Raigad, Sindhudurg and Shivneri forts will fight it out for top slot in this unique contest

It is a 30-year-old contest that has become an integral part of the history lovers of Nagpur. With the passage of time, it has only got bigger and better and this year Shiv Vaibhav Killa contest is expected to cross all previous records when it comes to entries. Here’s a quick update on what to expect in this unique fort making contest…
More than 100 entries expected
The man behind this tradition, Ramesh Satpute, makes it clear that the whole idea behind this contest is to educate the youngsters about Indian history.“My endeavour is to make youngsters and their parents read about our great history and heritage. They are obsessed with TV shows and video games, but through this contest we have tried to wean them away from gadgets and get them close to their glorious history. There are three categories in this contest—Shiva forts (350 Maratha forts) —Vidarbha forts (80 Vakataka and Gond forts) and imaginary forts. To compete, it is mandatory for the participants to read about the place, the fort, the ruler and his achievements. So, it serves as a lesson in history. This time we are expecting around 100 entries and people of all age groups will participate in this,” says Satpute.
Shivaji rocks
When it comes to favourites, it is the forts made during Maratha warrior Shivaji’s rule that are clear favourites of the contestants. A student of journalism and winner of last year’s contest, Vishal Deokar, shares, “This time I’m making a replica of Pratapgad Fort in 50x40 feet. I will use scrap material for my eco-friendly creation. And I will use shalu maati to give those finer nuances to my fort. I really admire the architecture of Shivaji’s forts, so I have been making their replicas for years now for the killa contest, and for me, it is more important to showcase this wonderful architecture to people of Nagpur; winning or losing is immaterial.”
Woman power to the fore
The killa contest contest has broken several myths — the most important is about women not participating in contests that require plenty of raw manual labour and detailing. A homemaker, Vijaya Kamune, shares, “I have been participating in this contest since 2010 and this year I plan to make Shivneri Fort, the place where Shivaji was born. I will use a lot of rubble from the razed houses for my creation. And I will use a lot of mustard plants to give it that inimitable real feel. In this endeavour, I never seek anybody’s help and that is what makes it even more special for me.”
Replicating the details
This effort to promote history through the contest is given a fillip by people like Atul Guru, who are supporting the cause of history and heritage quite seriously. “Making a fort is one thing, but the idea is to create the exact replica of the heritage structure, with all the finer nuances inside the fort. Through various workshops, I train the youngsters to create such replicas at much faster pace. We have already set up a permanent replica of Raigad Fort at Ajni locoshed and the second permanent replica of another fort is coming up at Motibagh. I want people of Maharashtra to use these forts in landscapes at their home or offices so that greater awareness can be created about our wonderful history,” shares Atul.