PROJECT

ON
SHIVAJI
BHOSALE

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 INDEX
 Biography………………………………………………....4
 Early Life………………………………………………...11
 Facts and Information……………………………………23
 Achievements……………………………………………27
 Conflicts with Bijapur……………………………………31
 Conflicts with the Mughals………………………………36
 Reconquest……………………………………………….40
 Coronation………………………………………………..42
 Conquest of Southern India……………………………...45
 Escape from Agra………………………………………..47
 Independent Sovereign…………………………………..48
 Death and Succession……………………………………50
 Governance………………………………………………53
 Military…………………………………………………..55
 Legacy……………………………………………………58

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 Biography

Shivaji Bhonsale 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also

referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji, was an Indian ruler and a
member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out an
enclave from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur that
formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire. In 1674, he was
formally crowned the Chhatrapati (emperor) of his realm
at Raigad.
A young boy of 16 is not known to win battles, but his mother’s
teachings, father’s struggle and pride in the motherland gave the
young Shivaji his first achievement as an able warrior and leader
with the seizure of the Torna Fort which was initially under the
Bijapur Kingdom. With this recognition, there was no looking
back. His major breakthrough came with the Battle of
Pratapgarh against Afzal Khan, the general of the Sultanate of

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Bijapur, which made him a hero of the Marathas overnight. He
won it through sheer planning, speed and excellent generalship.
This was followed by many other battles against the Sultanate of
Bijapur, in warfares such as Battle of Kolhapur, Battle of Pavan
Khind, Battle of Vishaalgad and others.
Chhatrapati Shivaji is most famous for his valour to challenge
the mighty Mughal Empire, at the time ruled by Aurangzeb.
Although Emperor Aurangzeb tried to capture all the forts and
territories under Shivaji he could not achieve much success due
to Shivaji’s clever leadership qualities and guerrilla tactics.
But a temporary pause was put in Shivaji’s successful ventures
by the brave Hindu General Jai Singh, sent by the emperor.
Upon this, Shivaji decided to negotiate with the Mughal
Emperor and what followed is popularly known in history as
Shivaji’s trip to an astonishing escape from Agra, where he was
kept a prisoner by Aurangzeb.
Although after this incident, Shivaji remained dormant for some
time; he rose yet again against the Mughals in the year 1670
with the Battle of Sinhagad. Soon after this victory, he was
coroneted on 6th June 1674, as the King of the Marathas. Under
his dedicated rule, the small independent land ‘Hindavi Swaraj’
went on to become a large kingdom ranging from Northwest
India to the East.
Though not much is known of his personal life except that he
was married to Saibai, Soyarabai, Kashibai, Putalabai and

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Sagunabai and had two sons and three daughters, as a ruler, his
name is compared to that of Napoleon, Julius Caesar and the
Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus, who were all great rulers in
their own respect. He incorporated modern administrative
concepts such as a cabinet, foreign affairs, internal intelligence
and others and commanded an extremely well-trained army.
This apart, he was a king who was just and kind and showed
tolerance towards all religions and languages. He himself was
proficient in Sanskrit and Marathi and patronized art of all
kinds.
Shivaji succumbed to fatal illness spanning many weeks in 1680
and his empire was taken over by his son Sambhaji. But this did
not remove the imprint he left on the minds of all Indians.
Chhatrapati Shivaji’s name will forever be remembered in
folklore and history as the great king whose rule is considered as
a golden era, which showed the light of freedom, paving the way
for India’s Independence later.
Over the course of his life, Shivaji engaged in both alliances and
hostilities with the Mughal Empire, the Sultanate of
Golkonda and the Sultanate of Bijapur, as well as with European
colonial powers. Shivaji's military forces expanded the Maratha
sphere of influence, capturing and building forts, and forming
a Maratha navy. Shivaji established a competent and progressive
civil rule with well-structured administrative organizations. He
revived ancient Hindu political traditions and court conventions
and promoted the usage of the Marathi language.

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Shivaji's legacy was to vary by observer and time, but nearly
two centuries after his death, he began to take on increased
importance with the emergence of the Indian independence
movement, as many Indian nationalists elevated him as a proto-
nationalist and hero of the Hindus.
A number of small spurs run eastward from the sahyadris in the
Pune region. The extremely rugged valleys enclosed by these are
usually known as the Mavals or Khores each named after stream
running through it, or after the principal village. Collectively
they are known as the Mavals.
The inhabitants of this region who are called the Mavalas, were
an extremely hardy people. Shivaji Maharaj started the work of
founding the Swaraj in this region which is full of hills and
valleys and is not easily accessible. He skillfully utilized the
geographical features of Maval region for the purpose of the
foundation of the Swaraj. He created a feeling of trust and
affection in minds of the people. Many associates, companions
and Mavalas joined him in his work of founding Swaraj.
The objective of Shivaji Maharaj in founding the Swaraj is
clearly expressed in his official seal or Mudra which is in
Sanskrit. Through this Mudra, Shivaji Maharaj assured his
people that the ‘ever-increasing like the crescent-moon, the
kingdom of Shivaji, son of Shahaji, will always seek the welfare
of the people’.
In the medieval period, forts carried much significance. With a
firm hold over a fort, one could defend as well as control the
surrounding area and could rule the land. In case of an enemy’s
invasion, it was possible to protect the people taking shelter in
the fort. The forts situated within the jagir of Shivaji Maharaj

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were not under his control, but were under the control of
Adilshah.
Therefore an attempt to capture the forts meant to challenge the
Adilshahi power. Shivaji Maharaj decided to acquire the forts
that were within his own jagir. He captured the forts of
Murumbdev (Rajgad), Torna, Kondhana, Purandar and laid the
foundation of the Swaraj. Shivaji Maharaj was steadily but
cautiously aiming at extending and consolidating his power.
Those sardars who appreciated his aim were brought to his side,
but some sardars in the Adilshahi opposed him. It was necessary
to bring them under control for the purpose of founding the
Swaraj.
The region of Javali in Satara district was important from
strategic point of view. Many routes to the Konkan were through
Javali. For the expansion of the Swaraj in the Konkan, it was
essential to control that region. The region of Javali was ruled by
Chandrarao More, a powerful sardar in the Adilshahi. Shivaji
Maharaj attacked Javali and captured it in A.D. 1656. Then he
also captured Rairi. This strong fort, later under the name of
Raigad, was to become the capital of Shivaji Maharaj.
Shivaji Maharaj built the Pratapgad fort in the Javali valley to
protect the newly conquered territory and to control the Paar
pass. The victory at Javali led to the expansion of the Swaraj in
Konkan. Shivaji Maharaj then crossed the Ghats and descended
into Konkan. He captured Kalyan and Bhivandi on the Konkan
coast which were under the control of Adilshahi. Shivaji
Maharaj also captured forts like Mahuli, Lohagad, Tunga,
Tikona, Visapur, Songad, Karnala, Tala and Ghosala, in the
Konkan. Shivaji Maharaj was able to command the coast line
because of his acquisition of this territory in the Konkan. He
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came in contact with the Portuguese, the British and the Siddi
powers on the western coast. The Siddi controlled the fort of
Janjira and the areas around, including Danda-Rajpuri.
Wherever in future these powers created obstacles in the work of
expanding the Swaraj, Shivaji Maharaj tried to curb their
activities.
When Shivaji Maharaj became master of a long coastal strip, he
deemed it necessary to undertake the construction of a Navy.
Shivaji Maharaj realized that the one who had a navy, controlled
the sea. To protect his own territory from the Siddi's
depredations, to protect the merchant ships and ports in order to
secure and enhance revenue incomes derived from maritime
trade and customs duty, he concentrated on building the Navy.
There were four hundred ships of various kinds in the Navy.
They included battleships like Gurab, Galbat and Pal.
Shivaji Maharaj had openly challenged the Adilshahi by
capturing forts in his jagir and the territory in north Konkan. At
that time the Badi Sahiba was looking after the administration of
Adilshahi. She sent Afzal Khan, a powerful and an experienced
Adilshahi General to curb Shivaji Maharaj. Afzal Khan set out
from Bijapur sometime in May 1659. To isolate Shivaji
Maharaj, Ali Adilshah issued Farmans to the Deshmukhs in the
Mavals, ordering them to join Afzal Khan. Besides this, Afzal
Khan made efforts to seek the support of the Deshmukhs. A
meeting between Shivaji Maharaj and Afzal Khan took place on
10th November 1659 at the foot of Pratapgad. At the meeting
Afzal Khan attempted treachery. In retaliation, Shivaji Maharaj
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killed Afzal Khan. The Marathas destroyed Afzal Khan’s army
in the dense forests of Javali. Shivaji Maharaj secured a large
booty from Afzal Khan's camp which enabled him to
consolidate and strengthen his position.
Shivaji Maharaj intended to capture as much of Adilshahi
province and forts as possible. Thereafter, he captured from the
Adilshah forts of Panhala, Vasantgad and Khelna. He renamed
Khelna as Vishalgad. In A.D. 1660, to check the rapid progress
of Shivaji Maharaj, the Adilshah sent Siddi Jauhar, the Sardar of
Karnul region, with a large army against Shivaji Maharaj. The
Adilshah gave Siddi the title of ‘Salabatkhan’. In these
circumstances, Shivaji Maharaj took shelter in Panhala fort.
Siddi’s soldiers led siege to the fort for about five months.
Shivaji Maharaj found himself trapped inside the fort. Netoji
Palkar made attempts to raise the siege by 4 attacking Siddi’s
army from outside. But Siddi showed no signs of relenting.
Shivaji Maharaj opened overtures with him. This led to
slackness in the siege round Panhalgad.
Taking advantage of the situation Shivaji Maharaj escaped
through siege round the Panhala fort and proceeded to
Vishalgad. Siddi Jauhar’s army pursued Shivaji Maharaj. Shivaji
Maharaj stationed Baji Prabhu Deshpande at the foot of
Vishalgad and entrusted the responsibility of stopping the
Siddi’s army. Baji Parabhu Deshpande checked Siddi’s army at
the Ghod pass near Gajapur. He fought with the greatest valour.
Baji Prabhu died a hero’s death in this battle. While going to
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Vishalgad, Shivaji Maharaj also crushed the opposition of the
Adilshahi sardars- Dalvi of Palwan and Surve of Shringarpur.
Maharaj reached Vishalgad safely.
While Shivaji Maharaj was trapped at Panhala, the Mughal army
invaded the Swaraj. Shivaji Maharaj realized that it would not
be prudent to fight two enemies at the same time. Therefore
Shivaji Maharaj entered into a treaty with the Adilshah. As per
the treaty, he returned the fort of Panhala to the Adilshah.
Initial days of his reign, Shivaji maintained cordial relationships
with the English till they supported the Bijapuri Sultanate in a
confrontation against him in the capture of Fort of Panhala in
1660. So in 1670, Shivaji moved against the English in Bombay
for them not selling him war material. This conflict continued in
1971, when again the English refused their support in his attack
of Danda-Rajpuri, and he looted the English factories in
Rajapur. Numerous negotiations between the two parties to
come to term failed and the English did not lend their support to
his endeavors. 

