The man who shaped the past and present of Maharashtra; Image Source: The Washington Post

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17th November 2012 saw the lifeline of the busiest state of Maharashtra standstill, after the stalwart leader of state Bal Keshav Thackeray met his fate due to a cardiac arrest. Shops and commercial establishments all started shutting down as the news broke about his demise. The state government planned a state funeral for Thackeray, who became the second man after Bal Gangadhar Tilak to receive a state funeral with a twenty-one-gun salute.

Bal Thackeray was also famously addressed as Balasaheb with love and respect. His journey in Marathi politics is rather an interesting story. He started as a cartoonist in the Free Press Journal, where he would portray cartoons with a satirical take on the concurrent situations of the state. His cartoons also get printed in the Sunday edition of the famous national daily, Times of India. Born to Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, who was a journalist and Marathi activist for the formation of the state of Maharashtra in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, influenced young Bal Keshav too. Following the footsteps of his father, he also became an active supporter of Maratha sentiment.

Eventually, in the year of 1960, he started his own weekly cartoon Marmik, this venture was essentially his first step to invigorate Maratha spirit against the increasing population of non-Marathas in the state.

> With time, he planned with some of his like-minded acquaintances to found a national political party that would advocate the rights of Marathi speaking population. On 19th June 1966, Bal Thackeray successfully founded, Shiv Sena. The party became a popular party in Maharashtra and Bal Thackeray’s speech attracted lakhs of people. In 1995, Shiv Sena formed a coalition government in the state with BJP (Bharatiya Janta Party) and ruled the state of Maharashtra till 1999.
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When one reaches the height of popularity, his humility at times transcends into ignorance; and the same happened with Balasaheb when he started campaigning for votes in the upcoming election by leaning on religious sentiments in 1999. This was against the moral code of conduct, of the Election Commission of India.

> Law treats everyone with equality, and Bal Thackeray was banned from casting votes for six years. In 2007, he cast his vote after adhering to the ban on his voting rights.
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Balasaheb was one of a kind and his aura would grapple the attention of every big personality. It is an interesting fact that Balasaheb has never in his life stepped out of his residence to meet someone and he has always welcomed everyone to meet him. From Amitabh Bachchan to Michael Jackson every curious celebrity visited him rather than inviting the Legendary Maratha Lion!

His popularity and sheer influence were evident when his funerary rites witnessed around 15 to 20 lakh people gather in Shivaji Park, despite holding no formal political post in Maharashtra. After Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he was the second man to get a public funeral in the state.