Waghya

Waghya
Statue of Waghya at Raigad Fort
Other nameVaghya
SpeciesCanis familiaris
BreedMixed
SexMale
Died1680
Resting placeRaigad, Maratha Empire
OwnerChatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Waghya (meaning tiger in Marathi) was a mixed-breed pet dog of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, known as the epitome of loyalty and eternal devotion. After Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's death, he is said to have jumped into his master's funeral pyre and immolated himself.

A statue was put up on a pedestal next to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's samadhi at Raigad Fort. In 2011 the statue of Waghya was removed by alleged members of the Sambhaji Brigade as a protest but was later reinstalled.

Monument

In memory of Waghya, a memorial was built next to Shivaji Maharaj's samadhi at Raigad Fort with a donation by Indore’s Prince Tukoji Holkar in 1906, who gave ₹5,000 (equivalent to ₹1.8 million or US$19,000 in 2026) towards the dog's statue.

Reportedly by Mid-Day, the statue of Waghya was erected on a Samadhi at Shivaji's memorial in 1936 under the banner of Shri Shivaji Raigad Smarak Samati (SSRSS) in leadership of Narasimha Chintaman Kelkar.

Controversies

Attack on Waghya's Statue on Raigarh Fort

In 2011, Sambhaji Brigade, an extremist group was responsible for a protest and attack against Waghya's statue located on Raigad Fort next to Shivaji Maharaj's memorial. The group claimed that the dog was not real and there shouldn't be a memorial for it. This act was strongly opposed by local Dhangar community for they believe that the dog was real.

2025 Controversy over the statue

In March 2025, Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, a former Rajya Sabha member and descendant of Shivaji, called for its removal, arguing that there was no contemporary historical evidence for Waghya during Shivaji's lifetime. Historian Shrimant Kokate supported the demand.

The demand was opposed by Laxman Hake, a leader associated with the Dhangar and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities, who criticised Sambhajiraje's position, and author and activist Sanjay Sonawani, who disputed the claim that the Waghya story lacked historical references. Udayanraje Bhosale, another descendant of Shivaji, also raised the issue during an April 2025 visit to Raigad Fort.

Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis described the dispute as "unnecessary" and said it should be resolved through discussion, while Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar questioned the demand for the statue's removal and said that attracting industries and providing employment to young people were more important issues.

Waghya's heroic story was portrayed in Rajsanyas, a play by Ram Ganesh Gadkari, a noted Marathi playwright.

Further reading

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Maratha outfit declares war on Shivaji's dog". News 18. 26 May 2011.
  2. ↑ "Loyal To The End (& Beyond): History's 10 Most Faithful Dogs". Petslady.com. 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "The real Indian dog". Frontline. 4 August 2017.
  4. ↑ Bogart Morrow, Laurie (9 October 2012). The Giant Book of Dog Names. Simon and Schuster. p. 406. ISBN 9781451666915.
  5. ↑ Shaikh, Zeeshan (21 May 2011). "Remove dog statue from Shivaji memorial, says Sambhaji Brigade". Hindustan Times.
  6. ↑ Singh Parmar, Aditya (8 August 2012). "Shivaji's Dog Restored Its Place at Raigarh". DNA India.
  7. ↑ Deshpande, Devidas (27 May 2011). "Dog-eats-dog politics wants statue of Shivaji's pet out". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018.
  8. ↑ Sabnis, Vivek (26 May 2011). "Now, outfit declares war on Shivaji's dog". Mid-Day.
  9. ↑ Maratha outfit declares war on Shivaji's dog , IBN Live
  10. ↑ "Legend of Shivaji's loyal dog questioned, statue removed". Business Standard. 25 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "73 held for removing Shivaji dog's statue from Raigad fort". DNA India. 3 August 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Sambhajiraje, historians rail against Waghya dog statue in Raigad Fort". The Indian Express. 25 March 2025.
  13. ↑ Deshpande, Shrinivas (26 March 2025). "Fate of Waghya's statue hangs in the balance as debate over its removal intensifies". Hindustan Times.
  14. ↑ "Shivaji's loyal dog Waghya: Raigad Fort statue controversy explained". The Indian Express. 12 April 2025.
  15. ↑ "No historical reference to 'Waghya' statue at Raigad fort, needs to be removed, demands Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje". The Times of India. 24 March 2025.
  16. ↑ "Conflict over Waghya's statue at Raigad Fort unnecessary, says chief minister Devendra Fadnavis". The Times of India. 30 March 2025.
  17. ↑ "Statue of Shivaji Maharaj's dog Waghya at Raigad: Why are such old issues being raised, asks deputy CM Ajit Pawar". The Times of India. 24 March 2025.
  18. ↑ Mulla, Mohsin (24 May 2011). "Dog statue near Shivaji memorial draws ire". DNA India.