Early Life
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Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivneri, near the city
of Junnar in what is now Pune district. Scholars disagree on his
date of birth. The Government of Maharashtra lists 19 February
as a holiday commemorating Shivaji's birth (Shivaji Jayanti).
Shivaji was named after a local deity, the goddess Shivai.
Shivaji's father Shahaji Bhonsle was a Maratha general who
served the Deccan Sultanates. His mother was Jijabai, the
daughter of Lakhuji Jadhavrao of Sindhkhed, a Mughal-
aligned sardar claiming descent from a Yadav royal family
of Devagiri.
At the time of Shivaji's birth, power in Deccan was shared by
three Islamic sultanates: Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golkonda.
Shahaji often changed his loyalty between the Nizamshahi of
Ahmadnagar, the Adilshah of Bijapur and the Mughals, but
always kept his jagir (fiefdom) at Pune and his small

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army.Shivaji was devoted to his mother Jijabai, who was deeply
religious. His studies of the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and
the Mahabharata, also influenced his lifelong defence of Hindu
values.
He was deeply interested in religious teachings, and regularly
sought the company of Hindu saints.Shahaji, meanwhile had
married a second wife, Tuka Bai from the Mohite family.
Having made peace with the Mughals, ceding them six forts, he
went to serve the Sultanate of Bijapur.He moved Shivaji and
Jijabai from Shivneri to Pune and left them in the care of
his jagir administrator, Dadoji Konddeo, who has been credited
with overseeing the education and training of young Shivaji.
Many of Shivaji's comrades, and later a number of his soldiers,
came from the Maval region, including Yesaji Kank, Suryaji
Kakade, Baji Pasalkar, Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Tanaji
Malusare.Shivaji traveled the hills and forests of
the Sahyadri range with his Maval friends, gaining skills and
familiarity with the land that would prove useful in his military
career.Shivaji's independent spirit and his association with the
Maval youths did not sit well with Dadoji, who complained
without success to Shahaji.
In 1639, Shahaji was stationed at Bangalore, which was
conquered from the Nayaks who had taken control after the
demise of the Vijayanagara Empire. He was asked to hold and
settle the area.Shivaji was taken to Bangalore where he, his elder
brother Sambhaji, and his half-brother Ekoji I were further
formally trained. He married Saibai from the
prominent Nimbalkar family in 1640.As early as 1645, the
teenage Shivaji expressed his concept for Hindavi
Swarajya (Indian self-rule), in a letter.
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Collecting a band of followers, he began about 1655 to seize the
weaker Bijapur outposts. In the process, he destroyed a few of
his influential coreligionists, who had aligned themselves with
the sultans. All the same, his daring and military skill, combined
with his sternness toward the oppressors of the Hindus, won him
much admiration. His depredations grew increasingly audacious,
and several minor expeditions sent to chastise him proved
ineffective.
When the sultan of Bijapur in 1659 sent an army of 20,000
under Afẕal Khan to defeat him, Shivaji, pretending to be
intimidated, enticed the force deep into difficult mountain
terrain and then killed Afẕal Khan at a meeting to which he had
lured him by submissive appeals. Meanwhile, handpicked troops
that had been previously positioned swooped down on the
unwary Bijapur army and routed it. Overnight, Shivaji had
become a formidable warlord, possessing the horses, the guns,
and the ammunition of the Bijapur army.
Alarmed by Shivaji’s rising strength, the Mughal
emperor Aurangzeb ordered his viceroy of the south to march
against him. Shivaji countered by carrying out a daring midnight
raid right within the viceroy’s encampment, in which the viceroy
lost the fingers of one hand and his son was killed. Discomfited
by this reverse, the viceroy withdrew his force. Shivaji, as
though to provoke the Mughals further, attacked the rich coastal
town of Surat and took immense booty.
Aurangzeb could hardly ignore so flaunting a challenge and sent
out his most prominent general, Mirza Raja Jai Singh, at the
head of an army said to number some 100,000 men. The
pressure that was exerted by this vast force, combined with the
drive and tenacity of Jai Singh, soon compelled Shivaji to sue
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for peace and to undertake that he and his son would attend
Aurangzeb’s court at Agra in order to be formally accepted as
Mughal vassals. In Agra, hundreds of miles from their
homeland, Shivaji and his son were placed under house arrest,
where they lived under the threat of execution.

In Pune

As part of the peace treaty with the Mughals, Shahaji ceded six
forts, including Shivneri, to them in October 1636.He directed
Dadoji Kondadeo to bring Jijabai and Shivaji from Shivneri to
Pune, and take care of their expenses. Shivaji spent his
formative years at Pune. Meanwhile, Shahaji departed for the
south and did not see Shivaji for several years. In absence of his
father, Shivaji grew very close to his mother. Neglected by her
husband, Jijabai led a deeply religious - almost ascetic - life, and
this religious environment had a profound influence on Shivaji.
Shahaji's land grant in the Pune region included the patil (village
chief) rights to three villages, the deshmukh rights of Indapur,
and the mokasa (revenue collection in exchange for military
service) rights of Pune region.The mokasa land granted to
Shahaji was a triangular region bounded by the Western
Ghats in the west, the Bhima River in the north-east, and
the Nira River in the south.This region had been devastated by
constant warfare between Shahaji, Bijapur, and the Mughals in
the 1630s.Dadoji tried to increase the regional revenue yield by
offering cheap land leases and rewards to kill wolves so that
more land could be brought under agricultural use.He organized
a group of local soldiers to maintain law and order. According to
the Sabhasad Bakhar]], Dadoji took possession of lands

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controlled by twelve Deshmukh's of the Mawal region, and had
those who resisted killed.
According to Chitnis Bakhar, Shivaji captured and killed
Krishnaji Nayak Bandal, a Deshmukh of Hirdas Maval area
whom Dadoji had failed to subjugate. Historian Jadunath Sarkar
believes this to be incorrect, and states that it was Dadoji who
completed the subjugation of the Maval Deshmukh's.

Education and Training

Shivaji's early training probably included what was expected of

the son of a jagirdar: some reading and writing, horse-riding,
martial arts, and religious practice. According to Tarikh-i-
Shivaji, Dadoji personally trained Shivaji, and also appointed a
good teacher for him.As a result, Shivaji became skilled in
"fighting, riding, and other accomplishments".
Tarikh-i-Shivaji does not mention anything about Shivaji being
taught to read and write. The Chitnis Bakhar (c. 1811) states that
Shivaji had become "very learned" by the age of 10
years. Shiva-Digvijay claims that he mastered several arts and
sciences as a boy. Historian Jadunath Sarkar notes that several
Europeans visited Shivaji's court, and their accounts do not
mention any reading or writing by Shivaji. Whenever these
Europeans presented any letter to Shivaji, he would pass it on to
his ministers for reading. Therefore, Sarkar concludes that
Shivaji was illiterate like many other rulers of medieval India,
such as Akbar, Hyder Ali, and Ranjit Singh.

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Whether or not Shivaji was literate, he listened to the recitations
of the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The political
and moral lessons from these epics greatly impressed his young
mind. He was deeply interested in religious teachings and sought
the society of Hindu and Muslim saints wherever he went.

Alienation from Father

Even when Shahaji was in northern Deccan, Shivaji and his
mother Jijabai rarely saw him, because of Shahaji's military
preoccupations. After Shahaji was deputed in the south, the
father and son did not see each other for several years.Shahaji
became Bijapur's governor of Bangalore in the south, and
married another woman - Tukabai Shivaji's elder brother
Sambhaji moved to Bangalore,but Shivaji and Jijabai were
called to Bangalore only in 1640. Meanwhile, Shivaji
married Saibai, a member of the prominent Nimbalkar Maratha
family. In 1642, Shivaji and his mother returned to Pune, after a
formal presentation at the Bijapur court.
According to a doubtful narrative in Tarikh-i-Shivaji, Shahaji
had developed a deep dislike for Jijabai's father Lakhuji Jadhav.
After the death of his eldest son Sambhaji (or Shambhuji) at
Kanakagiri in 1654, he declared that Shivaji - his surviving son
from Lakhuji's daughter - would be no good. He then deserted
Jijabai and Shivaji.Whatever the accuracy of this account, it is
known from other texts that Shahji's wealth and affection were
directed to Vyankoji alias Ekoji, his son from his younger wife
Tukabai.

