Nagpur: The State Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar returned to Nagpur triumphantly after signing an MoU with London-based Victoria and Albert Museum to bring ‘Wagh Nakh’, the famous tiger claws of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who used it to rip into the stomach of Afzal Khan in 1659, back to Maharashtra. The MoU was signed on October 3.
After his arrival at Nagpur Airport on Friday, Mungantiwar was accorded a grand welcome by BJP leaders and workers. They raised slogans of ‘Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhawani’.
Today’s Rate
Tuesday 12 Nov. 2024
Notably, Mungantiwar had left Nagpur for London on October 1 to bring the historic ‘Wagh Nakh’, back to Maharashtra from London for three years.Maharashtra State is celebrating the 350th anniversary of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The tiger claws will be brought back from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum for three-and-a-half years to Maharashtra with the cooperation of the British Government.
According to the Gazetteer of Satara district of Maharashtra Government, Afzal Khan was an Army officer of the Bijapur State which was not a part of the Mughal Empire. Khan was killed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during the meeting in 1659. Khan had held the neck of Shivaji Maharaj under his left arm. However, the legendary King Shivaji Maharaj put ‘Wagh Nakh’ on his fingers and used the weapon for the killing of Afzal Khan.
The ‘Wagh Nakh’ was in the collection of the Chhatrapatis of Satara. In 1827 Raja Pratapsinh, then King of Satara (1810-1839) gave the ‘Wagh Nakh’ to Elphinstone, mentioned in the Gazetteer. However, the ‘Wagh Nakh’, believed to have belonged to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was taken to London by the Britishers and kept at Victoria and Albert Museum.
Mungantiwar was determined to bring back the ‘Wagh Nakh’ from London. The State Government and Victoria and Albert Museum signed an MoU on Tuesday, October 3 for bringing the weapon for three years to India. The ‘Wagh Nakh’ is likely to be brought back to Maharashtra very soon after signing an MoU with the Museum,” said Mungantiwar.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed his pleasure over the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Victoria and Albert Museum for the return of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s ‘Wagh Nakh’ to India. He emphasized that this moment is of great historical significance for all admirers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, not just in Maharashtra but across the country.
CM Shinde said, ‘Today’s moment is historic for all Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj lovers, not only for Maharashtra but also for the country. The 350th coronation anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was celebrated with great enthusiasm in the state of Maharashtra. Tiger claws were of great importance among the weapons of Shivaji’s time.’ The agreement was signed in London in a very rousing atmosphere with the beating of drums and chants of ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai’.
“Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar finally did it. For this, he consistently followed up on behalf of the Central Government as well as the State Government at the international level. On April 15, 2023, the Government of Maharashtra started correspondence with the Victoria and Albert Museum in a meeting with Imogen Stone, (Deputy Head of Political and Bilateral Relations of Britain), along with British Deputy High Commissioner for West India, Alan Gammell, in Mumbai. It really succeeded today,’ CM Shinde added.
An agreement to bring the tiger claws (Wagh Nakh) from London to India was signed with Tristam Hunt (director of the Victoria and Albert Museum). From the Government side Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Industries Minister Uday Samant, Culture Department Principal Secretary Vikas Kharge and Director of Archaeology and Museum Tejas Garge were present on the occasion.
These ‘Tiger Claws’ will stay in India for a period of three years from November 2023 to November 2026. These tiger claws will be kept in various museums in Maharashtra for Shivaji lovers and history buffs to see. It will include museums of the State Archaeology Department in Nagpur, Satara, Kolhapur and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum in Mumbai.
