Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, son of Shahji Raje Bhosale and Jijabai Bhosale. Maharaj Born on February 19, 1627 and Died on April 3, 1680 as per Gregorian (English) Calendar. As per Panchanga(Marathi Calendar) he was born on 3rd day (Tritiya) during Krishna Paksh in the month of Falgun. Shivaji Maharaj was the founder of Maratha Empire in 1674.
He is greatest hero in India, particularly in the Maharashtra. Using guerrilla tactics well-suited to the rugged mountains and valleys of the region, he annexed a portion of the then dominant Mughal Empire and the Sultanate of Bijapur.
His mother Jijabai Bhosale made an indelible impression on him with her teachings, with her love of the homeland and its people. Shivaji learned much from his father’s failed attempts at political independence, his exceptional military capabilities and achievements, his knowledge of Sanskrit, Hindu ethos, patronage of the arts, his war strategies and peacetime diplomacy. He was inspired and informed by his family’s vision of independence and freedom.
Shahaji’s vision, Jijabai’s and Dadoji Konddeo’s teachings and motivation, and the able training by military commanders such as Gomaji Naik and Baji Pasalkar were the main influences which groomed Shivaji into a brave and fearless military leader as well as a responsible administrator. Young Shivaji, energetic and enthusiastic as he was, wasted no time in setting off on a path of freedom and glory.
At the age of 17 Shivaji Maharaj carried out his first military action by attacking and capturing Torna fort of the Bijapur kingdom, in 1645. By 1647 he had captured Kondana and Rajgad forts and had complete control of the Pune region. By 1654 Shivaji Maharaj had captured forts in the Western Ghats and along the Konkan coast. In a bid to sabotage this move of the Marathas under Shivaji’s able leadership, Adilshah had his father - Shahaji arrested by deceitful means, and he sent one army against Sambhaji, Shivaji Maharaj’s elder brother at Bangalore. And another was against Shivaji Maharaj at Purandhar. However both Bhonsle brothers defeated the invading armies securing the release of their father. Afzal Khan was then sent to destroy Shivaji, in an effort to put down what was seen by Bijapur as a regional revolt.
Afzal Khan, left Bijapur to confront Shivaji Maharaj. He destroyed the temples of goddess Bhavani in Tuljapur and Pandharpur. The intent was to get Shivaji Maharaj out in the open to face him in a pitched battle. Instead, Shivaji Maharaj sent a letter saying he was not eager to face Afzal Khan and sought some type of understanding. Shivaji Maharaj decided to confront Afzal Khan under the guise of diplomatic negotiations. A meeting was arranged between Afzal Khan and Shivaji Maharaj at the foothills of Fort Pratapgad. Afzal Khan calculated that by killing Shivaji, he would be rid of the Maratha challenge to his king. Shivaji Maharaj was fully aware of the danger facing him; so he prepared carefully for this encounter. He secretly armed himself with sharp wagh nakh (tiger claw), and chilkhat (armor) prior to the meeting. Afzal Khan embraced him before the commencement of supposed negotiations and then surreptitiously proceeded to stab him with a khanjar (Dagger) hidden in his clothes. Shivaji Maharaj survived the attack unscathed, protected because of the armor. Shivaji Maharaj counter-attacked Afzal Khan with the wagh nakh and bich’hwa, spilling his blood and entrails on the ground. Then the Maratha warriors cleared of retreating Adilshahi forces and completed the great legendary victory.
This surprising and improbably crushing defeat of the elite Muslim force in the Deccan raised the hopes and confidence of the Hindus across India and helped to unite the emerging Maratha nation as a united force under Shivaji Maharaj’s able leadership. The confidence of the Marathas was now on the rise and an inspired Shivaji Maharaj began to consolidate and expand his kingdom by pushing the boundaries of Mughal and Sultanate Kingdoms out of his homeland, Maharashtra. This in turn made him a high level threat to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who now identified Shivaji Maharaj as a major enemy of the Mughal Empire.