Early Conquest
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Shivaji's earliest comrades and followers, called the Malvales,
came from the Maval region around his Pune jagir. As a
teenager, Shivaji explored the hilly area surrounding
his jagir and became familiar with the Western Ghats region.
Muhammad Adil Shah, the king of Bijapur, remained ill during
the last decade of his life (1646-1656). During this time, the
administration was largely handled by his queen, titled Bari
Sahiba. Taking advantage of the instability, Shivaji captured
several forts in the Bijapur territory.
By the time he was 15 years old, Shivaji called himself a "king"
(raja). By this time, he commanded over a thousand soldiers, In
a letter to a Hindu official, dated 17 April 1645, he wrote that
God wished them to be independent under a self-ruled state.
Even before Dadoji's death, during 1645-1647, Shivaji
controlled several hill forts around Pune, including Rajgad,
Kondana (later Sinhagad) and Torna. The Sabhasad
Bakhar states that Shivaji took control of the Kondana Fort by
bribing its Bijapuri governor.
In 1646, he sent an infantry led by Baji Pasalkar, Yesaji Kank,
and Tanaji Malusare to take control of the Torna Fort.
According to different historical texts, Shivaji's army captured
the fort after tricking or bribing the local Bijapuri commander.
Shivaji seized the local government treasury worth
200,000 hon (gold coins), and renamed the fort Prachandagarh,
although this name did not stick for long.He built the Rajgad
near Torna, with three walled redoubts.
The local jagirdars whom Shivaji had dispossessed complained
to the Bijapur court against him. According to Khafi
Khan's Muntakhab-al Lubab, Shivaji bribed some court
ministers to get these complaints dismissed. According to
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the Chitnis Bakhar, Shahaji assured the king of Shivaji's loyalty
and justified Shivaji's control of the Torna fort by arguing that
the earlier administrator of the fort was negligent. Meanwhile, in
secretly reprimanded Shivaji in a letter, and ordered Dadoji to
keep him under control.

After Dadoji’s Death

Dadoji advised Shivaji to rise in rank and wealth as an

obedient vassal of the Deccan Sultanates, but Shivaji
strived to be independent. Dadoji was greatly concerned
about Shivaji's associations with hill brigands and his
plans to rob forts. Dadoji complained to Shahaji but did
not succeed in changing Shivaji's behavior. The Tarikh-i-
Shivaji states that Dadoji committed suicide by poison,
because he was disgusted with Shivaji's waywardness.
Shivaji probably participated in Dadoji Kondadeo's
administration of Shahji's Pune jagir. During his last
years, Dadoji had started issuing administrative orders in
Shivaji's name.When Dadoji died in 1647, Shivaji
assumed the full control of his father's jagir.
His officers included:
 Appointed by Shahaji around 1639:
o Shyamraj Nilkanth Ranjhekar (or
Rozekar), peshwa (Chancellor)

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 o Balkrishna Dikshit, majumdar (Accountant-
General)
o Somaji Pant, dabir (Secretary)
o Raghunath Ballal Korde, sabnis (Paymaster)

 Appointed by Shivaji
o Tukoji Chor Maratha, sar-i-naubat (Commander-
in-Chief)
o Narayan Pant, divisional paymaster

Consolidation of power in Pune region

After Dadoji's death, Shivaji started consolidating his

control over Shahaji's jagir around the Pune region.
Dadoji had assigned the administration of the
Supe mahal (subdivision) to Shambhuji (or Sambhaji)
Mohite, the brother of Shahaji's second wife Tukabai.
After Dadoji's death, Shambhuji refused to take orders
from Shivaji, declaring that he would report directly to
Shahaji.
According to the Sabhasad Bakhar, Shivaji visited
Shambhuji during the Shimga festival on the pretext of
asking for a post, and imprisoned him. Shivaji confiscated
all his property, including 300 horses, personal

19
belongings including clothes, and other wealth. When
Sambhaji still refused to recognize Shivaji's authority,
Shivaji forcibly annexed Supe, and sent Shambhuji to
Shahaji with his personal property. Shortly after the
annexation of Supe, Shivaji raided Junnar, where he
captured 300 horses, goods worth 300 hons (gold coins),
clothes, and jewels. Firangoji Narsala, who had been
appointed as the administrator of the Chakan Fort,
accepted Shivaji's authority.
The commanders of Baramati and Indapur also
recognized his authority.The Purandar Fort of Bijapur
Sultante was administered by Nilo Nilkanth Nayak, a
Brahmin whose family had controlled the fort and its
surrounding area for several years. His younger brothers
Pilaji and Shankaraji resented being excluded from their
hereditary rights to the fort, and requested Shivaji to
arbitrate. Shivaji entered the fort as a guest during
the Diwali celebrations, and three days later, the younger
brothers imprisoned Nilo and brought him before Shivaji.
Shivaji imprisoned all three brothers, and took control of
the fort himself.
According to the Chitnis Bakhar and Shiva Digvijaya, he
later granted estates at other places to the younger
brothers as compensation. He expelled Nilo Nayak's
subordinates from the fort, and replaced them with his
own men.Subsequently, Shivaji also acquired control of

20
several other forts around Pune,
including Rohira, Tikona, Rajmachi, and Lohagad.

Invasion of Konkan

After consolidating his control over Pune, Shivaji crossed

the Western Ghats, and entered the Konkan region on the
western coast of India. The Kalyan jagir in this region
was under the control of by Mulla Ahmad,
a Nawaiyat Muslim of Arab origin. The region had been
recently acquired by the Bijapur Sultanate after the
decline of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, and Mulla Ahmad -
who was considered a foreigner by the locals - remained
away at Bijapur. Because of this, the administration of
the jagir had become inefficient. Shivaji sent a cavalry led
by Abaji Sondev to conquer the Kalyan jagir. The cavalry
plundered much wealth and merchandise from the non-
fortified towns of Kalyan and Bhiwandi, and captured
the Mahuli fort which was once under the control of
Shahaji.
Over the next year (1648), Shivaji consolidated his
control in northern Konkan, establishing authority over
local chiefs and capturing territories from
the Siddis of Janjira. The Siddis had become practically
independent after the fall of their former overlords - the

21
kings of Ahmadnagar, although they recognized the
nominal suzerainty of Bijapur.
From Kalyan, Shivaji moved southwards towards Kolaba:
several local Hindu chiefs invited him to their
territories.Hecaptured Surgad, Birwadi, Tala, Ghosalegad, 
Sudhagad, Kangori, and Rairi (Raigad, his future capital).
He built new forts at Birwadi and Lingana. Shivaji
appointed Abaji Sondev as the viceroy of this newly-
conquered territory in northern Konkan.
Sometime in 1648, the Siddis inflicted a crushing defeat
on Shivaji's forces led by the Peshwa Shyamraj Nilkanth
Ranjhekar. According to the Chitnis Bakhar, a displeased
Shivaji removed Ranjhekar from his post, and
appointed Moropant Trimbak Pingle as the new Peshwa.
He also sent a large army led by Raghunath Ballal Korde
against the Siddis.
In late 1648, the Bijapur government imprisoned Shivaji's
father Shahaji.According to Zahur's Muhammad-
Namah (the official court history of Bijapur) and Basatin-
i-Salatin (a later history), Shahaji was arrested for
insubordination during the siege of Jinji against
the Golconda Sultanate.

Facts and Information

22
Full Name Shivaji Bhosale
February 19, 1630 (debated) at Shivneri Fort near Pune
Born
(India)
Died April 3, 1680 at Raigad Fort, Pune
Reign 1674-1680 CE
Coronation June 6, 1674
Successor Sambhaji
Father Shahaji Bhosale
Mother Jijabai
Step-brother Ekoji I
Religion Hinduism
Sons Sambhaji Bhosale, Rajaram Bhosale
Sakhubai Nimbalkar, Ranubai Jadhav, Ambikabai Mahadik,
Daughters
Rajkumaribai Shirke.
Consort Saibai (Nimbalkar)
Soyarabai (Mohite), Putalabai (Palkar), Sakvarbai
Wives
(Gaikwad), Kashibai (Jadhav)
Shivaji Bhosale was a 17th-century warrior of India. He led
About to the development of an independent Maratha kingdom
having Raigad as its capital.
As stated by Tarikh-i-Shivaji, Shivaji was personally
trained by Dadoji Konddeo, a trusted friend. Shivaji soon
became a good warrior as well as a skilled horse-rider.
Education
Shivaji was trained in martial arts by Kanhoji Jedhe and
Baji Pasalkar, the military commanders. He learnt
swordsmanship by Gomaji Naik Pansambal.
In order to safeguard his kingdom, Shivaji formed a force of
Soldiers
100,000 soldiers and built both inland and coastal forts.
Combat with In 1659, Afzal Khan, an experienced and veteran general,
Afzal Khan was sent to destroy Shivaji.
With the intention to drag Shivaji to the battleground where
Shivaji could be attacked by the Bijapuri army, Afzal Khan
deconsecrated Hindu temples at Tuljapur and Pandharpur.
However, Shivaji requested Afzal Khan in a letter to meet

