Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, also known as Shiv Jayanti, is a festival which festival is celebrated on February 19, celebrating the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the first Chhatrapati and founder of the Maratha Empire. He re-established Hindavi Swarajya [Hindavī Svarājya; “Self-Rule of the hindavi people”]. In 1870, Mahatma Phule started celebration of Shivaji Jayanti[citation needed] which was then taken forward by Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Shiv Jayanti is the birth anniversary of great Maratha ruler Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji Maharaj was born on Marathi Shalivahana Hindu calendar Falgun’s Krishna paksha 3, 1551/Julian February 19, 1630, in Shivneri Fort. The error of not converting the Julian date to the corresponding Gregorian one is still not corrected. Shivaji Maharaj is considered as the greatest Maratha ruler who carved an enclave from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur that became the start of the Maratha Empire. At the young age of 16, Shivaji Maharaj seized the Torna fort and by the age of 17 had seized the Raigad and Kondana forts. Shivaji Maharaj as he is popularly known was named Shivaji Bhosale and was a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji Maharaj promoted the use of Marathi and Sanskrit in court and administration, rather than using Persian which was the norm in those times.