Bhubaneswar: In keeping with an earlier announcement that the state government has decided to bring back the Tiger Claw to India from London on the 350th anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation celebration, Maharashtra’s Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, left for London this morning. He will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bring back Wagh Nakha, a knuckle duster with metal nails that resembles tiger claws, the wartime weapon of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, from the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The Wagh Nakha or Tiger Claw was used by 17th century Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to kill Afzal Khan, the General in the Bijapur Adil Shahi empire. The Tiger Claw will be given to the Maharashtra government by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on a loan for three years and will be displayed at the museums in the state. On Tuesday, he will visit the Victoria and Albert Museum to meet with Tristan Hunt, director of the museum, and sign the agreement.
Opposition leaders in the state raised questions on whether the Tiger Claw, which will be brought to India in November is the same as used by Shivaji Maharaj.
“We will be very happy if the Tiger Claws used by Shivaji Maharaj are brought back to India permanently. We all will welcome the whole cabinet and felicitate them. But is it being brought on loan for some period or permanently? I also want to ask if these are the same Wagh Nakha which was used Shivaji Maharaj or is it Shiv Kalin Tiger Claws (from Shivaji’s era),” Aaditya Thackeray said.
