The flag was placed there on May 1, this year, on the anniversary of the state’s foundation day. Photo for representational purpose.
Stand at any part of Marine Drive after sunset, sweep your gaze across the Queen’s Necklace and you will find a spire rising into the horizon, a large flag at its peak.
Installed a month ago, a 150-foot pole surmounted by the Tricolour is the newest addition to the Governor’s residence and is fast gathering a following. The flag was placed there on May 1, this year, on the anniversary of the state’s foundation day.
The celebrations commemorated the year 1960, when the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru heralded the creation of the new state. Raj Bhavan archives how Nehru unveiled a map of Maharashtra on April 30 midnight, with then governor Sri Prakasa and the state’s first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan.
A plaque, commemorating that historic night and the 1960 map, has been placed near the Tricolour and was officially unveiled by present governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao.
A month later, the flag keeps drawing curious visitors, both new ones and the regulars.
“So far, not a lot of people know about it but we have now developed the spot and also placed a signboard,” said Raj Bhavan spokesperson Umesh Kashikar.
He added that the regular visitors to Raj Bhavan’s panoramic sunrise gallery were among the first civilians to see the flag and the map. “Since it is located near the entrance, visitors spot it instantly and want to know more about it. Once they read the signboard, they feel happy to be at a historic place. It is an added attraction to Raj Bhavan,” he said.
For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App
