The forgotten heroes and their forsaken descendents

Chatrapathi Shivaji (1630-1680) had with him a loyal and extremely skilled band of supporters who stood by him through thick and thin. Their tales of valour, devotion and single mindedness in protecting Shivaji and establishing a Hindu Rashtra are the stuff of legends and their names are even today recalled with awe and respect.

The exploits of these men have now become part of Indian folklore and legend. While we do have information about the descendents of Shivaji-his direct descendents continue to live in Satara and the 13^th King, Udayanraje Bhonale, is he thirteenth descendent- there is little or no information about the descendents of Shivaji’s closest followers.

One of the first names that comes to our mind when we go through Maratha history is that of Baji Murarbaji Deshpande (17th century), a  general in the early reign of Shivaji. He is even today widely remembered for his stout defense of the Purandar fort ear Pune against the Mughal General Diler Khan, who accompanied Raja Jai Singh during the campaign.

Thus was in 1665 and Diler Khan, a Pathan, had camped outside the gigantic fort of Purandar. Baji was incharge of the fort and he had just 60 men at his command.

Undeterred by the massive Mughal strength,  Baji stormed the Mughal army, slaying 500 Pathans. The Mughal General stopped the battle midway and directly spoke to Baji, inviting him to join hands with him.

Baji refused and he was killed by an arrow shot by Khan himself. Sandip Potnis, a farmer near Pune, is proud of his ancestry tracing its roots to Baji.
Kaustubh Deshpande is a descendant of Shivaji's Kayastha commander Baji Prabhu Deshpande (1615-1660).  History says Baji Prabhu held off Bijapur General Siddi Jauda's or Siddi Jahaur’s forces for seven hours at the Pawakind mountain pass near Kolhapur, allowing Shivaji to escape. Baji Prabhu was wounded 47 times in the battle.
Today, Kaustubh, a computer professional, is trying to build a monument in his ancestral village Shind as homage to his ancestor. As can be expected , politicians and bureaucrats have shown scant  interest in building the memorial.
The descendants of Jiva Mahale, the bodyguard of Shivaji-who saved the Chatrapathi by killing Bijapur's General Afzal Khan-today lives in poverty. Balkrishna Sapkal, a descendant of Jiva, is paralysed and lives in poverty. A barber, he can no longer work and he lives in a small rented room with his wife near Kondivli
Ranojirao Ghorpade is a grandson of Shivaji's General Santaji Ghorpade.
Santaji belonged to the Ghorpade family and though his year of birth is not exactly known, it is generally put at 1660 AD. He along with his younger brother Bahirji accompanied Shivaji in his Karnataka campaign in 1678.
He was named by Shivaji on his death bed to be among six pillars of Maratha Empire who were tasked to carry out the war against Mughals and the Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda and to save the Maratha kingdom at all costs. Santaji’s father Mhaloji died in the battle of Sangmeshwar while fighting the Mughals who then captured, tortured and killed Sambhaji.
Santaji’s descendent, Ranojirao, is a farmer in his ancestral village of Kapshi near Kolhapur.

Another farmer Dilip Singh Himmat Bahadur Chavan of Nigwe near Kolhapur is a direct descendent of Vithoji who earned the title of Himmat Bahadur from Shivaji's son Rajaram for his bravery against the Mughals.

Vithoji along with two other Generals Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav also known as Dhanaji Shambhusinha Jadhav (1650–1708) had almost captured Aurangzeb once. They had   once entered Aurangzeb’s camp, plundered it and cut off the penants at its gate.

Dhanaji’s descendent, Vikramsinhraje Jadhavrao, who is also the Raja of Malegaon Budruk near Baramati in Maharashtra, is a builder in Pune.

Jaywantrao Mohite, a retired professional, is the descendent of Hambirao Mohite who was the commander-in-chief of Shivaji's army after the Chatrapathi’s death in 1680. Mohite was the brother of Soyarabai, one of the Queens of Shivaji.

Krishnaraje Rajemahadik and his father Shilsinhraje are descendants of Shivaji's eldest son-in-law Harjiraje Rajemahadik. Even today, their haveli in Tarale near Satara has swords, daggers, spears, silverware and ancient covered carts used by women to travel. Shivaji had visited Tarale for his daughter Ambicabai's wedding.