23
 for negotiation.
In the battle, Afzal Khan was severely injured by Shivaji’s
army, followed by an attack on the Bijapuris by the hidden
army of Shivaji.
On November 10, 1659, forces of Shivaji defeated the
Battle of forces of the Bijapur Sultanate in the Battle of Pratapgarh.
Pratapgarh The Bijapur army lost more than 3,000 soldiers. Also, two
sons of Afzal Khan were imprisoned.
Battle of On December 28, 1659, Shivaji attacked the Bijapuri forces
Kolhapur near Kolhapur and defeated them.
After the officers of Shivaji raided the Mughal territory in
March 1657 near Ahmednagar, the conflict between Shivaji
Clash with the and the Mughals started. Followed by raids in Junnar,
Mughals during which Shivaji gathered 300,000 hun in cash and 200
horses. In response, Aurangzeb sent Nasiri Khan, who
successively defeated the forces of Shivaji at Ahmednagar.
The Battle of Chakan, fought between the Mughal Empire
and the Maratha Empire, took place in 1660. Aurangzeb
ordered Shaista Khan to attack Shivaji with his army of
Battle of
150,000. In the end, Pune and the Fort of Chakan were
Chakan
captured by the Mughals.
However, later the Marathas were able to re-capture the
fort, and Shaista Khan returned to Agra.
On June 11, 1665, the Treaty of Purandar was signed
Treaty of between the Rajput ruler Jai Singh I, the commander of the
Purandar Mughal Empire, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Jai Singh
(1665) circumvented the Purandar fort and Shivaji had to sign an
agreement.
In 1666, Shivaji was invited to Agra by Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb wanted Shivaji to go to Kandahar to consolidate
Arrest in Agra the northwestern frontier of Mughal empire.
and Escape However, Shivaji felt humiliated and left the court. As a
result, Shivaji was arrested. Shivaji planned his escape as he
came to know that Aurangzeb had planned to get him killed.

24
 In 1674, Prataprao Gujar, the then commander-in-chief of
the Marathas, defeated the Adilshahi general Bahlol Khan
Battle of and his forces in the battle. Prataprao’s forces had cut off
Nesari their water supply, because of which Bahlol Khan decided
to take action for peace. Later, Prataprao released Bahlol
Khan despite Shivaji’s warnings.
In 1674, the Marathas raided Khandesh in October,
captured Bijapuri Phonda in April 1675, Karwar in mid-
year, and Kolhapur in July. In November, a fight took place
Conquest in between the Maratha navy and the Siddis of Janjira. In early
Southern 1676, Peshwa Pingale battled against the Raja of Ramnagar.
India In March 1676, Athani was raided by Shivaji and later in
the year Belgaum and Vayem Rayim were also besieged by
him. At the end of 1676, the Adilshahi forts at Vellore and
Gingee were captured by Shivaji.
Shivaji died around April 5, 1680, at the age of 52 due to
fever and dysentery. Soon after his death, several rumours
followed about the cause of his death. On the one hand, the
Death and Muslims held the opinion that Shivaji had died of a curse
succession from Jan Muhammad of Jalna, whereas some Marathas
believed that that Soyarabai, his second wife, had killed him
by giving him poison as she wanted Rajaram, her 10-year-
old son, to be enthroned.
By the time his career was about to descend, Shivaji had
captured 360 forts, including the important forts at Kondana
Forts
(Sinhagad), Torana, Murambdev, and Purandar. Some new
forts were also built by Shivaji.
In order to protect the lands and sea trade from the British,
Abyssinians, pirates, Arabs and Portuguese and Shivaji uilt
Navy
a strong naval force. He also built a number of sea forts and
bases for the purpose of storage and shelter.
Films Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy
Literature Sadhan Chikitsa, Vasudeo Sitaram Bendrey
Shivaji, a biography by Setu Madhavrao Pagdi

25
 Shriman Yogi, Ranjit Desai
Raja Shivchhatrapati, Babasaheb Purandare
Shivraj Bhushan by Kavi Bhushan
Poetry and
Raigadala Jevha Jaag Yete, Vasant Kanetkar
music
Jaanta Raja, Babasaheb Purandare
Veer Shivaji, a TV series
Television
Raja Shiv Chhatrapati, a TV serial

Achievements

26
Shivaji entered into military career even before attaining the age
of 20. He captured the fort Toran with the help of Mavalis. He
also captured many forts like Chakana, Simhagad, Kondana and
Purandar from Adil Shah of Bijapura. The Sultan of Bijapura,
having incurred heavy losses imprisoned Shahaji. Shivaji
through his diplomatic intelligence got the release of his father.
Then Shivaji tuned his attention to Konkan coast and occupied
the region of Javali. Here he built the new fort of Pratapagadha.

Before Shivaji, Marathas were spread in some small local

princely states. But Shivaji's greatest achievement is that he
increased the influence of the Maratha Empire from Deccan to
Karnataka and gave it a place at the all India level.

Shivaji's achievement can also be seen as building an efficient

administrative system. He added skills in areas such as finance,
27
army, intelligence and correspondence by appointing
Ashtapradhans to assist in administration.

Shivaji set up an authentic revenue system for income and

broadened the economic base of the empire through Chauth
along with Sardeshmukhi.

The formation of an army based on cash payment was an

important achievement of Shivaji. He increased the effectiveness
of the Maratha army by emphasizing strict discipline. Apart
from this, the development of a policy of skilled guerrilla
warfare was also an important achievement of Shivaji in the
military field.

The arrangement of strong fortifications for the protection of his

empire was another achievement of Shivaji. Due to his foresight,
he adopted a policy of giving charge of the fort to three persons
of equal status to avoid treachery.

These policies of Shivaji helped in the development of Maratha

Empire. The military power of Marathas also increased due to
income from efficient revenue system. At the same time, due to
the emergence of Marathas at the all-India level, they were later
given considerable importance by the Mughal Empire. This led
to the expansion of the Marathas empire. By using the raid-war
system developed by Shivaji, Bajirao I attempted to expand the
Maratha Empire from Krishna River to Attock.

He built a strong and powerful army, comprising of infantry and

cavalry, getting them adapted to the techniques of swift flanking
attacks, hill campaigns and commando actions, apart from

28
pioneering in the guerrilla warfare method. He organized a
commanding and disciplined navy, including 200 warships, to
keep the coastline of his empire secured from the Portuguese,
British, Dutch, Siddis and Mughals, thereby earning the title
‘Father of Indian Navy’.

Shivaji and Afzal Khan : 1659 CE

Shivaji’s military activities against the Adil Shah’s continued.

So the Sultan of Bijapur wanted to punish Shivaji and sent Afzal
Khan against him. Shivaji very tactfully (with the help of
“Tiger’s” Claw) killed Afzal Khan and looted his camp. In 1661
CE, the Sultan of Bijapur made peace with Shivaji and
recognized his conquests.

Shivaji and Aurangzeb

Shivaji conquered many territories and forts belonging to

Aurangzeb. To check his expansion Aurangzeb appointed
Shaista Khan as the new governor of Deccan. Shaista Khan
succeeded in occupying a vast Maratha territory, (Konkan and
Chakan forts) including Poona. The Shaista Khan stayed in the
house where Shivaji had spent his childhood at Poona. In 1663,
Shivaji entered the city of Poona with a few hundred soldiers,
disguised as a marriage party. Finding his way into the house
easily, Shivaji attacked Shaista Khan. Khan lost his fingers, but
escaped with his life. This increased the fame of Shivaji.

29
Attack on Surat

In 1664 CE Shivaji attacked and plundered Surat, the richest

port on the West coast. By this he collected one crore rupees.
The English who supported the Mughals were beaten back. On
hearing the arrival of the Mughal force he fled from Surat.
Aurangzeb sent Raja Jaisingh against Shivaji. Jai Singh captured
many of Shivaji’s forts like Purandar, Raigadh, etc., by his
lightning raids. The treaty of Purandar was signed in 1665 CE
by which Shivaji surrendered 23 forts to the Mughals and
retained 12 forts. He agreed to pay tribute to Aurangzeb. It was
decided that Shivaji’s son Sambaji would be appointed as a
Mansabdar of 5000.

Due to the compulsion of Jaisingh, Shivaji visited the Mughal

court at Agra. But Aurangzeb insulted and imprisoned him
(1666 CE). Shivaji pretended to be ill and sent out baskets of
sweets to be donated in charity. Finding an opportunity he
escaped with Sambaji by hiding in the baskets. He reached his
kingdom in the guise of a saint.

Conflicts with Bijapur

30
In 1645, the 15-year-old Shivaji bribed or persuaded Inayat
Khan, the Bijapuri commander of the Torna Fort, to hand over
possession of the fort to him. The Maratha Firangoji Narsala,
who held the Chakan fort, professed his loyalty to Shivaji, and
the fort of Kondana was acquired by bribing the Bijapuri
governor. On 25 July 1648, Shahaji was imprisoned by Baji
Ghorpade under the orders of Bijapuri ruler Mohammed
Adilshah, in a bid to contain Shivaji.
According to Sarkar, Shahaji was released in 1649 after the
capture of Jinji secured Adilshah's position in Karnataka. During
these developments, from 1649–1655 Shivaji paused in his
conquests and quietly consolidated his gains. After his release,
Shahaji retired from public life, and died around 1664–1665 in a
hunting accident. Following his father's release, Shivaji resumed
raiding, and in 1656, under controversial circumstances,
killed Chandrarao More, a fellow Maratha feudatory of Bijapur,
and seized the valley of Javali, near present-day Mahabaleshwar,
from him. In addition to the Bhonsale and the More families,
many others including Sawant of Sawantwadi, Ghorpade

31
of Mudhol, Nimbalkar of Phaltan, Shirke, Mane and Mohite also
served Adilshahi of Bijapur, many with Deshmukhi rights.
Shivaji adopted different strategies to subdue these powerful
families such as marrying their daughters, dealing directly with
village Patil to bypass the Deshmukhs, or fighting them.

