Why is Israel planning to erect statue of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj?

MUMBAI: Israel announced plans to erect a statue of the Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the country. Israel's Consul General in Mumbai, Yaniv Revach, said the project will be implemented in a major city in the country.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the decision and announced the state government's full cooperation. The Maharashtra government will share historical documents related to Shivaji and design suggestions with the Israeli authorities. Books describing Shivaji's life and reign will be translated into Hebrew. The project is a tribute to the Maratha Empire's consideration for the Jewish community in Maharashtra.

According to history, at a time when the Jews faced persecution all across the world, it was India that opened its doors. Jews travelled to the south of the country and mostly around the Konkan coast, which later became home to a large community of Jewish merchants.

Bene Israelis is one of the oldest Jewish communities in India, centred around the Konkan region. They acclimatised to the country and became an integral part of the society. While preserving their Jewish customs, Bene Israelis mastered the Marathi language and started considering India as their own home.

It was during Shivaji’s reign that Bene Israelis were inducted into the Maratha army and into the Navy.

The Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai said that the statue will be a gesture of the bolstering relationship between India and Israel.