Another forgotten hero is Balasaheb Jedhe who traces his lineage to Kanhoji Jedhe, the jagirdar of Kari near Pune who backed  Shivaji with 22 chieftains and soldiers in the battle against Afzal Khan.

In the battle of Yelburga in 1677, Kanoji's son Nagoji severed the trunk of the elephant on which Bijapur General Hussain Khan Miyana was riding. Nagoji was subsequently shot dead. Today, Jedhe and his four brothers share 70 acres of land and a haveli.

Padmasenraje Dabhade and his son Satyashil Dabhade are descendents of General Khanderao Dabhade who played a key role in extending Maratha power north of the Narmada during the reign of Shivaji's grandson Sahu.

The Dadhabes now live in a flat in Pune. One of their women ancestors Umabhai Dabhade, the daughter-in-law of Khanderao, led the Maratha Army and won a battle against the Mughals near Ahmedabad..

What we see here is that today’s politicians and governments are very adept at making promises and then conveniently forgetting them. The least they can do is to identify men and families that laid down their lives for the nation and honor them

The grave of an Emperor's daughter

The last of the great Mughal Emperors, Aurangzeb, had a love-hate relationship with the south India which in those days was called the Deccan.

He lived most of his life in the Deccan and he died in the Deccan. He is also the only Mughal Emperor to be buried in the Deccan.

He spent the last 25 years of his life in the Deccan, waging wars against the Adil Shahis of Bijapur, Nizam Shahis of Golconda and Shivaji.

When The Adil Shahis failed to honour the terms of the treaty of 1657 of paying tribute, Aurangzeb sent Jai Singh, in 1666 with an Army. When Jai Singh failed to bring Bijapur to book, Aurangzeb personally led the war against Bijapur and in September 1686 he captured the city.

However, he had to pay a heavy price for having taken up the long and exhaustive war. His wife, Aurangabadi Mahal, and several nobles and commanders died of bubonic plague which swept across the city of Bijapur.

Aurangabadi Mahal is buried in an open grave in Bijapur itself.           

After the Bijapur campaign, Aurangzeb turned his attention to Golconda and conquered the Kingdom. He then set about beginning the 25-year war with the Marathas.

He set up his headquarters near Aurangabad and abandoned Agra and Delhi which had earlier been capitals of the Mughals.

While Aurangzeb failed to check Shivaji, he also seriously erred in taking on the Sikhs. His Deccan policy too failed him in his last years and it ultimately led to the demise of the Mughal Empire.

Another wife of his, Rabia Durrani, died in Aurangabad and she is buried in a monument called Bibi ka Maqbara. This structure was built by Aurangzeb’s son, Prince Azam Shah.

Aurangzeb himself died in 1707 near Aurangabad and he is buried in a simple tomb in an area called Khuldabad, near Aurangabad. Even in death, he never came back from the Deccan.

Aurangzeb’s tryst with the Deccan had begun in 1636 when he had been appointed as Viceroy of the Deccan by his father Shahjahan.

Unfortunately, the Deccan proved to be more of a family burial ground for Aurangzeb. Apart from burying two of  his wives in the Deccan, he also had to oversee the burial of his seven year old daughter in Sira near Bangalore.

Yes, Sira near Bangalore has an unmarked grave that belongs to one of the daughters of Aurangzeb.  This daughter is supposed to have died when Aurangzeb was in the thick of his Deccan campaigns against Bijapur and Golconda.

The Mughal Emperor’s daughter lies buried in the ancient dargah of  Malik Rehman or Hazrath Mallik Rehan Rahmatullah Alai.

Rehman Malik was the Mughal Governor of Sira province and Aurangzeb’s daughter is buried here with other followers of  the saint.

Sira is in Tumkur district and almost all the Muslim monuments of the district are found in this place. It was a major headquarters of Adil Shahis first and then the Mughals. After the Mughals, it passed into the hands of the Wodeyar Kings before Hyder Ali and Tipu lorded over it.  

Even today, Sira boasts of some of the finest Islamic structures in south Karnataka. The Jumma Masjid and the Darga of Malik Rihan are superb structures built in the Saracenic style. The masjid was built by Shaik Farid Saheb, His tomb, along with that of his brother Shaik Kabir Saheb and their sister Shehar Banu, is located in the structure. It was built in 1696.

