Maratha general Raghuji Bhonsle's sword brought to Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 18 (PTI) The iconic sword of famous Maratha general Raghuji Bhonsle I, recently acquired by the Maharashtra Government in an auction in London, was brought to Mumbai on Monday morning and shifted to the P L Deshpande Academy, state Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said.

Talking to reporters, Shelar said that the sword, which was transported by a flight at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport around 10 am, was taken to the academy in the Prabhadevi area for safekeeping.

The bike rally planned to escort the sword from the airport was cancelled owing to heavy rains and traffic congestion across the city since morning, he said, adding that a programme scheduled to take place in the evening in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, would be held at the designated time.

The sword of Raghuji Bhonsle I, founder of the Nagpur Bhonsle dynasty and a prominent general in the Maratha army during the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, was acquired by the state government in an international auction earlier this year.

The government had earlier stated that the iconic sword was reclaimed at an auction in London for Rs 47.15 lakh.

The sword is believed to have been taken outside India during the 1817 Battle of Sitabuldi, when the British East India Company defeated the Nagpur Bhonsles.

The news of the sword, an important historical artefact, being put up for auction surfaced on April 28. The embassy was contacted, and an intermediary was appointed to participate in the auction.

Shelar had travelled to London to complete the legal formalities and personally take possession of the artefact.

The minister described the acquisition as a "historic victory" for the state.

A large number of Marathi-speaking citizens in London were present when the sword was handed over to Shelar. Deputy Director of the Archaeology Department, Hemant Dalvi, also accompanied the minister during the trip.

Raghuji Bhonsle I (1695-1755), founder of the Nagpur Bhosale dynasty, was conferred the title "Senasahib Subha" by Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj for his military skills. Bhonsle had led campaigns against the Nawab of Bengal in 1745 and 1755, extending Maratha influence to Bengal and Odisha.

The sword is a fine example of the Maratha 'firang' style, with a straight, single-edged European-made blade, gold decorations on its Mulheri hilt, and an inscription in Devanagari near the hilt, reading "Shrimant Raghoji Bhonsle Senasahibsubha Firang".

The state government said the weapon symbolises both Maratha military heritage and the craftsmanship of the period, making its return a significant cultural moment for Maharashtra. PTI ND ARU