ganesh Gadkari’s play titled Rajsanyas.
However, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) claims there is no documentary evidence to support this tale.
In addition, Shivaji Maharaj is well-known for his affection for animals, particularly dogs. The Maratha king reportedly enlisted Mudhol Hound, Karnataka’s breed of indigenous dogs, in his army because he loved them so much.
According to legend, one of these “Maratha hounds” rescued Shivaji’s older son, Sambhaji Maharaj.
In fact, this breed of dog was also included in the Special Protection Group (SPG) squad tasked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security arrangements for the first time in 2022.
In February 2016, the Indian Army enlisted a batch of Mudhol hound puppies into its Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) training centre, where foreign breeds such as Labrador and German Shepherd, are trained before being inducted into service.
As per Indian Express, of the eight dogs, six were selected for field evaluation and suitability trials with the Srinagar-based HQ 15 Corps and Nagrota-based HQ 16 Corps. They were trained to detect explosive devices and not guard duties and search and rescue operations.
Also read: Why Wikipedia is in trouble over content on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj
Not the first time
In 2011, the Maratha organisation, Sambhaji Brigade, had raised similar calls for the removal of Waghya at Raigad.
“There is no historical proof that the dog existed. We want the government to remove the statue by June 6 or else we will break it,” brigade founder Praveen Gaikwad had said.
“We are just trying to fix the errors in history committed long ago, Anyone who is concerned about the dog’s statue is welcome to take him home,” he added.
The organisation even claimed that the history of Shivaji written by Brahmin historians is flawed and it was written in such a way to assert their superiority over the Maratha community.
The community had removed the Waghya statue, however, it was reinstalled after the protest by the extremist group was strongly opposed by the local Dhangar community for they believed that the dog was real.
With inputs from agencies
Also read: Why did the 35-foot Shivaji statue unveiled in 2023 collapse in Maharashtra?
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