The darga is a square building with a big tomb with four black minarets, about eight feet high, at the corners over the roof. The tomb of Malik Rihan is simple. He was the Mughal Subedar of Sira from 1637 to 1651.

The building was built in 1651. The walls of the darga are peculiar in the sense that stones of all sizes and shapes are fitted together. Just behind the building is an old mosque in which Mailk Rihan is said to have prayed. To the north-east is a building known as Diddi, a rectangular structure with four minarets. The two minarets at the front are taller than the minarets located behind. Malik used this building as his study.

To the south-east of the Diddi is a tomb under a canopy and this is where a seven-year-old daughter of Aurangzeb is buried.

The grave of Aurangzeb’s daughter has an inscription on it which reads as Allah and Muhammad. Unfortunately, the name of Aurangzeb’s daughter cannot be found out.

Coming back to the darga, it  has a verandah running all round with pointed arches. The main tomb of the darga has a broad base and the building is of Bijapur style. It combines dignity with grace.

Another Islamic structure is the Baraki mosque. This is in ruins. Near it is the tomb of Muhammad Khan which has minarets and  battlements.

Another darga in Sira is that of  Chinnada-gori or golden tomb. This is sp called because the tomb has a golden kalasha or finial. It contains the tomb of a fakir, Farid Ulla Shah, who came here from Bijapur. Locals say the fakir performed severe penance here till ant-hills grew round him.

Haidar Ali, who received the title of Nawab of Sira in 1761, was highly impressed with the Mugahal architecture of Sira. The structures built by him and his son at Srirangapattana and Bangalore are replicas of the ones at Sira commissioned  by the Mughal governor, Dilavar Khan.

Bangalore fort too is said to have been modeled on the fort at Sira. The Lalbagh in Bangalore owes its origin to  the Khan Bagh at Sira.

Though the Bangalore fort and Lalbagh is most visited today, Sira is almost a forgotten tourist centre. Even many Bangaloreans are not aware of Sira and its contributions.

One of the oldest structures here is the fort of Kasturi Rangappa Nayaka, who was treacherously killed by the Adil Shahi General Afzal Khan.   

Seebi, which houses the famous Narasimha deity and Maidanahalli, the blackbuck sanctuary are nearby. Tumkur is 50 kms away. Sira is easily accessible from Bangalore by road.

The fort which no enemy could detect

This is one fort which you have to search to locate. It is amidst high cliffs and there is only one entrance to it. During the medieval ages, it provide safe sanctuary for several kings and rebels.

Its location was so secret, or rather so difficult to track, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb gave up the campaign to disciple a rebel who had declared Independence

Similarly, the Nizam of Hyderabad conducted a war for several months but to no avail. He had to voluntarily withdraw from the campaign as it made no headway and he had not way of storming the fortified bastion.

The fort and its buildings so impressed people that it gave rise to an iconic saying or proverb.  The popular saying in Kannada goes like this,

“Kaalu iddavaru Hampi Noda beku,

Kannu iddavaru Kanakagiri Nodabeku.”

This means people who can walk should visit Hampi and people who are blessed with eyesight should see Kanakagiri. This adage holds true even today and one should see both Kanakagiri and Hampi-one is a feast for the eyes and the other for the legs (This means that even if  you walk miles you will not get tired).  

Today, the fort in Kanakagiri  stands a mute testimony to the glory of the centuries gone by. The fort is called Hemagudda which has been a favourite hideout of  rulers and rebels in times when they were in trouble.

Kanakagiri is situated in Gangavati taluk of Koppal district. It was an important outpost during the Vijayanagar period, It was the capital of  the Palegars or local chieftains of Kanakagiri from the 15 century AD to the 18 century AD.

These Palegars were vassals of the Vijayanagars and  they loved their buildings like the Vijayanagar rulers. Today that love can be seen in the buildings, temples and forts that the Palegars built. The  Hemagudda fort is a labour of love and art. It is located about 20 kms from Kanakagiri in the midst of  towering hills and small mountains.

What the rulers could not do-destroy the fort-our Government has successfully done. Years of neglect and official apathy have put the fort on the endangered list

The Hemagudda fort is adjacent to another fort. This fort is the Kummata Durga fort which belonged to the warrior prince  Gandugali Kumara Rama.

