Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti: Why Pune's Shivneri Fort is living shrine to Maratha history

• Three injured in crowd surge at Shivneri Fort event
• Incident occurred near Meena Darwaja during ceremonial procession
• Shivneri Fort attracts thousands for Shivaji Maharaj celebrations

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Perched atop a hill overlooking the quaint town of Junnar, Shivneri Fort is far more than a 17th-century military bastion of stone and ramparts. It is a living shrine to Maratha history, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims and history enthusiasts each year who come to walk the grounds where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj spent his formative years.

On Thursday, that deep-seated reverence was tested as a massive crowd surge during the 396th birth anniversary celebrations left three devotees injured.

The fort's popularity, which sees a massive spike every year on February 19, transformed its historic staircases into a pressure point early in the morning. Thousands had thronged the birthplace of the Maratha Empire founder, their devotion palpable in the chilly pre-dawn hours. It was near the fort's Meena Darwaja, one of its seven well-defended gates, that the incident occurred.

Police said that a group of approximately 15 to 20 individuals carrying a ceremonial 'jyoti' were descending in haste near the Meena Darwaja when the incident took place. Police personnel stationed at the spot had instructed them to slow down, but one person slipped, causing a few others on the stairs to fall as well.

Three people sustained injuries in the fall. All three injured individuals were stable and fine.

The incident reflects the magnetic pull of Shivneri, a triangular fortress that has stood sentinel over the region for centuries. Its history predates Shivaji Maharaj, having been ruled by the Mauryas, Chalukyas and Yadavas before passing through the hands of the Delhi Sultanate, the Adil Shahi dynasty and the Mughal Empire, until it was reclaimed by the Maratha king himself in 1674.

Today, visitors flock not only for its historical significance but to witness its unique features: the perennial Ganges and Yamuna springs that provide water year-round, the central 'Badami Talav' pond and the iconic statues of a young Shivaji and his mother, Jijabai.

It is this potent mix of history, faith and identity that draws the masses each year — a devotion so powerful that it continues to test the limits of the very grounds that hold it.