Guru Sambhajirao Vinayakrao Bhide, popularly known as “Bhide Guruji” is a 80 year old person who has dedicated his life for “dev, desh and dharma”. He was RSS pracharak before parting ways with RSS and forming his own organisation named “Shri Shivpratishthan, hindusthan”. He is known for his simple lifestyle. He never wears any footwear and if you’re lucky, you might meet him in a bus sitting next to you. For last several years, a group of people travel from Sangli to Fort Raigad (approx 250km) daily to do “nitya pooja” of shivaji maharaj. He travels around Maharashtra continuously to spread message of Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj and invite people to join their work.
On 4th June 2017, thousands of youth took a pledge to re-install the 32 mann( approx 1280 kg) golden throne of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Raigad where it stood when he was coronated. Guruji is currently busy is campaigning about it and asking people to donate for it
His name was in news throughout India for alleged involvement of him in an unfortunate incidence of violence near Pune. All allegations against him are false and are politically motivated as he never spoke about the issue nor visited the place for last 3–4 years. He stands unaffected by the criticism and false allegations and continues his work.
There are various programs of ShivPratishthan which mainly include:
1) Durga Mata Daud: Every Navratri, members of ShivPratishthan all over Maharashtra gather at some place in their respective towns and run towards temple of any Devi (Goddess) with a saffron flag leading them. People observe fast and worship Devi for their personal gains or for personal benefit but ShivPratishthan does it for the benefit of country. They don’t ask anything for them. The only thing they ask is for country so it is said that Durga Mata Daud is “Rashtriya Navratra” (National Navratra)
2)Balidan Mas: Dharmaveer Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj wasn’t killed instantaneously by Aurangzeb. His cruel murderer, harassed him for a month and mercilessly killed him on Falgun amavaysa. Balidan mas is observed from the day he was captured till the day he breath his last ie. from first day of Falgun to Falgun Amavasya. For these 30 days, people gather together to pay homage to Sambhaji Maharaj and it is done by reciting shloks written by Bhide Guruji himself. People observing this fast for 30 days by eating food only for one-time and avoid eating sweets and entertainment during this period. This is a period of mourning observed as if for our family member. Sambhaji Maharaj didn’t get proper funeral and one last day, a symbolic last journey of Sambhaji maharaj is taken out
Visuals of last day of Balidan Mas where we walk barefooted as a part of symbolic last journey of Sambhaji Maharaj which didn’t happen when he died in 1689
3) Gadkot Mohim: This is yet another unique program organised by ShivPratishthan. Every year thousands of people mainly youth join this mohim which means to travel by foot from one fort to another through dense forest in adverse weather without any equipment. It can be called as “unequipped trekking”. We carry our own food with us which would remain intact for 4–5 days and will keep us going as each day’s journey is about 25–30 kms in the mountains. We sleep under the roof of sky and nothing else, but nature. Last year, about 40000+ people participated in it for 5 days. At the place of stay, noted historians play their part to teach us historical significance of the place we’re in or we are travelling to. Not to miss is Bhide Guruji’s valuable guidance. Interesting part is Guruji despite his old age walks with us from start to end without resting in between. The walk isn’t so easy. Many young and physically fit people can’t complete it because they lack the urge or mental readiness to do it. Singing patriotic songs, shouting slogans makes our way easy as they give us energy to walk despite adverse conditions. I really fall short of words to describe it
Guruji has a huge following and for lakhs of youth, his word is final. He is revered by people from all walks of life. PM Narendra Modi also calls him his Guruji and obeys his orders. I really can’t describe him or his work in words. I know that I can’t do justice with the work he does by my words, but to understand the significance of his work it is necessary to know the background of it and then think of the need for it. I consider myself fortunate to work with him and have his blessings
The crux of his life and his work is in the shlok which is written by none other than guruji himself,
“कशासाठी आणि जगावे कसे मी?
