Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was not just a name but an ideology as his inspiring lifestory taught generations to ptactice ones’s language and religion with pride and be prepared to lay down one’s life in discharging his moral duties and defending ‘Swaraj’.

Shah made the remarks while addressing the inauguration of the first phase of the theme park ‘Shiv Shrishti’, which is based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. “This theme park will not just depict the inspiring lifestory of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj but will also convey his life lessons and teachings to future generations. His teachings would inspire people to practice their own language and religion with pride and be ready to sacrifice one’s life for ‘swaraj’,” said Shah.

He added that the theme part would also help realise the dreams of Babasaheb Purandare, an author and poet better known for his works on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

“The theme park would feature holography, project mapping, miniature motion simulation, 3d-4d technique, light and sound technique. All this would revive the history and motivate not just the people of Maharashtra but the entire country,” said Shah.

Citing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ideal and goal of ‘Swaraj’ (independence), the Union Home minister said he coined the term not to extend his sphere of influence but to free the country from the Mughal dynasty, adding that his successors took his idea forward.

“The idea behind Swaraj was not to take the glory of the Maratha empire across the country. From Cuttack, Gujarat to Bengal, the Mughals reigned supreme everywhere. It was Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who freed Gujarat from the Mughals and propogated his message of Swaraj. In 1680 Smabhaji Maharaj, Rajaram Bhonsle I, Maharani Tara Baii, Chhatrapati Sahu 1, and all the Peshwas took forward the ideology of Swaraj,” said Shah.

He said during his rule, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj also repaired and reconstructed the temples and places destroyed by the Mughals.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is following on the same fath of restoring temples and building new ones. A temple of Lord Shri Ram is being constructed at Ayodhya while the Kashi Vishwanath corridor is also being re-developed. The Somnath temple is also being re-developed. Peshwa Baji Rao, Peshwa Nana Saheb, Peshwa Madhav Rao, and Ahilyabai Holkar followed the path of Shivaji Maharaj and worked for re-development of temples during their rule,” he said.

“He was the first ruler to incorporate an administrative system and even put together the Ashtha Pradan Mandal — Peshwa, Amatya. Mantri, Vakiya, Sacheev, Chivnis, Sumant, Dabir, Senapati, Pandit and Nayadhish. It shows how he focused he was for Swaraj (independence) and Suraaj (good administration),” said Shah.

Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais paid floral tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Shivaji Park on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti.