Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Inaugurates Full-Scale Statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Pune

Pune, May 2026: A full-scale statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, creator of the Sanskrit literary work Budhbhushan, installed at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden by the Pune Municipal Corporation, was unveiled by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

On the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant (Dada) Patil, MLAs Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Siddharth Shirole, and Hemant Rasane, along with Mayor Manjusha Nagpure, Deputy Mayor Parshuram Wadekar, House Leader Ganesh Bidkar, Standing Committee Chairman Shriniwas Bhimale, Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Additional Commissioner Omprakash Divate, corporators, and several other dignitaries from various fields were present.

About the Full-Scale Statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj (Budhbhushan Creator)

■ A 10-foot-tall full-scale bronze statue depicting Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj writing the Budhbhushan has been installed for the first time in Maharashtra by the Pune Municipal Corporation at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden in Shivajinagar, Pune. The total cost of the project is approximately ₹5 crore.

■ A committee of historians, Sanskrit and Marathi language experts, and scholars was constituted to select verses from the Budhbhushan text authored by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The selected verses have been curated and incorporated into the project.

■ The statue has been accompanied by the engraving of nine selected Sanskrit verses composed by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, along with their Marathi and English translations, and an introductory description of the Budhbhushan text. For this purpose, ten grand stone walls have been constructed around the site.

■ The entire premises have been enhanced with decorative fountains, ornamental plants, and lighting arrangements to beautify the surroundings.

■ The grand statue has been created to highlight the scholarly excellence of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who successfully led Hindavi Swarajya during extremely challenging times and was deeply knowledgeable in Sanskrit. The initiative aims to bring his intellectual legacy before the world.

The project is expected to add significantly to Pune’s cultural heritage. It will also serve as an inspirational site for visitors, allowing citizens to connect with the glorious history and legacy of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.