Combat with Afzal Khan

Adilshah was displeased at his losses to Shivaji's forces, which

his vassal Shahaji disavowed. Having ended his conflict with the
Mughals and having a greater ability to respond, in 1657
Adilshah sent Afzal Khan, a veteran general, to arrest Shivaji.
Before engaging him, the Bijapuri forces desecrated the Tulja
Bhavani Temple, holy to Shivaji's family, and the Vithoba
temple at Pandharpur, a major pilgrimage site for the Hindus.
Pursued by Bijapuri forces, Shivaji retreated to Pratapgad fort,
where many of his colleagues pressed him to surrender. The two
forces found themselves at a stalemate, with Shivaji unable to
break the siege, while Afzal Khan, having a powerful cavalry
but lacking siege equipment, was unable to take the fort. After
two months, Afzal Khan sent an envoy to Shivaji suggesting the
two leaders meet in private outside the fort to parley.
The two met in a hut at the foothills of Pratapgad fort on 10
November 1659. The arrangements had dictated that each come
armed only with a sword, and attended by one follower. Shivaji,
either suspecting Afzal Khan would arrest or attack him, or
secretly planning to attack himself, wore armour beneath his
clothes, concealed a bagh nakh (metal "tiger claw") on his left
arm, and had a dagger in his right hand.
32
Accounts vary on whether Shivaji or Afzal Khan struck the first
blow: Maratha chronicles accuse Afzal Khan of treachery, while
Persian-language records attribute the treachery to Shivaji. In
the fight, Afzal Khan's dagger was stopped by Shivaji's armour,
and Shivaji's weapons inflicted mortal wounds on the general;
Shivaji then fired a cannon to signal his hidden troops to attack
the Bijapuri army. In the ensuing Battle of Pratapgarh fought on
10 November 1659, Shivaji's forces decisively defeated
the Bijapur Sultanate's forces. More than 3,000 soldiers of the
Bijapur army were killed and one sardar of high rank, two sons
of Afzal Khan and two Maratha chiefs were taken prisoner.
After the victory, a grand review was held by Shivaji below
Pratapgarh. The captured enemy, both officers and men, were
set free and sent back to their homes with money, food and other
gifts. Marathas were rewarded accordingly.

Siege of Panhala

Having defeated the Bijapuri forces sent against him, Shivaji's

army marched towards the Konkan and Kolhapur,
seizing Panhala fort, and defeating Bijapuri forces sent against
them under Rustam Zaman and Fazl Khan in 1659.In 1660,
Adilshah sent his general Siddi Jauhar to attack Shivaji's
southern border, in alliance with the Mughals who planned to
attack from the north. At that time, Shivaji was encamped at
Panhala fort with his forces. Siddi Jauhar's army besieged
Panhala in mid-1660, cutting off supply routes to the fort.
During the bombardment of Panhala, Siddi Jauhar purchased
grenades from the English at Rajapur to increase his efficacy,

33
and also hired some English artillerymen to assist in his
bombardment of the fort, conspicuously flying a flag used by the
English. This perceived betrayal angered Shivaji, who in
December would retaliate by plundering the English factory at
Rajapur and capturing four of the factors, imprisoning them until
mid-1663.
After months of siege, Shivaji negotiated with Siddi Jauhar and
handed over the fort on 22 September 1660, withdrawing to
Vishalgad; Shivaji retook Panhala in 1673.
Shivaji had captured Panhala on 28 November 1659, just 18
days after the death of Afzal Khan at Pratapgad. Two of
Bijapur’s great commanders had failed in the task to capture
Shivaji. First, Afzal Khan, who was killed and his army defeated
at Pratapgad, then Rustam-e-Zaman, with Fazal Khan and other
commanders, who were squarely defeated and made to flee, just
a month after Shivaji’s capture of Panhala.
Bijapur was going out of options, at this growing influence of
Shivaji, which had reached their capital city, and it was upon
Siddi Jauhar to finish this task, once and for all. Siddi Jauhar
having taking upon himself to lead this important campaign,
would finally find favour at the Bijapur court and the Kurnool
district would be restored to him. Shivaji had succumbed,
offered surrender; it was time for respite from the arduous siege
that had lasted five months. His men could now take it easy.
Everything was going his way.
Battle of Pavan Khind

There is some dispute over the circumstances of Shivaji's

withdrawal (treaty or escape) and his destination
34
(Ragna or Vishalgad), but the popular story details his night
movement to Vishalgad and a sacrificial rear-guard action to
allow him to escape. Per these accounts, Shivaji withdrew from
Panhala by cover of night, and as he was pursued by the enemy
cavalry, his Maratha sardar Baji Prabhu Deshpande of
Bandal Deshmukh, along with 300 soldiers, volunteered to fight
to the death to hold back the enemy at Ghod Khind ("horse
ravine") to give Shivaji and the rest of the army a chance to
reach the safety of the Vishalgad fort.
In the ensuing Battle of Pavan Khind, the smaller Maratha force
held back the larger enemy to buy time for Shivaji to escape.
Baji Prabhu Deshpande was wounded but continued to fight
until he heard the sound of cannon fire from Vishalgad,
signalling Shivaji had safely reached the fort, on the evening of
13 July 1660. Ghod Khind (khind meaning "a narrow mountain
pass") was later renamed Paavan Khind ("sacred pass") in
honour of Bajiprabhu Deshpande, Shibosingh Jadhav, Fuloji,
and all other soldiers who fought in there.

Conflicts with the

Mughals
35
Until 1657, Shivaji maintained peaceful relations with the
Mughal Empire.Shivaji offered his assistance to Aurangzeb who
then, was the Mughal viceroy of the Deccan and son of the
Mughal emperor, in conquering Bijapur in return for formal
recognition of his right to the Bijapuri forts and villages under
his possession. Dissatisfied with the Mughal response, and
receiving a better offer from Bijapur, he launched a raid into the
Mughal Deccan Shivaji's confrontations with the Mughals began
in March 1657, when two of Shivaji's officers raided the Mughal
territory near Ahmednagar. This was followed by raids
in Junnar, with Shivaji carrying off 300,000 hun in cash and 200
horses. Aurangzeb responded to the raids by sending Nasiri
Khan, who defeated the forces of Shivaji at Ahmednagar.
However, Aurangzeb's countermeasures against Shivaji were
interrupted by the rainy season and his battle of succession with
his brothers for the Mughal throne following the illness of the
emperor Shah Jahan.

Attacks on Shaista Khan and Surat

36
Upon the request of Badi Begum of Bijapur, Aurangzeb, now
the Mughal emperor, sent his maternal uncle Shaista Khan, with
an army numbering over 150,000 along with a powerful artillery
division in January 1660 to attack Shivaji in conjunction with
Bijapur's army led by Siddi Jauhar. Shaista Khan, with his
better–equipped and –provisioned army of 80,000 seized Pune.
He also took the nearby fort of Chakan, besieging it for a month
and a half before breaching the walls. Shaista Khan pressed his
advantage of having a larger, better provisioned and heavily
armed Mughal army and made inroads into some of the Maratha
territory, seizing the city of Pune and establishing his residence
at Shivaji's palace of Lal Mahal.
In April 1663, Shivaji launched a surprise attack on Shaista
Khan in Pune, along with a small group of men. After gaining
access to Khan's compound, the raiders were able to kill some of
his wives; Shaista Khan escaped, losing a finger in the melee.
The Khan took refuge with the Mughal forces outside of Pune,
and Aurangzeb punished him for this embarrassment with a
transfer to Bengal. In retaliation for Shaista Khan's attacks, and
to replenish his now-depleted treasury, in 1664 Shivaji sacked
the port city of Surat, a wealthy Mughal trading centre.

Treaty of Purandar

The attacks on Shaista Khan and Surat enraged Aurangzeb. In

response he sent the Rajput Mirza Raja Jai Singh I with an army
numbering around 15,000 to defeat Shivaji. Throughout 1665,
Jai Singh's forces pressed Shivaji, with their cavalry razing the
countryside, and their siege forces investing Shivaji's forts. The

37
Mughal commander succeeded in luring away several of
Shivaji's key commanders, and many of his cavalrymen, into
Mughal service. By mid-1665, with the fortress at Purandar
besieged and near capture, Shivaji was forced to come to terms
with Jai Singh.
In the Treaty of Purandar, signed between Shivaji and Jai Singh
on 11 June 1665, Shivaji agreed to give up 23 of his forts,
keeping 12 for himself, and pay compensation of 400,000
gold hun to the Mughals. Shivaji agreed to become a vassal of
the Mughal empire, and to send his son Sambhaji, along with
5,000 horsemen, to fight for the Mughals in the Deccan as
a mansabdar.

