Mumbai: The long-awaited Marathi Bhasha Bhavan inched closer to reality on Sunday when Chief Minister Eknath Shinde performed bhoomi Pujan for the cultural centre at Girgaon Chowpatty. The move assumes further significance as the Marathi language was recently granted classical status. Shinde also launched a slew of other projects on the occasion.
About The Marathi Bhasha Bhavan
Sprawling 2,100 sq m on Swarajyabhoomi near Netaji Subhash Chandra Marg, the seven-storey Bhavan will have a dedicated amphitheater, exhibition halls, and a research wing aimed at furthering academic work on Marathi linguistics. The centre will also house public spaces for cultural debates and community gatherings.
Speaking at the ceremony, Shinde said, “The Marathi language is more than just a mode of communication, it is an integral part of our identity, our history. This Bhavan will stand as a testament to the language’s significance for generations to come.”
The demand for a Marathi Bhasha Bhavan has been a rallying point for Marathi intellectuals, cultural activists, and political figures for over a decade.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis On The Significance Of Marathi Language's Preservation
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who participated in the event through a televised link, stressed the significance of the Marathi language's preservation.
“As we push forward in infrastructure and industrial development, it is equally crucial to preserve our cultural roots. Marathi Bhasha Bhavan is a step in that direction,” he said.
Marathi literature Professor Sulabha Khare hailed the development as a “towering cultural landmark”. Shinde also unveiled a range of infrastructure and welfare projects and performed bhoomi pujan for the Marathi literary Sadar building in Airoli, Savitri Devi Phule women hostel, and Maharashtra State Tantra Niketan Mandal in Bandra. Additionally, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Modern Training and Skill Development Center in Worli was conducted along with the inauguration of a children's reformatory at Umarkhadi, Dongri, and the Panchakarma centre at Poddar Hospital for promoting Ayurveda.
