Reasons for celebrating Shivaji Jayanti in Goa

 As a person who has been attending the State Level Shivaji Jayanti celebrations at Farmagudi consecutively since 2014, and as someone who reveres Chhatrapati Shivaji as a great icon, I take it upon myself to reply to his queries, as follows:

1. Dr Falcao's first question is about what Shivaji has got to do with Goa, and his claim is that Chhatrapati Shivaji is revered in Maharashtra.

I would request Dr Falcao to do a bit of reading about Shivaji's relevance to Goa. Shivaji's contribution to Goa is immense. Certain parts of Goa were a part of Shivaji's empire. Similarly, Chhatrapati Shivaji had renovated the temple of Lord Saptakoteshwar in Narve, after it was demolished by the Portuguese. The fort at Betul was constructed upon the commands of Shivaji.

2. The second query raised by Dr Falcao is regarding the financing. Shivaji Jayanti has been celebrated in Goa for over decades now. While the State Level celebrations at Farmagudi are organised by the Directorate of Information and Publicity (Govt. of Goa); in several places, people voluntarily contribute towards organising birth anniversary celebrations of the great statesman.

3. Dr Falcao wonders if celebrating Shivaji Jayanti will merge Goa with Maharashtra. His claim is totally unwarranted. Shivaji Maharaj is a national icon in India, and his statue is even located in India's Parliament Complex. Maharashtra doesn't have any copyright over this great warrior, and his empire spread across most of Western India. Similarly, the question of merger has been long ago decided by the Opinion Poll and it makes me wonder why Dr Falcao wants to raise this dead issue again. What is the nexus between Shivaji and Goa's merger with Maharashtra?

4. As regards his fourth question of how Goans need to be grateful to Shivaji, I have already addressed it in my first point. Dr Falcao should, however, not be under the misconception that Bijapuri Sultanate or Portuguese were Goans in any way. Goa has always been a part of several empires and kingdoms, right from the Kadambas and Shilaharas to the Marathas and Portuguese. All made attempts to conquer Goa, and Goa was an important possession then. In fact, the Portuguese had not conquered the whole of Goa in 1510, they managed to do so only several decades later. Does Dr Falcao consider the Bijapuris and Portuguese as more "Goan" than the Marathas?

Dr Falcao seems to be bearing a biased viewpoint about Chhatrapati Shivaji and Maharashtra too. I would only suggest the gentleman to do some more reading of history.