The Hemagudda fort is enclosed by gigantic rocks on all sides and it can be entered only from its entrance in the east. It was this unique location that kept it hidden from the eye, giving it the name of a good hide-out.

Some of the rulers who took shelter in the fort were Peetambari Baharipidda Nayak, the ruler of Surpur. He had come to the fort as he was being perused by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, in  1688. The Nayaka stayed in the fort for an year.
The then ruler of  Hemagudda,  Udacha Nayaka, agreed to shelter Peetambari Baharipidda Nayak as he was sure that the Mughals could never locate the fort.
Similarly, Hire Nayaka, the last ruler of Kanakagiri, waged a war against the Nizam of Hyderabad while hiding in the Hemagudda Fort.  The battle went on for more than three months and the Nizam was frustrated as he lost both men and money. He was forced to give a call for truce.

Even after the war ended, the Nizam failed to locate the fort.

Locals will tell you that the fort was first constructed in the 14th century AD.  The temples of  Shiva and Parvathi, Kanakachala, Lakshminarasimha and Durga Devi were constructed by Udacha Nayaka, the second ruler of Kanakagiri, between 1510 and 1533.

A palace is also seen in the fort with hide-outs constructed in its  walls.
Kanakagiri is also known as Swaranagiri. During the ancient ages, it was the provincial capital of  the southern region of the Maurya Empire.

Kanakagiri has several temples built by the Nayakas. The temple of  Kanaka Chalapathi Gidu is the biggest and it is known for its beauty and elegance. One of the edicts of Ashoka were discovered here. It can still be seen besides the main gopura of the Kanaka Chalapathi Temple.

The Venkatappa Bavi is a royal bath constructed by Venkatappa Naik during  the Vijayanagara period.  This stepped well is surrounded by an aisle on three sides. It also has a temple and shelter for pilgrims.

This place is also called Queen's bath. There are four entrances to enter the well; three through stairways that wind around narrow passages and the fourth entrance is from a regular wide and open stairway. Kanakagiri is just 37 kms from Koppal and 17 kms from Gangavathi. It is well connected by roads

When Hanuman spoke to Aurangzeb

It is regarded as a centerpiece of  Islamic art, architecture and literature. It also occupied a prime position in India and it played a decisive role in several events and incidents that shaped the history of south India.

Today, it is regarded as one of the major hubs of the IT revolution in India and it is trying its best to catch up with Bangalore as the most favoured IT destination.

It is also a city that has an impressive past. Known for its cuisine and the iconic Qutb Minar, Hyderabad is also the city of the Nawabs.

Hyderabad today presents a city with a rich past and a promising future. While tourists and visitors flock in lakhs to see the Qutb Minar, Salar Jing museum, the Nizam’s palace and of course Golconda, they conveniently overlook another piece of history.

However to be fair to the tourists, not many even in Hyderabad are aware of the importance of this historic structure and its association with a Mughal Emperor. Moreover it is not on any tourist circuit or map.

This structure is a temple and it has an interesting story about its survival in a Muslim dominated Kingdom. This the old and beautiful temple of  Hanuman located in Lakshmipuram near Karmanghat. The structure is believed to be almost nine centuries old.

The temple was located at its present place when Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah established Hyderabad in 1591.

When the last great Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, invaded Golconda and defeated the Nizam Shahi King, he overran Golconda and Hyderabad apart from other cities belonging to the Nizam Shahis.

The year then was 1687 and Aurangzeb marched on to Hyderabad after imprisoning the Nizam Shahi King. He then entered Hyderabad and asked his soldiers and officials to raze all Hindu temples in and around the city.

When the Mughal soldiers came to the Hanuman Temple at Lakshmipuram, they found that they could not enter the premises. When they tried to push through, they felt a bigger and stronger force pushing them back. Try as hard as they could, they could not overcome the invisible force.

They ran back to the camp where Aurangzeb was holding court. When they reported the matter to Aurangzeb, the Emperor could not believe his ears. Angered over the failure of his soldiers to act, he himself marched with another group of soldiers to the temple.

Aurangzeb to met the same fate as his soldiers. He felt an invisible force holding him back and the crowbar he had held in his hand fell to the ground.

He then heard a voice which spoke to him.

