CHANDRAPUR, July 6 — Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday launched his new podcast series titled ‘Maharashtra Dharma’, urging people to carry forward the intellectual, ethical and cultural legacy of the state’s iconic saints, warriors, and reformers.
Speaking during the first episode, released on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi, Fadnavis said the state had produced not just fighters but philosophers and nation-builders whose values remain deeply embedded in Maharashtra’s identity.
“We may not be the biological heirs of Dnyaneshwar, Shivaji Maharaj, Savitribai Phule, or Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, but we are undoubtedly the inheritors of their wisdom,” Fadnavis said. “Their knowledge, sacrifice and courage gave shape to the Maharashtra we live in today. It is our collective responsibility to preserve and nurture that legacy.”
The podcast is hosted by scholar Dr Sadanand More and seeks to explore Maharashtra’s spiritual, cultural, and historical journey through reflections, stories, and interpretations of past events and personalities. The inaugural episode, titled “Maharashtra Dharma: Foundation and Formation,” delved into themes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and teachings of Gautam Buddha, tracing the state’s moral and philosophical foundation.
“Maharashtra Dharma is not about nostalgia,” Fadnavis said. “It is our moral compass, a guide that teaches us who we are and inspires us to become better.”
Calling it a living code of ethics, he described Maharashtra Dharma as a philosophy that “urges us to think wisely, act in service, and live with courage.” He drew parallels from Dnyaneshwar’s verses to Shivaji Maharaj’s sword, from Phule’s social awakening to Dr Ambedkar’s vision for justice, stating that this chain of values remains unbroken through time.
Fadnavis, who earlier hosted the televised citizen-outreach programme ‘Mi Mukhyamantri Boltoy’ during his first tenure as CM from 2014 to 2019, said the podcast is aimed at reigniting a conversation around the essence of Maharashtra’s identity, especially among youth.
“This land has been touched by divine footsteps,” he said, pointing out that references to Maharashtra can be found in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, with locations like Nashik, Aurangabad and Amravati linked to episodes from those texts.
He also touched on the significance of Pandharpur’s wari pilgrimage, a tradition where lakhs of devotees walk hundreds of kilometres to seek blessings from Lord Vitthal. “This is not just a religious event. It is a symbol of social equality, rarely found anywhere else in the world,” he said.
Paying tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Fadnavis described him as a protector of dharma, culture, and national integrity. “His vision of ‘swarajya’ was not about power, but about values. It was shaped by tales from Rajmata Jijabai, and governed by ethical ideals far ahead of his time,” he said.
He also remembered Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, calling him a poet, warrior, and scholar, who led with “valor and sacrifice,” and acknowledged the contributions of Ahilyabai Holkar, Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule, Lokmanya Tilak, Sant Gadge Baba, and Tukdoji Maharaj.
Concluding the episode, Fadnavis said that Maharashtra Dharma will serve as a platform to unpack the layered richness of the state’s history, culture, and soul. “The story of Maharashtra is not just of saints and warriors—it is the story of people who stood for justice, knowledge, equality, and spiritual evolution. That story must never fade.”