Adil Shah sent Siddi Johar against Marathas. He was eager to put down Shivaji Maharaj at any cost. This time he committed all the manpower and resources available to him in his kingdom for this mission. He ordered his large and imposing army north to Kolhapur, Maharashtra to confront and defeat Shivaji Maharaj once and for all. At that time Shivaji Maharaj was camped at the fort Panhala with a small part of his army, near Kolhapur. Siddi Johar’s very large and intimidating army camped near Panhala, cutting off supply routes to the fort. Shivaji Maharaj in a bold move, decided to escape to a nearby fort Vishaalgad, where he could regroup his soldiers to fight a decisive battle. Maharaj sent misleading messages to Siddi Johar indicating that he was willing to negotiate and was looking for accommodation, understanding and mercy. With this news Adilshahi soldiers relaxed a little and Maharaj escaped under the cover of a very stormy night. Johar’s soldiers captured a small group of the Marathas apparently including Shivaji Maharaj, only to realize he was a look-alike dressed like Maharaj, who was actually sent out to create a diversion and facilitate the Maharaj’s escape. It did not take much time for Siddi Johar’s soldiers to realize that Maharaj and his army were headed to Vishaalgad. A large enemy cavalry, in hot pursuit of Shivaji Maharaj’s infantry and foot soldiers would probably have overtaken and captured him. Baji Prabhu Deshpande, a brave Sardar along with 300 Maratha soldiers, volunteered to fight to the death to hold back the enemy at Ghod Khind to give Shivaji Maharaj a chance to reach the safety of Vishaal Gad. In the ensuing battle of Pavan Khind, Baji Prabhu Deshpande fought relentlessly, at times with scimitars curved swords in both hands. He was almost fatally injured but he held on for precious minutes and only succumbed to his injuries after hearing cannon fire from Vishaal Gad, signalling Maharaj had reached safety of the fort. Ghod Khind was renamed Pavan Khind (Sacred Pass) in honor of Bajiprabhu Deshpande and the soldiers who selflessly fought and died to save their king and country. Thereafter a truce was made between Shivaji and Adilshahi through Shahaji, acknowledging and formally recognizing the independence of Shivaji Maharaj’s Kingdom. Also, as the terms of peace, the fort at Panhala was awarded to Siddi Johar.
In 1660, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb sent Shaista Khan, his maternal uncle with a large army to defeat Shivaji Maharaj in the Deccan. Within three years in 1663, Shivaji Maharaj had lost most of his conquests to a relentless attack by a well-trained, well supplied and vastly larger Mughal army. Shaista Khan seized Pune and the nearby fort of Chakan. His vast and professional army numbering over 100,000 was more than a match for Shivaji Maharaj’s troops. Although he held Pune for almost a year, he had little further success. He had set up his residence at Lal Mahal, Maharaj’s palace, in the city of Pune. Shaista Khan kept the security in Pune very tight. Maharaj planned a daring attack on Shaista Khan amidst tight security. In April 1663, a wedding party had obtained special permission for a procession; Maharaj planned an attack using the wedding party as cover and entered Pune. After slaying the palace guards, the Marathas broke into the mansion by breaking through a wall. Shivaji Maharaj confronted Shaista Khan and with a slash of his sword he severed three of Shaista Khan’s fingers as he fled through an open window. The Khan narrowly escaped death and was taken to a safe place by his servant maids. Shaista Khan lost his son, many of his guards, and soldiers in the raid. Within twenty-four hours of this daring attack Shaista Khan left Pune and headed North towards Agra. An angered Aurangzeb transferred him to distant Bengal as a punishment for bringing embarrassment to the Mughals.
In 1664 Shivaji Maharaj invaded Surat, an important Mughal trading city and looted it to replenish his now depleted treasury and also as a revenge for the capture and looting of Maratha territory by Shaista Khan. Shivaji Maharaj acquired immense wealth from Surat. Following that Shivaji Maharaj continued to capture forts belonging to both Mughals and Bijapur and to expand his dominions.
Aurangzeb was enraged and sent a renowned Rajput General, Mirza Raja Jai Singh to defeat Shivaji Maharaj with another imposing and huge army. The Mughal force proved to be unstoppable in the early battles. And Shivaji Maharaj decided to come to terms with Aurganzeb. In the treaty of Purander, signed between Shivaji Maharaj and Jai Singh. Maharaj agreed to give up all of his 23 forts and 400,000 rupees to the Mughals. He also agreed to become a Mughal Sardar and serve the Mughal court of Aurangzeb. Shivaji Maharaj’s intentions in becoming a Mughal Sardar were to defeat the Bijapur and Golconda Kingdoms using Aurangzeb’s army and then to take on the mighty Mughals.
