Far away from the festive atmosphere around Uddandarayunipalem village, Narsapuram MP Gokaraju Gangaraju sweated it out to collect sacred water and mud from a high altitude place that is revered by millions. It is the historic Shivneri Fort located at Junnar village near Pune in Maharashtra, where Chhatrapati Sivaji was born. Speaking to The Hindu over phone on Monday, Mr. Gangaraju said that it was his good fortune to collect the water and mud from Shivai Devi temple situated inside the fort. It was where Sivaji’s mother Jijabai had prayed for a healthy child and gave birth later to the child who went on to become the renowned Maratha King.
“It took two hours for me to trek the hillock,” he said.
