Pune: Israel’s Consul General in Mumbai participates in Shiv Jayanti Utsav at Shivneri Fort

Israel’s Consul General in Mumbai, Mr Kobbi Shoshani participated as the guest of honour in the Shiv Jayanti Utsav at Shivneri Fort on 21st March 2022. Shri Shivneri Smarak Samiti has been celebrating the birth festival of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj according to the Hindu lunar calendar i.e. Falgun Vadya Tritiya since 1980.

In the past Shri Narendra Modi, as the chief minister of Gujarat and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari among others have participated in the celebrations.

The festival started with the Pooja of Goddess Shivai at 7 am and is followed by a procession, rocking cradle as per the tradition, flag hoisting and a public programme.

The Samittee found out the visit of Mr. Kobbi Shoshani to a few forts built during Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj era and requested him to be the guest of honour, which he kindly accepted.

Speaking at the event, the Consul General said that even though he has visited India many times in the past, he was unaware of the forts in the Sahyadri mountain ranges, many of them either built or renewed by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He said that he has recently started reading about the life of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and he was fascinated by multiple facets of his life as a benevolent king, a military strategist,an able administrator and a true leader. The forts in Maharashtra have history of valour which remind him the history of Israel.

Consul General said that like India, in Israel also important Jewish festivals and national days are observed as per the Jewish lunar calendar which is very similar to the Indian lunar calendars. However as a modern nation, the western Gregorian calendar is followed in daytoday life.

Mr. Shoshani said,” This year, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of India-Israel relations and I am trying at personal as well as at professional level to name a street in Israel after Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which will create awareness about his work in Israel.