Mumbai, July 7 -- The first episode of 'Maharashtra Dharma', a new podcast series featuring chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, was released on Sunday. Titled 'Maharashtra Dharma: Foundation and Formation', the episode was focussed on Maharashtra's spiritual journey across centuries, from its mention in the mythological epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, to the influence of Lord Buddha, and the rise of the Maratha empire and the freedom movement. The podcast comes amid a raging row in Maharashtra over the government's now-retracted attempt to introduce Hindi as a compulsory third language in schools and efforts by the opposition to portray the ruling Mahayuti alliance as anti-Maharashtra and anti-Marathi manoos. The coming together of estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray - the duo addressed a joint rally on July 5 to celebrate the scrapping of government resolutions to introduce Hindi in schools - has further cornered the BJP. Fadnavis' podcast, which will feature him being interviewed by renowned persons from various fields, is an attempt to counter the negative image of the ruling alliance and its lead constituent, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), insiders in the saffron party told Hindustan Times. "Prior to the (assembly) election, Fadnavis was repeatedly attacked for not sanctioning Maratha reservation while the BJP was painted as an anti-Maharashtra party as several industrial projects shifted out of the state," said a BJP leader. After the election, the Mahayuti government has been cornered by the opposition over alleged favours doled out to the Adani group and efforts to introduce Hindi in primary schools, the leader said, adding, "The podcast is a timely intervention." Sources close to Fadnavis said the chief minister will choose the topics for each podcast episode and one-two episodes will be released every month. "It will be different from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's podcast, Mann Ki Baat, as Fadnavis will be interviewed by experts from various fields," said a source. In the first episode, the chief minister was interviewed by Sadanand More, a descendant of the seventeenth century Warkari saint-poet, Tukaram. Maharashtra was mentioned in the Ramanyana as Lord Rama had visited the forests in Vidarbha while he was in exile while his wife Sita was abducted from Panchvati near Nashik, the chief minister said. "There was mention of Maharashtra in the Mahabharata too, as Arjuna sat for meditation in the Konkan and the Pandavas stayed at Chikhaldara near Amravati," he said. Fadnavis said the sculptures and paintings in the Ajanta caves were proof that though the Buddha never visited Maharashtra, his message had reached interior areas of the region. "The mahanubhav sect established by saint Chakradhar in the thirteenth century did not believe in the caste system. Neither did the Warkaris," he said. The chief minister spoke about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's quest for his ideals, country, God and duty, as opposed to lusting for power. He mentioned a raft of iconic figures from across the political spectrum - from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule to Lokmanya Tilak and Tukdoji Maharaj, saying they were part of Maharashtra's spiritual and intellectual legacy. "Maharashtra Dharma is not a religion, but a code of ethics which asks us to think wisely, work with dedication, and stand with courage," he said....