Statues of 17th‑century warrior king Shivaji have sprung up across India, from Maharashtra towns to border districts. Their sudden proliferation follows a 2022 guerrilla installation in Bodhan that sparked communal clashes and a police ban on gatherings. Hindu nationalist groups cite Shivaji’s defeat of the Mughal empire as proof of a distinct Hindu identity, reshaping public spaces in recent years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party government has turned the icon into a policy lever, earmarking funds for monuments and military studies. Maharashtra’s latest budget allocated $5 million to build a Shivaji memorial in Agra, a former Mughal stronghold, while the navy adopted a flag inspired by his seal. State administrations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Chhattisgarh also plan new statues.

The wave of statues signals a commercial market for heritage tourism and merchandise, with vendors selling T‑shirts, wristwatches and guided tours of forts like Sindhudurg. Critics warn the narrative erases Shivaji’s historically pragmatic alliances with Muslims and inflates a monolithic Hindu myth, potentially unsettling India’s secular framework. The trend illustrates how cultural branding can drive state spending and local economies.