The unseen voice warned Aurangzeb by saying “If you want to enter this temple, make your heart stronger (Karo-man-ghat)”. It then contiuned saying, “Mandir todna hai rajan, to karo man ghat.”

Though Aurangzeb appeared shaken, the voice did not satisfy him. He asked the voice to prove itself and its truthfulness.

The voice then dissolved into several strands of light. The whole temple came to be illuminated by the lights and in their midst appeared a hazy form. There was also a defeaning sound resembling thunder. A thoroughly humbled Aurangzeb beat a hasty retreat and ordered his soldiers not to harm the temple.

Since then, the place where the temple is situated has come to be known as Karmanghat.

The temple attracts thousands of devotees everyday but very few tourists. Historians say the temple was built by the Kakatiya king Prataprudra II in 1143 A.D.

There is an interesting legend behind the construction of the temple.  The Kakatiya Emperor, Prataprudra II, went out for hunting and when he came to Lakshmipuram, he heard the roar of a tiger.

Hungry and tired, the King thought he could hunt down the tiger for a meal. But try as might, he could not find the tiger. When he heard the roar again, he went in direction of the noise. As he neared a place, he could distinctly hear the chanting  “Sri Ram”.

The King then found a Hanuman statue hidden amid the foliage he had cut down to look at the place from where the chanting was coming from.

The King prostrated himself before Hanuman and then went back to his palace. The same night, Hanuman appeared in his dreams and asked him to build a temple. This is how the temple came to be built.

There are several smaller structures within the Hanuman temple. They are all built by the Kakatiyas themselves. There are deities of    Rama, Vigneshwara, Nageshwara, Bramaramba Lingeshwara, Durga, Saraswathi, Jagannatha Venugopala and  Navagrahas.

There is a belief that if women worship for 40 days the Hanuman here, which is called Dhyana Anjeneya, they will be blessed with healthy children. Similarly, all diseases are supposed to be cured if the person prays here for 40 days.

The temple is 15 kms from the railway station and 12 kms from the bus station. The temple is open from 6 am to 12 pm and again from
4 pm to 8 pm.

The name of the ancient town that Aurangzeb could never change

This place today is a pale shadow of its once glorious past. Its reference point is from the times of Ramayana. It then again found mention in the Mahabharata.

Apart from the epics, this place is closely connected with the first Indian empire-the Mauryas. The Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, arguably the greatest Emperor of India, married the daughter of a banker here.

Kalidasa’s Meghadoot has immortalised this town which is the tri junction of three rivers. It also has the remains of  India's only votive pillars with palm-leaf capitals-the Heliodorus pillar, also known as Khamba Baba.

It also features prominently in the Brahmin, Jain and Buddhist texts. This is also the town that the last great Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb (1658-1707) wanted desperately to name after himself. Try as much he did, he failed to get the name changed.

Today that town still retains its old name of Videsha. However its old glory is gone forever and it is a small city with a magnificent past. The three rivers of  Betwa,Bes and Choprel flow quietly, oblivious of the crowd. These three rivers form the boundary of the ancient town of Besnagar.     

The first reference to Videsha in the Ramayana of Valmiki. He says that Shatrughna's son, Shatrughati, was placed in charge of Vidisha.

During the Mahabharata period, this place was called Bhadravati and it was the residence of Yuvanashva who supplied the famous horse to Yudhishthira during his Ashvamedha sacrifice

Three kilometres from Videsha is another old city with a past. This is Besnagar, which is also identified closely with ancient Vidisha. Besnagar is on the banks of the Betwa.

The name Besnagar dates back to pre-Christian ages. It figures prominently in Buddhist, Jain and Brahmanical literature under various names such as Vessanagar and Vaisyanagar.

Legend connects Besnagar or Vessanagar with Raja Rukmangada who neglected his own wife for the sake of the Apsara, Visva Mohini. He also named a town after her and called it Vishvanagar.

It was sometime in the 7^th century AD that Besnagar was destroyed. This town was on the west of the Betwa. However, another town arose but on the eastern side of Betwa located on the western side of the river Betwa and it came to be called Bhailaswamin or Bhillaswamin, which later came to be corrupted as Bhilsa or Bhelsa.

The name Bhelsa can be traced to the temple of the Sun God which was built here.

When Ashoka was still a prince aged 18, his father the Emperor Bindusara, who was ruling from Pataliputra, appointed him as Viceroy of Ujjain.

