Lucknow, Aug. 1 -- A proposal to transform Agra's Kothi Meena Bazaar into a nationally significant memorial linked to the dramatic escape of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has gathered momentum, with Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra exploring a joint conservation initiative. During his visit to Mumbai on Friday, UP higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyay met Maharashtra culture minister Ashish Shelar to discuss preserving and developing the site, which Upadhyay described as the place where Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had allegedly placed Shivaji Maharaj and his son under house arrest after deceitfully detaining them. Citing historical research and revenue records of the Jaipur royal family, Upadhyay said evidence points to Kothi Meena Bazaar, the residential complex of Mirza Raja Jai Singh's son Ram Singh, as the actual location of Shivaji's confinement before his legendary escape. He said he has been working since 2018 with historian Prof. Sugam Anand and late researcher Dr. Ami Aadhar Nidar to establish the site's historical authenticity. Inviting Shelar to visit Agra, Upadhyay proposed that the two state governments jointly prepare a roadmap for conserving the site and constructing a grand memorial. He said the proposed monument would commemorate Shivaji Maharaj's courage while strengthening the cultural and historical ties between Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The two ministers also discussed broader cooperation in preserving historical heritage....