Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to Sign MoU in London for Return of 'Wagh Nakh' to Maharashtra
Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, before his departure to London on Sunday night, announced that the renowned 'Wagh Nakh,' the tiger claws once wielded by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to fatally wound Afzal Khan in 1659, will return to Maharashtra from London for a three-year period. This move comes as Maharashtra State commemorates the 350th anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's coronation, and it is being made possible through cooperation with the British Government and the signing of an MoU with London's Victoria and Albert Museum.
According to the Satara district's Gazetteer by the Maharashtra Government, Afzal Khan was a military officer of the Bijapur State, which was independent of the Mughal Empire. He met his demise at the hands of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during a historic encounter in 1659. During their confrontation, Khan had clutched Shivaji Maharaj's neck under his left arm. However, the legendary King Shivaji Maharaj utilized the 'Wagh Nakh,' attaching it to his fingers as a lethal weapon to vanquish Afzal Khan.
The 'Wagh Nakh' was once part of the Satara Chhatrapatis' collection. As mentioned in the Gazetteer, in 1827, Raja Pratapsinh, the reigning King of Satara (1810-1839), presented the 'Wagh Nakh' to Elphinstone. However, this historic antique, believed to have belonged to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was transported to London by the British and placed in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Maharashtra's Culture Minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar, was resolute in his determination to repatriate the 'Wagh Nakh' from London. To this end, the State Government will collaborate with the Victoria and Albert Museum, formalizing their agreement through an MoU on Tuesday. Mungantiwar expressed optimism, stating that the 'Wagh Nakh' is expected to return to Maharashtra shortly after the signing of the MoU with the Museum.