विचारू स्वतःला असा प्रश्न नेहमी
लढू पांग फेडावया मायभू चे
आम्ही मार्ग चालू जिजाऊसुताचे”
It can be loosely translated as: “For what and how shall I live? We should ask this question to ourselves again and again. Let’s strive to pay debt of our motherland, and for that we shall walk the path of Shivaji Maharaj”
On 4th June 2017, thousands of youth took a pledge to re-install the 32 mann( approx 1280 kg) golden throne of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Raigad where it stood when he was coronated. Guruji is currently busy is campaigning about it and asking people to donate for it
His name was in news throughout India for alleged involvement of him in an unfortunate incidence of violence near Pune. All allegations against him are false and are politically motivated as he never spoke about the issue nor visited the place for last 3–4 years. He stands unaffected by the criticism and false allegations and continues his work.
There are various programs of ShivPratishthan which mainly include:
1) Durga Mata Daud: Every Navratri, members of ShivPratishthan all over Maharashtra gather at some place in their respective towns and run towards temple of any Devi (Goddess) with a saffron flag leading them. People observe fast and worship Devi for their personal gains or for personal benefit but ShivPratishthan does it for the benefit of country. They don’t ask anything for them. The only thing they ask is for country so it is said that Durga Mata Daud is “Rashtriya Navratra” (National Navratra)
2)Balidan Mas: Dharmaveer Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj wasn’t killed instantaneously by Aurangzeb. His cruel murderer, harassed him for a month and mercilessly killed him on Falgun amavaysa. Balidan mas is observed from the day he was captured till the day he breath his last ie. from first day of Falgun to Falgun Amavasya. For these 30 days, people gather together to pay homage to Sambhaji Maharaj and it is done by reciting shloks written by Bhide Guruji himself. People observing this fast for 30 days by eating food only for one-time and avoid eating sweets and entertainment during this period. This is a period of mourning observed as if for our family member. Sambhaji Maharaj didn’t get proper funeral and one last day, a symbolic last journey of Sambhaji maharaj is taken out
Visuals of last day of Balidan Mas where we walk barefooted as a part of symbolic last journey of Sambhaji Maharaj which didn’t happen when he died in 1689
3) Gadkot Mohim: This is yet another unique program organised by ShivPratishthan. Every year thousands of people mainly youth join this mohim which means to travel by foot from one fort to another through dense forest in adverse weather without any equipment. It can be called as “unequipped trekking”. We carry our own food with us which would remain intact for 4–5 days and will keep us going as each day’s journey is about 25–30 kms in the mountains. We sleep under the roof of sky and nothing else, but nature. Last year, about 40000+ people participated in it for 5 days. At the place of stay, noted historians play their part to teach us historical significance of the place we’re in or we are travelling to. Not to miss is Bhide Guruji’s valuable guidance. Interesting part is Guruji despite his old age walks with us from start to end without resting in between. The walk isn’t so easy. Many young and physically fit people can’t complete it because they lack the urge or mental readiness to do it. Singing patriotic songs, shouting slogans makes our way easy as they give us energy to walk despite adverse conditions. I really fall short of words to describe it
Guruji has a huge following and for lakhs of youth, his word is final. He is revered by people from all walks of life. PM Narendra Modi also calls him his Guruji and obeys his orders. I really can’t describe him or his work in words. I know that I can’t do justice with the work he does by my words, but to understand the significance of his work it is necessary to know the background of it and then think of the need for it. I consider myself fortunate to work with him and have his blessings
The crux of his life and his work is in the shlok which is written by none other than guruji himself,
“कशासाठी आणि जगावे कसे मी?
विचारू स्वतःला असा प्रश्न नेहमी
लढू पांग फेडावया मायभू चे
आम्ही मार्ग चालू जिजाऊसुताचे”
It can be loosely translated as: “For what and how shall I live? We should ask this question to ourselves again and again. Let’s strive to pay debt of our motherland, and for that we shall walk the path of Shivaji Maharaj”