In 1666, Aurangzeb summoned Shivaji Maharaj to Agra, along with his six year old son Sambhaji, on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday. In the court, on 12 May 1666, Aurangzeb made Shivaji Maharaj stand behind mansabdars (Commanders) of his court. Offended by this petty gesture, Shivaji Maharaj stormed out of court and was promptly placed under house arrest, under the watch of Fulad Khan, Kotwal of Agra. From his spies, Maharaj learned that Aurangzeb planned to shift him to Raja Vitthaldas’s Haveli and then to kill him. So Shivaji Maharaj planned his escape. He pretended almost fatal sickness and requested to send most of his contingent back to Deccan. Thereafter, on his request, he was allowed to send sweets and gifts to saints, fakirs, and temples in Agra as offerings for getting well. After several months of sending out boxes containing sweets, Shivaji Maharaj escaped without being recognized with these boxes. Then he fled to his homeland, disguised as sadhus.
In January 1670 Shivaji Maharaj launched a major, concerted and multi-pronged assault on Mughals in Maharashtra. The force of Maharaj regained most of his old territory and more. From 1670 to 1674 Shivaji Maharaj continued to actively and aggressively expand his territory at the expense of the Mughals. Shivaji Maharaj rapidly expanded his kingdom to include major portions of Maharashtra and far in to the south including Karnataka and Tamilnadu.
On the outskirts of Pune, Kondana, was still under Mughal control. Uday Bhan Rathod, a brave Rajput was the fort keeper. Uday Bhan had maintained strict vigil around the fort. On February 4, 1670 Shivaji Maharaj deputed one of his most senior and trusted generals, Tanaji Malusare, to head a mission to capture Kondana. Tanaji Malusare surveyed the fort and its defenses very meticulously for some days. The fort was extremely well guarded. One very sheer cliff caught Tanaji’s eye. This side was least guarded as one could not possibly imagine climbing the fort from this steep side. Tanaji decided to scale this cliff to enter the fort. He used a monitor lizard named “Yeshwanti” with a rope tied around its body for climbing this cliff on a moonless night. As they reached the top, they opened the gates for Tanaji’s brother Suryaji with another 300 Mavalas for surprise attack. Tanaji and Uday Bhan came face to face and a fierce fight ensued. A solid blow from Uday Bhan broke Tanaji’s shield. He continued the fight until another fatal blow from Uday Bhan staggered Tanaji and a counter blow then killed Uday Bhan. Seeing their leader mortally wounded, the Maratha soldiers became tentative and started to back-up. Suryaji, then stepped in to rally them and to get them to be back on the offensive. The Marathas determinedly commenced their attack on the Mughal defenders with great courage and determination, and captured the fort. When Maharaj learned that he had lost his brave, loyal and trusted friend, he said “Gad ala, pun sinha geyla”, meaning We have won the fort, but lost the Lion. Henceforth Kondana fort was formally named Sinhagad (the Lion fort) in honour of the great Tanaji Malusare.
Shivaji Maharaj was was formally crowned Chhatrapati on June 6, 1674 at the Raigad fort, and given the title Kshatriya Kulavantas Sinhasanadheeshwar Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Pandit Gaga Bhatt, a renowned Brahmin from Varanasi, officially presided over the ceremony. He was bestowed with the Zaanva, in Hindi the Janeu (sacred thread), with the Vedas and was bathed in an abisheka. Shivaji Maharaj had insisted on an Indrabhishek ritual, which had fallen into disuse since the 9th century. Shivaji Maharaj became a “shakkarta” (he started his own calendar).
At the end of 1676, Shivaji Maharaj launched a wave of conquests in southern India with a massive force. The first major alliance made by the monarch was with Abul Hasan, the Qutb Shahi Sultan of Golconda. They began a campaign against the Bijapur Karnataka, including the Shivaji Maharaj’s own half-brother, Vyankoji Bhonsla. He defeated and captured the forts at Vellore and Gingee in modern-day Tamilnadu.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj died at 12 noon, 3rd April, in 1680 at Raigad, after running a fever for three weeks. The funeral ceremony was arranged in Raigad in presence of his son Rajaram, and Soyarabai.