Arrest in Agra and escape

In 1666, Aurangzeb summoned Shivaji to Agra (though some

sources instead state Delhi), along with his nine-year-old son
Sambhaji. Aurangzeb's plan was to send Shivaji to Kandahar,
now in Afghanistan, to consolidate the Mughal empire's
northwestern frontier. However, in the court, on 12 May 1666,
Aurangzeb made Shivaji stand behind mansabdārs (military
commanders) of his court. Shivaji took offence and stormed out
of court, and was promptly placed under house arrest under the
watch of Faulad Khan, Kotwal of Agra. Shivaji’s position under
house arrest was perilous, as Aurangzeb's court debated whether
to kill him or continue to employ him, and Shivaji used his
dwindling funds to bribe courtiers to support his case. Orders
came from the emperor to station Shivaji in Kabul, which
Shivaji refused. Instead he asked for his forts to be returned and

38
to serve the Mughals as a mansabdar; Aurangzeb rebutted that
he must surrender his remaining forts before returning to
Mughal service. Shivaji managed to escape from Agra, likely by
bribing the guards, though the emperor was never able to
ascertain how he escaped despite an investigation. Popular
legend says that Shivaji smuggled himself and his son out of the
house in large baskets, claimed to be sweets to be gifted to
religious figures in the city.

Peace with the Mughals

After Shivaji's escape, hostilities with the Mughals ebbed, with

Mughal sardar Jaswant Singh acting as intermediary between
Shivaji and Aurangzeb for new peace proposals. During the
period between 1666 and 1668, Aurangzeb conferred the title of
raja on Shivaji. Sambhaji was also restored as a Mughal
mansabdar with 5,000 horses. Shivaji at that time sent Sambhaji
with general Prataprao Gujar to serve with the Mughal viceroy
in Aurangabad, Prince Mu'azzam. Sambhaji was also granted
territory in Berar for revenue collection.

Reconquest
The peace between Shivaji and the Mughals lasted until 1670.
At that time Aurangzeb became suspicious of the close ties
between Shivaji and Mu'azzam, who he thought might usurp his
throne, and may even have been receiving bribes from Shivaji.

39
Also at that time, Aurangzeb, occupied in fighting the Afghans,
greatly reduced his army in the Deccan; many of the disbanded
soldiers quickly joined Maratha service. The Mughals also took
away the jagir of Berar from Shivaji to recover the money lent to
him a few years earlier.
In response, Shivaji launched an offensive against the Mughals
and recovered a major portion of the territories surrendered to
them in a span of four months.
Shivaji sacked Surat for second time in 1670; the English and
Dutch factories were able to repel his attack, but he managed to
sack the city itself, including plundering the goods of a Muslim
prince from Mawara-un-Nahr who was returning from Mecca.
Angered by the renewed attacks, the Mughals resumed
hostilities with the Marathas, sending a force under Daud
Khan to intercept Shivaji on his return home from Surat, but
were defeated in the Battle of Vani-Dindori near present-
day Nashik.
In October 1670, Shivaji sent his forces to harass the English at
Bombay; as they had refused to sell him war materiel, his forces
blocked English woodcutting parties from leaving Bombay. In
September 1671, Shivaji sent an ambassador to Bombay, again
seeking materiel, this time for the fight against Danda-Rajpuri.
The English had misgivings of the advantages Shivaji would
gain from this conquest, but also did not want to lose any chance
of receiving compensation for his looting their factories at
Rajapur. The English sent Lieutenant Stephen Ustick to treat
with Shivaji, but negotiations failed over the issue of the
Rajapur indemnity. Numerous exchanges of envoys followed
over the coming years, with some agreement as to the arms
issues in 1674, but Shivaji was never to pay the Rajapur
40
indemnity before his death, and the factory there dissolved at the
end of 1682.

Battles of Umrani and Nesari

In 1674, Prataprao Gujar, the commander-in-chief of the

Maratha forces, was sent to push back the invading force led by
the Bijapuri general, Bahlol Khan. Prataprao's forces defeated
and captured the opposing general in the battle, after cutting-off
their water supply by encircling a strategic lake, which prompted
Bahlol Khan to sue for peace. In spite of Shivaji's specific
warnings against doing so, Prataprao released Bahlol Khan, who
started preparing for a fresh invasion. Shivaji sent a displeased
letter to Prataprao, refusing him audience until Bahlol Khan was
re-captured. Upset by his commander's rebuke, Prataprao found
Bahlol Khan and charged his position with only six other
horsemen, leaving his main force behind. Prataprao was killed in
combat; Shivaji was deeply grieved on hearing of Prataprao's
death, and arranged for the marriage of his second son, Rajaram,
to Prataprao's daughter. Anandrao Mohite became Hambirrao
Mohite, the new sarnaubat (commander-in-chief of the Maratha
forces). Raigad Fort was newly built by Hiroji Indulkar as a
capital of nascent Maratha kingdom.

Coronation

41
Shivaji had acquired extensive lands and wealth through his
campaigns, but lacking a formal title he was still technically a
Mughal zamindar or the son of a Bijapuri jagirdar, with no legal
basis to rule his de facto domain. A kingly title could address
this and also prevent any challenges by other Maratha leaders, to
whom he was technically equal.It would also provide the Hindu
Marathas with a fellow Hindu sovereign in a region otherwise
ruled by Muslims.
Controversy erupted amongst the Brahmins of Shivaji's court:
they refused to crown Shivaji as a king because that status was
reserved for those of the kshatriya (warrior) varna in Hindu
society. Shivaji was descended from a line of headmen of
farming villages, and the Brahmins accordingly categorised him
as being of the shudra (cultivator) varna.They noted that Shivaji
had never had a sacred thread ceremony, and did not wear the
thread, which a kshatriya would.Shivaji summoned Gaga Bhatt,
a pandit of Varanasi, who stated that he had found a genealogy
proving that Shivaji was descended from the Sisodia Rajputs,
and thus indeed a kshatriya, albeit one in need of the ceremonies
befitting his rank.To enforce this status, Shivaji was given a

42
sacred thread ceremony, and remarried his spouses under the
Vedic rites expected of a kshatriya However, following
historical evidence, Shivaji's claim to Rajput, and specifically
Sisodia ancestry may be interpreted as being anything from
tenuous at best, to inventive in a more extreme reading.
On 28 May Shivaji performed penance for not observing
Kshatriya rites by his ancestors' and himself for so long. Then he
was invested by Gaga Bhatta with the sacred thread.On
insistence of other Brahmins, Gaga Bhatta dropped the Vedic
chant and initiated Shivaji in a modified form of the life of the
twice-born, instead of putting him on a par with the Brahmans.
Next day, Shivaji made atonement for the sins which he
committed in his own lifetime. Two learned Brahmans pointed
out that Shivaji, while conducting his raids, had burnt cities
which resulted in the death of Brahmans, cows, women and
children, and now could be cleansed of this sin for a price of
only Rs. 8,000, and Shivaji paid this amount. Total expenditure
made for feeding the assemblage, general alms giving, throne
and ornaments approached 5 million Rupees.
Shivaji was crowned king of Maratha Swaraj in a lavish
ceremony on 6 June 1674 at Raigad fort. In the Hindu
calendar it was on the 13th day (trayodashi) of the first fortnight
of the month of Jyeshtha in the year 1596. Gaga Bhatt officiated,
holding a gold vessel filled with the seven sacred waters of the
rivers Yamuna, Indus, Ganges, Godavari, Narmada, Krishna and 
Kaveri over Shivaji's head, and chanted the Vedic coronation
mantras. After the ablution, Shivaji bowed before Jijabai and
touched her feet. Nearly fifty thousand people gathered at
Raigad for the ceremonies.

43
Shivaji was entitled Shakakarta ("founder of an era")
[1]
 and Chhatrapati ("sovereign"). He also took the title
of Haindava Dharmodhhaarak (protector of the Hindu faith).
Shivaji's mother Jijabai died on 18 June 1674. The Marathas
summoned Bengali Tantrik Goswami Nischal Puri, who
declared that the original coronation had been held under
inauspicious stars, and a second coronation was needed. This
second coronation on 24 September 1674 had a dual-use,
mollifying those who still believed that Shivaji was not qualified
for the Vedic rites of his first coronation, by performing a less-
contestable additional ceremony.
Post-coronation, the Marathas under Shivaji’s directives
launched aggressive conquest efforts to consolidate most
of the Deccan states under the Hindu Sovereignty. He
conquered Khandesh, Bijapur, Karwar, Kolkapur, Janjira,
Ramnagar and Belgaum. He captured forts at Vellore and
Gingee, controlled by the Adil Shahi rulers. He also came
to an understanding with his step-brother Venkoji over his
holdings over Tanjavur and Mysore. What he aimed at
was to unify the Deccan states under the rule of a native
Hindu ruler and protect it from outsiders like the Muslims
and Mughals.

44
 Conquest of Southern
India

Beginning in 1674, the Marathas undertook an aggressive

campaign, raiding Khandesh (October), capturing
Bijapuri Ponda (April 1675), Karwar (mid-year), and Kolhapur
(July).In November the Maratha navy skirmished with
the Siddis of Janjira, but failed to dislodge them.Having
recovered from an illness, and taking advantage of a conflict
between the Afghans and Bijapur, Shivaji raided Athani in April
1676.
In the run-up to his expedition Shivaji appealed to a sense of
Deccani patriotism, that Southern India was a homeland that
should be protected from outsiders.His appeal was somewhat
successful, and in 1677.

