Coronation of Shivaji Maharaj is a golden moment engraved on the heart of Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday as he paid tributes to the warrior king who was crowned "Chhatrapati" of the independent Maratha kingdom in 1674. In normal times, public rallies and processions mark the coronation day at Raigad Fort, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no public function was held for the second consecutive year.

The hill fort, located in Mahad in Raigad district, holds a major significance in the history of the Maratha empire founded by Chhatrapati Shivaji. Many constructions and structures on Raigad were built by Shivaji Maharaj when he made it his capital in 1674 upon being crowned the king of the Maratha kingdom.