Maharashtra Ministers Sign MoU To Bring Back Shivaji’s ‘Wagh Nakh’ From London For Three Years

Maharashtra Ministers Sudhir Mungantiwar and Uday Samant signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on Tuesday to bring back Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s ‘Wagh Nakh’ (tiger claw) to India for a period of three years.

The ‘Wagh Nakh’ is a metal weapon used by Shivaji to kill Afzal Khan, the general of Bijapur Sultanate, in 1659. The box inscription mentions the historical significance of the weapon which the ministers said is not just a normal thing for the people of Maharashtra, but a “symbol of faith”.

The MoU was signed as part of the celebrations of 350 years of the coronation of Shivaji. Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that the ‘Wagh Nakh’ will be kept at a museum in Maharashtra so that people can get a chance to witness it.

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"Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with all his wisdom killed Afzal Khan with the help of 'Wagh Nakh'. We are celebrating 350 years of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. A lot of programs will be held in Maharashtra. We will be giving a chance to the people to witness the 'Wagh Nakh' by displaying it in the museum," Mungantiwar said as quoted by news agency ANI.

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While speaking to the reporters in London, he also said that they would not be able to take the ‘Wagh Nakh’ in all the districts of Maharashtra as they had earlier thought because of the terms stated in the MoU. He said that the state government will keep it at a particular spot where all the people will be able to visit and get a glimpse of the historical weapon.