45
Shivaji visited Hyderabad for a month and entered into a treaty
with the Qutubshah of the Golkonda sultanate, agreeing to reject
his alliance with Bijapur and jointly oppose the Mughals. In
1677, Shivaji invaded Karnataka with 30,000 cavalry and
40,000 infantry, backed by Golkonda artillery and
funding.Proceeding south, Shivaji seized the forts of Vellore
and Gingee; the latter would later serve as a capital of the
Marathas during the reign of his son Rajaram I.
Shivaji intended to reconcile with his half-
brother Venkoji (Ekoji I), Shahaji's son by his second wife,
Tukabai (née Mohite), who ruled Thanjavur (Tanjore) after
Shahaji. The initially promising negotiations were unsuccessful,
so whilst returning to Raigad, Shivaji defeated his half-brother's
army on 26 November 1677 and seized most of his possessions
in the Mysore plateau. Venkoji's wife Dipa Bai, whom Shivaji
deeply respected, took up new negotiations with Shivaji and also
convinced her husband to distance himself from Muslim
advisors.
In the end, Shivaji consented to turn over to her and her female
descendants many of the properties he had seized, with Venkoji
consenting to a number of conditions for the proper
administration of the territories and maintenance of Shivaji's
future memorial (samadhi).

Escape from Agra

46
Undaunted, Shivaji feigned illness and, as a form of penance,
began to send out enormous baskets filled with sweets to be
distributed among the poor. On August 17, 1666, he and his son
had themselves carried past their guards in these baskets. His
escape, possibly the most thrilling episode in a life filled with
high drama, was to change the course of Indian history.
His followers welcomed him back as their leader, and within
two years he not only had won back all the lost territory but had
expanded his domain. He collected tribute from Mughal regions
and plundered their rich cities; he reorganized the army and
instituted reforms for the welfare of his subjects.
Taking a lesson from the Portuguese and English traders who
had already gained toeholds in India, he began the building of a
naval force; he was the first Indian ruler of his time to use
his sea power for trade as well as for defense.
Almost as though prodded by Shivaji’s meteoric rise, Aurangzeb
intensified his persecution of Hindus; he imposed a poll tax on
them, connived at forcible conversions, and demolished temples,
erecting mosques in their places.

Independent Sovereign

47
In the summer of 1674, Shivaji had himself enthroned with great
fanfare as an independent sovereign. The suppressed Hindu
majority rallied to him as their leader. He ruled his domain for
six years, through a cabinet of eight ministers. A devout Hindu
who prided himself as the protector of his religion, he broke
tradition by commanding that two of his relatives, who had been
forcibly converted to Islam, should be taken back into the Hindu
fold.
Yet even though both Christians and Muslims often imposed
their creeds on the populace by force, he respected the beliefs
and protected the places of worship of both communities. Many
Muslims were in his service. After his coronation, his most
noteworthy campaign was in the south, during which he forged
an alliance with the sultans and thereby blocked the grand
design of the Mughals to spread their rule over the entire
subcontinent.
Shivaji had several wives and two sons. His last years were
shadowed by the apostasy of his elder son, who, at one stage,
defected to the Mughals and was brought back only with the
utmost difficulty. The strain of guarding his kingdom from its
48
enemies in the face of bitter domestic strife and discord among
his ministers hastened his end.
The man that British politician and author Thomas Babington
Macaulay (later Baron Macaulay of Motley) called “the Great
Shivaji” died after an illness in April 1680, in the mountain
stronghold of Rajgarh, which he had made his capital.
Shivaji breathed new life into a moribund race that for centuries
had resigned itself to abject serfdom and led them against
Aurangzeb, a powerful Mughal ruler. Above all, in a place and
age stained by religious savagery, he was one of few rulers who
practiced true religious tolerance.

Death and Succession

49
The question of Shivaji's heir-apparent was complicated by the
misbehaviour of his eldest son, Sambhaji, who was
irresponsible. Unable to curb this, Shivaji confined his son
to Panhala in 1678, only to have the prince escape with his wife
and defect to the Mughals for a year. Sambhaji then returned
home, unrepentant, and was again confined to Panhala.
In late March 1680, Shivaji fell ill with fever and dysentery,
dying around 3–5 April 1680 at the age of 52,on the eve
of Hanuman Jayanti. Putalabai, the childless eldest of the
surviving wives of Shivaji committed sati by jumping into his
funeral pyre. Another surviving spouse, Sakwarbai, was not
allowed to follow suit because she had a young daughter.There
were also allegations, though doubted by later scholars, that his
second wife Soyarabai had poisoned him in order to put her 10-
year-old son Rajaram on the throne.
After Shivaji's death, Soyarabai made plans with various
ministers of the administration to crown her son Rajaram rather
than her stepson Sambhaji. On 21 April 1680, ten-year-old
Rajaram was installed on the throne. However, Sambhaji took
50
possession of Raigad Fort after killing the commander, and on
18 June acquired control of Raigad, and formally ascended the
throne on 20 July. Rajaram, his wife Janki Bai, and
mother Soyrabai were imprisoned, and Soyrabai executed on
charges of conspiracy that October.

Expansion of Maratha Empire after Shivaji

Shivaji left behind a state always at odds with the Mughals.

Soon after his death, in 1681, Aurangzeb launched an offensive
in the South to capture territories held by the Marathas, the
Bijapur based Adilshahi and Qutb Shahi of
Golkonda respectively. He was successful in obliterating the
Sultanates but could not subdue the Marathas after spending 27
years in the Deccan. The period saw the capture, torture, and
execution of Sambhaji in 1689, and the Marathas offering strong
resistance under the leadership of Sambhaji's
successor, Rajaram and then Rajaram's widow Tarabai.
Territories changed hands repeatedly between the Mughals and
the Marathas; the conflict ended in defeat for the Mughals in
1707.
Shahu, a grandson of Shivaji and son of Sambhaji, was kept
prisoner by Aurangzeb during the 27-year period conflict. After
the latter's death, his successor released Shahu. After a brief
power struggle over succession with his aunt Tarabai, Shahu
ruled the Maratha Empire from 1707 to 1749.
Early in his reign, he appointed Balaji Vishwanath and later his
descendants, as Peshwas (prime ministers) of the Maratha
Empire. The empire expanded greatly under the leadership of
51
Balaji's son, Peshwa Bajirao I and grandson, Peshwa Balaji
Bajirao. At its peak, the Maratha empire stretched from Tamil
Nadu in the south, to Peshawar (modern-day Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa) in the north, and Bengal. In 1761, the Maratha
army lost the Third Battle of Panipat to Ahmed Shah Abdali of
the Afghan Durrani Empire, which halted their imperial
expansion in northwestern India.
Ten years after Panipat, Marathas regained influence in North
India during the rule of Madhavrao Peshwa. In a bid to
effectively manage the large empire, Shahu and the Peshwas
gave semi-autonomy to the strongest of the knights, creating
the Confederacy. They became known as Gaekwads of Baroda,
the Holkars of Indore and Malwa,
the Scindias of Gwalior and Bhonsales of Nagpur. In 1775,
the East India Company intervened in a succession struggle in
Pune, which became the First Anglo-Maratha War.The Marathas
remained the pre-eminent power in India until their defeat by the
British in the Second and Third Anglo-Maratha wars (1805–
1818), which left the Company the dominant power in most of
India.

Governance

52
Ashta Pradhan Mandal

The Council of Eight Ministers, or Ashta Pradhan Mandal, was

an administrative and advisory council set up by Shivaji. It
consisted of eight ministers who regularly advised Shivaji on
political and administrative matters.

Promotion of Marathi

In his court, Shivaji replaced Persian, the common courtly

language in the region, with Marathi, and emphasized Hindu
political and courtly traditions. He gave his forts names such
as Sindhudurg, Prachandgarh, and Suvarndurg. He named
the Ashta Pradhan (council of ministers) according to Sanskrit
53
nomenclature, with terms such as nyaayaadheesha,
and senaapati, and commissioned the political treatise Raajya
Vyavahaara Kosha. His Rajpurohit, Keshav Pandit, was himself
a Sanskrit scholar and poet.

Religious Policy

Though Shivaji was a proud Hindu and never compromised on

his religion, he is also known for his liberal and tolerant
religious policy. While Hindus were relieved to practice their
religion freely under a Hindu ruler, Shivaji not only allowed
Muslims to practice without harassment, but supported their
ministries with endowments. When Aurangzeb imposed
the Jizya tax on non-Muslims on 3 April 1679, Shivaji wrote a
strict letter to Aurangzeb criticising his tax policy.
He wrote:In strict justice, the Jizya is not at all lawful. If you
imagine piety in oppressing and terrorizing the Hindus, you
ought to first levy the tax on Jai Singh I. But to oppress ants and
flies is not at all valour nor spirit. If you believe in Quran, God
is the lord of all men and not just of Muslims only. Verily, Islam
and Hinduism are terms of contrast. They are used by the true
Divine Painter for blending the colours and filling in the
outlines. If it is a mosque, the call to prayer is chanted in
remembrance of God. If it is a temple, the bells are rung in
yearning for God alone. To show bigotry to any man's religion
and practices is to alter the words of the Holy Book.
Noting that Shivaji had stemmed the spread of the neighbouring
Muslim states, his contemporary, the poet Kavi Bhushan stated:

54
Had not there been Shivaji, Kashi would have lost its culture,
Mathura would have been turned into a mosque and all would
have been circumcised.
In 1667, the Portuguese Christians started to forcefully
convert Hindus in Bardez. Shivaji quickly raided Bardez in
which three Portuguese Catholic priests and a few Christians
were killed and stopped the forceful conversion of Hindus.
However, during the sack of Surat in 1664, Shivaji was
approached by Ambrose, a Capuchin monk who asked him to
spare the city's Christians. Shivaji left the Christians untouched,
saying "the Frankish Padrys are good men.