Ashoka left Pataliputra for Ujjain, Enroute he halted at Besnagar. Here, he met Vidisha Devi, the daughter of a banker. Though she belonged to the Sakya clan, Ashoka had no qualms about marrying her as she is believed to have nursed him when he fell sick.

Devi was Ashoka's first wife She gave birth to twins-a son Mahendra and daughter Sanghmitra. After the Kalinga war, she moved away from Ashoka, appaled by the scale of the killing.  

Both the children spent a lot of time at Besnagar. When Ashoka became the Emperor of India, both Mahendra and Sangamitra went to Ceylon as their father's religious ambassadors.

They carried a twig of the original Bodhi tree to Ceylon. They also led the first Buddhist Mission to Ceylon. On her part, Devi never visited Patliputra. She stayed on at Besnagar only and embraced Buddhism afterwards.

A monastery type building has been excavated near the magnificent stupa at Sanchi. This was Devi’s residence and there are strong historical evidence to prove that  Ashoka built her the structure.

Sanchi is just 8 kms from Besnagar. Before Mahendra and Sangamirtra set sail for Ceylon, they came to see their mother at Besnagar. Devi then took both of them to Chaitya Giri or the place where the Sanchi Stupa was constructed.

After the Mauryas, the Sungas, the Kanvas, the Nagas, the Vakatakas, the Guptas, the Kalchuris of Mahishmati the Parmars, and even the Western Chalukyas ruled over Vidisha. Artifacts of these dynasties have been found in and around Vidisha.

Under the Guptas, Besnagar-Vidisha was a flourishing city. The Udayagiri caves are a testimony to the Gupta presence here. The caves contain many Gupta idols and carvings and are worth a visit.

Later, this region remained under the control of the Mughals. Aurangzeb tried to rename the City as Alamgiri Nagar after himself, but without success.

He destroyed the Brijmandal temple and built a mosque from the materials of the Hindu temple in 1682. He called it Alamgir mosque. Yet, the name of Alamgiri Nagar never took off and even then preferred to call it Vidisha.

After the Mughals, it was the turn of the Marathas and Peshwas to lord over the area. Thereafter, it became a part of the Scindia's Gwalior State and was a tehsil of  the Isagarh Pargana.

In 1904, Vidisha became a district having the two Tehsils of Vidisha and Basoda till the formation of Madhya Bharat in 1948. In 1949, Vidisha was enlarged in area with the merger of small states of Kurwai. The Sironj sub-division which was formerly in Kota district of Rajasthan and the small paragana of  Piklone belonging to the Bhopal State were added to the district when Madhya Pradesh took birth.

Even today, the antiquity of the  plateau of Vidisha vividly reflects its grandeur in the form of Besnagar, Gyaraspur, Udaypur, Udaygiri, Badoh-Pathari and other smaller villages and towns. There is too much of history to chronicle here and too many ruins to name.  

Vidisha is 56 kms from Bhopal the capital of Madhya Pradesh. The Udayagiri caves belonging to the Gupta caves are nearby.

Vidisha is well connected by roads. It is one the Mumbai-Delhi and Delhi-Chennai rail line.

The Queen who defied Aurangzeb and gave shelter to Shivaji's son

Karnataka has not only produced heroic kings like Mayura Verma of Kadambas, Pulakeshi of the Chalukyas of Badami, VishnuVardhana of the Hoysalas, Krishna Deve Raya of the Vijayanagars but also equally brave and heroic queens like Abbaka Devi,  Chennama of Kittur and another queen of the same name-Chenamma of Keladi.

While many have heard and read about Kittur Rani, only a few known about Chenamma of Keladi. This Chenamma was not only a brave warrior but she also provided shelter to one of the sons of Chatrapathi Shivaji. What is more heroic is that she took on the might of Aurangzeb and forced him to come to terms with the small principality.  

Chenamma of Keladi did not belong to any royal lineage. She was a commoner who caught the fancy of  the Keladi ruler, Somashekara Nayaka who had been crowned King in 1663.

The Vijayanagar empire had been extinguished and several small principalities had asserted their independence. In Karnataka, the Palegars and Nayakas had become independent much like the Wodeyars.