Military

Shivaji demonstrated great skill in creating his military

organization, which lasted until the demise of the Maratha
empire. His strategy rested on leveraging his ground forces,
55
naval forces, and series of forts across his territory. The Maval
infantry served as the core of his ground forces (reinforced with
Telangi musketeers from Karnataka), supported by Maratha
cavalry.
His artillery was relatively underdeveloped and reliant on
European suppliers, further inclining him to a very mobile form
of warfare. Shivaji was contemptuously called a "Mountain Rat"
by Aurangzeb and his generals because of his guerilla tactics of
attacking enemy forces and then retreating into his mountain
forts.

Hill Forts

Hill forts played a key role in Shivaji's strategy. He captured

important forts at Murambdev (Rajgad), Torna, Kondhana
(Sinhagad) and Purandar. He also rebuilt or repaired many forts
in advantageous locations. In addition, Shivaji built a number of
forts; the number "111" is reported in some accounts, but it is
likely the actual number "did not exceed 18."
The historian Jadunath Sarkar assessed that Shivaji owned some
240–280 forts at the time of his death. Each was placed under
three officers of equal status, lest a single traitor be bribed or
tempted to deliver it to the enemy. The officers acted jointly and
provided mutual checks and balance.

Navy

56
Aware of the need for naval power to maintain control along the
Konkan coast, Shivaji began to build his navy in 1657 or 1659,
with the purchase of twenty galivats from the Portuguese
shipyards of Bassein.Marathi chronicles state that at its height
his fleet counted some 400 warships, though contemporary
English chronicles counter that the number never exceeded 160.
With the Marathas being accustomed to a land-based military,
Shivaji widened his search for qualified crews for his ships,
taking on lower-caste Hindus of the coast who were long
familiar with naval operations (the famed "Malabar pirates") as
well as Muslim mercenaries. Noting the power of the Portuguese
navy, Shivaji hired a number of Portuguese sailors and Goan
Christian converts, and made Rui Leitao Viegas commander of
his fleet. Viegas was later to defect back to the Portuguese,
taking 300 sailors with him.
Shivaji fortified his coastline by seizing coastal forts and
refurbishing them, and built his first marine fort at Sindhudurg,
which was to become the headquarters of the Maratha navy.The
navy itself was a coastal navy, focused on travel and combat in
the littoral areas, and not intended to go far out to sea.

Legacy

57
Shivaji was well known for his strong religious and warrior code
of ethics and exemplary character. He was recognized as a great
national hero during the Indian Independence Movement. While
some accounts of Shivaji state that he was greatly influenced by
the Brahmin guru Samarth Ramdas, others have said that
Ramdas' role has been over-emphasised by later Brahmin
commentators to enhance their position.

Early Depictions

Shivaji was admired for his heroic exploits and clever

stratagems in the contemporary accounts of English, French,
Dutch, Portuguese and Italian writers. Contemporary English
writers compared him with Alexander, Hannibal and Caesar.
The French traveller Francois Bernier wrote in his Travels in
Mughal India:
I forgot to mention that during pillage of Sourate, Seva-ji, and
the Holy Seva-ji! Respected the habitation of the reverend father
Ambrose, the Capuchin missionary. 'The Frankish Padres are
58
good men', he said 'and shall not be attacked.' He spared also the
house of a deceased Delale or Gentile broker, of the Dutch,
because assured that he had been very charitable while alive.
Mughal depictions of Shivaji were largely negative, referring to
him simply as "Shiva" without the honorific "-ji". One Mughal
writer in the early 1700s described Shivaji's death as kafir bi
jahannum raft (lit. 'the infidel went to Hell').

Reimagining

In the mid-19th century, Maharashtrian social reformer Jyotirao

Phule wrote his interpretation of the Shivaji legend, portraying
him as a hero of the shudras and Dalits. Phule sought to use the
Shivaji myths to undermine the Brahmins he accused of
hijacking the narrative, and uplift the lower classes; his 1869
ballad-form story of Shivaji was met with great hostility by the
Brahmin-dominated media. At the end of the 19th century,
Shivaji's memory was leveraged by the non-Brahmin
intellectuals of Bombay, who identified as his descendants and
through him claimed the kshatriya varna. While some Brahmins
rebutted this identity, defining them as of the lower shudra
varna, other Brahmins recognized the Marathas' utility to the
Indian independence movement, and endorsed this kshatriya
legacy and the significance of Shivaji.
In 1895, Indian nationalist leader Lokmanya Tilak organised
what was to be an annual festival to mark the birthday of
Shivaji. He portrayed Shivaji as the "opponent of the oppressor",
with possible negative implications concerning the colonial
government. Tilak denied any suggestion that his festival was
59
anti-Muslim or disloyal to the government, but simply a
celebration of a hero. These celebrations prompted a British
commentator in 1906 to note: "Cannot the annals of the Hindu
race point to a single hero whom even the tongue of slander will
not dare call a chief of dacoits...?"
One of the first commentators to reappraise the critical British
view of Shivaji was M. G. Ranade, whose Rise of the Maratha
Power (1900) declared Shivaji's achievements as the beginning
of modern nation-building. Ranade crcized earlier British
portrayals of Shivaji's state as "a freebooting Power, which
thrived by plunder and adventure, and succeeded only because it
was the most cunning and adventurous ... This is a very common
feeling with the readers, who derive their knowledge of these
events solely from the works of English historians."
In 1919, Sarkar published the seminal Shivaji and His Times,
hailed as the most authoritative biography of the king
since James Grant Duff's 1826 A History of the Mahrattas. A
respected scholar, Sarkar was able to read primary sources in
Persian, Marathi, and Arabic, but was challenged for his
criticism of the "chauvinism" of Marathi historians' views of
Shivaji. Likewise, though supporters cheered his depiction of the
killing of Afzal Khan as justified, they decried Sarkar's terming
as "murder" the killing of the Hindu raja Chandrao More and his
clan.

Inspiration

As political tensions rose in India in the early 20th century,

some Indian leaders came to re-work their earlier stances on
60
Shivaji's role. Jawaharlal Nehru had in 1934 noted "Some of the
Shivaji's deeds, like the treacherous killing of the Bijapur
general, lower him greatly in our estimation." Following a
public outcry from Pune intellectuals, Congress leader T. R.
Deogirikar noted that Nehru had admitted he was wrong
regarding Shivaji, and now endorsed Shivaji as a great
nationalist.
In 1966, the Shiv Sena (Army of Shivaji) party was formed to
promote the interests of Marathi speaking people in the face of
migration to Maharashtra from other parts of India, and the
accompanying loss of power for locals. His image adorns
literature, propaganda and icons of the party.
In modern times, Shivaji is considered as a national hero in
India, especially in the state of Maharashtra, where he remains
arguably the greatest figure in the state's history. Stories of his
life form an integral part of the upbringing and identity of
the Marathi people. Further, he is also recognized as a warrior
legend, who sowed the seeds of Indian independence.
Shivaji is upheld as an example by the Hindu
nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, and also of the Maratha caste
dominated Congress parties in Maharashtra, such as the Indira
Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.Past Congress
party leaders in the state, such as Yashwantrao Chavan, were
considered political descendants of Shivaji.
In the late 20th century, Babasaheb Purandare became one of the
most significant artists in portraying Shivaji in his writings,
leading him to be declared in 1964 as the Shiv-Shahir ("Bard of
Shivaji").However, Purandare, a Brahmin, was also accused of
over-emphasizing the influence of Brahmin gurus on

61
Shivaji, and his Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony in 2015
was protested by those claiming he had defamed Shivaji.

Controversy

In 1993, the Illustrated Weekly published an article suggesting

that Shivaji was not opposed to Muslims per se, and that his
style of governance was influenced by that of the Mughal
Empire. Congress Party members called for legal actions against
the publisher and writer, Marathi newspapers accused them of
"imperial prejudice" and Shiv Sena called for the writer's public
flogging. Maharashtra brought legal action against the publisher
under regulations prohibiting enmity between religious and
cultural groups, but a High Court found the Illustrated
Weekly had operated within the bounds of freedom of
expression.
In 2003, American academic James W. Laine published his
book Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India, which was followed
by heavy criticism, including threats of arrest.As a result of this
publication, the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune
where Laine had researched was attacked by a group of Maratha
activists calling itself the Brigade. The book was banned
in Maharashtra in January 2004, but the ban was lifted by
the Bombay High Court in 2007, and in July 2010 the Supreme
Court of India upheld the lifting of the ban. This lifting was
followed by public demonstrations against the author and the
decision of the Supreme Court.

Commemorations
62
Commemorations of Shivaji are found throughout India, most
notably in Maharashtra. Shivaji's statues and monuments are
found almost in every town and city in Maharashtra as well as in
different places across India. Other commemorations include the
Indian Navy's station INS Shivaji, numerous postage stamps,
and the main airport and railway headquarters in Mumbai. In
Maharashtra, there has been a long tradition of children building
a replica fort with toy soldiers and other figures during the
festival of Diwali in memory of Shivaji.
A proposal to build a giant memorial called Shiv Smarak was
approved in 2016 to be located near Mumbai on a small island in
the Arabian Sea. It will be 210 meters tall, making it the world's
largest statue when completed in possibly 2021.

63