Karnataka then was in transition and the Adil Shahis were strong in north Karnataka, while Wodeyars were asserting their supremacy in the southern parts. The Nayakas of Keladi in Shimoga had asserted their independence and they ruled the present Shimoga district with Bidanur as their first capital which was subsequently shifted to Nagara, also in Shimoga.

However, the founding of the Keladi kingdom goes back to 1498 when Chowdappa Nayaka set up the Keladi principality. It was during the time of Shivappa Nayaka (1645-1660) , that the Keladi principality shot into prominence. 

Chenamma was the daughter of a trader Kotepura Siddappa.  Though both lived happily, a dancer came in the life of Somashekara and he fell for her guile. Somashekara died in 1671 and Chenamma ruled Keladi from 1671 till 1696. She was the 11^th ruler of the Keladi dynasty.

Many rulers thought that they could overcome Keladi. How wrong they were.

Chenamma, who by now had taken over the reigns of the kingdom decided not to give in to the Adil Shahis. She shifted her capital along with the treasury from Bidanur to Bhuvanagiri. The Adil Shahis entered an empty city. Though they tried to storm Bhuvanagiri, they could not.

The Adil Shahi army was defeated when they tried to move towards Bhuvanagiri. The thick forests and the narrow passes through which the Bijapur Army had to move provided the Keladi Army with an advantage that they used to the fullest. Chenamma and the Keladi army came back to Bidanur and the people welcomed them back.

After the Adil Shahis, it was the turn of the Wodeyars to take on Chenamma. Chikka Deve Raja Wodeyar sent an army to annex Keladi but the Wodeyars were defeated. Chenamma treated the captured men with respect and this earned the admiration of Chikke Deve Raja Wodeyar.  

One day, while giving alms to the people, Chenamma came across four persons dressed in the robes of monks. The first of the monk saluted Chenamma. The Queen immediately knew that they were no monks as monks blessed people and did not give any salute.

She asked the first monk who he was and what he wanted.  

She was startled when the monk said he was Rajaram, the youngest son of Chatrapathi Shivaji.

Chenamma looked impressed and wanted to know why he had come to her kingdom. She had heard of the exploits of the brave Shivaji and she recalled his services in establishing a Hindu kingdom.

True to her courteous nature, she seated Rajaram said then enquired about the reason for his present disguise. Rajaram truthfully told her that the Mughal Emperor had wanted to extract revenge. “After killing my brother Sambhaji, he wanted to kill me. I managed to escape to Gingee (now in Tamil Nadu) and I had to travel through Karnataka to reach the destination. During the course of my wandering I came here. Can you afford to give me shelter for a few days”, Rajaram asked.

Continuing the story of his escape from the Mughals, Rajaram said no king or kingdom dared to give him shelter. None, he said, wanted to risk the wrath of Aurangzeb and his powerful army. Chenamma was bewildered by the tale. She wanted to know how any king could refuse shelter to a son of a great Hindu King. She instantly took a decision and asked Rajaram and his three companions to stay back at Keladi.

Rajaram was stunned by the turn of events. Here was a queen of a small principality who was ready to risk her life and the very existence of the kingdom to give shelter. This was in stark contrast to other rulers who forced Rajaram to go away from their territories.

Rajaram was a noble son of a noble father. He asked Chenamma not to take any decision in haste. Consult your nobles and courtiers before coming to a decision, he advised the Queen.

Realising the merit in the arguments of  Rajaram, the Queen summoned her officials for a discussion on the issue. None of them, including her father, wanted her to harbour Rajaram. All of them had only one advice. Ask Rajaram to go forthwith. We cannot risk a battle with the Mughals.

The Queen, however, had made up her mind. She spoke in the open court and recalled the services of Shivaji. She also pointed out that Keladi had never a tradition of turning away anyone who came for help. Chenamma’s speech enthused the young men of the  court and they decided to support the Queen. The older people, however, advised caution.      

Meanwhile, Rajaram and his companions were asked to rest at the State guest house where they were given royal treatment. She once again called Rajaram and asked him to stay on at Keladi. She then prepared for war.

The news soon reached Aurangzeb. Surprised at the show of defiance by the queen of a small state, he wrote to Chenamma asking het to surrender Rajaram. He warned her that she would have to face the Moghul army if she did not comply.

By the time the letter reached Chenamma, the son of Shivaji was already on way to Gingee. Chenamma then decided to reply to Aurangzeb’s letter. She extended her hand of friendship to Aurangzeb and said Rajaram was not in Keladi. She said Rajaram was already enroute to Gingee.

Before the letter reached Aurangzeb, he had ordered the huge Moghul Army under his son Azmath Aga to march to Keladi.  

The Mughal army reached Keladi and very soon they learnt that fighting a war in the forests is much different from fighting on the plains. The Mughals could not make any headway and were losing men and equipment.   

The Malnad rains started and the Mughals were at their wit’s end. They had absolutely no training in fighting in such conditions. When all seemed lost to the Mughals, Aurangzeb wrote to Azamath Ara that Rajaram was in Gingee.

Aurangzeb asked his son to immediately proceed to Gingee and capture Rajaram. A much relieved Azamath abandoned the campaign against Keladi and marched towards Gingee. He decided to enter into a treaty with the Keladi Queen.

Aurangzeb too recognized her fighting spirit and called her a female bear. Meanwhile, Rajaram sent a letter to Chenamma thanking her for providing food and shelter.

Rajaram died in 1700 and his wife Tarabai ruled the Maratha kingdom as a Regent. She continued the fight against the Mughals.

Deep down south, Chenamma went from strength to strength. She entered into trade pacts with the Arabs and Portuguese. She also maintained friendly relations with the Wodeyars.

Chenamma led a military expedition and captured Hulikere near Basavapattana. She rebuilt the fort. Basappa Nayaka who came to the throne after Chenamma,  renamed it as Chennagiri.

Chenamma died in 1696 and she was buried in the Koppalu monastery in Bidanur.

The sword that fell out of a cupboard

There were several locked cupboards in a university. These cupboards had remained unopened for decades. In February 2011, when one of the cupboards were opened, a sword with Persian engravings fell out.
The sword belonged to the last great Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who practically ruled over the whole of India in the late 17^th century. Aurangzeb was the Emperor from 1658 to 1707 and he head succeeded Shahjahan to the throne.
The Mughal kings and royalty, including Aurangzeb, possessed several arms and many of these articles were noted for their magnificent make and beautiful carvings. Swords, daggers, knives, pistols and other arms belonging to the Mughals are found in many museums across India, particularly in Delhi, Agra, Ajmer, Hyderabad and even Lahore.
Aurangzeb’s sword was found in a cupboard in the manuscript section of the library of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. Alipur is a city nearly 345 kms from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. It s much nearer to Delhi which is  140 kms away. The AMU library is the second biggest in Asia.
There were several cupboards in the manuscript section and when the head of the section, Khurshed, opened one of them on February 26, 2011, the sword tumbled out. Some of the students managed to read one of the many Persian words on the scabbard of the sword. It said Aurangzeb.
The sword was then taken to the Head Librarian, Azarmi Tukht. When none could decipher the wordings, it was taken to Azarmi Tukht, head of the Institute of Persian Studies and Asif  Naeem, a Professor of Persian. Both of them deciphered the Persian couplet on the sword.
It is believed that this sword was presented to Aurangzeb. The sword was not the only artefact found. There are others such as a sapphire pen stand and a paper cutter presented by the then king of Afganisthan, Nadir Shah, to the then Vice-chancellor of AMU in 1933.
Other ancient articles found were photographs of Shahajan and Mumtaz Mahal and 350 manuscripts, including a deed executed by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1602. The AMU has also in its collections royal decrees of Mughal Emperors Babur, Shahajahan, Aurangzeb and Shah Alam from 1602 to the later part of the eighteenth century have been discovered. More than a dozen royal families have presented the AMU with manuscripts and historic artefacts. The sword of Aurangzeb could have come with them. But who gave it, still remains a mystery. 
This is not the only sword of Aurangzeb. Emperors and nobles in India and the aristocracy had several swords. The Mughal Emperors had several swords and in those days it was customary in India to present swords and other arms to a ruler or a nobleman.  
There is another sword belonging to Aurangzeb in the Indian collection of the Victoria and Alfred Museum in London, England. This sword is inlaid in  gold in Persian saying Alamgir Padshah 24. Alamgir was another name for Aurangzeb and Padshah is another name for Badshah or Emperor. The number 24 is believed to be the date on which the sword was manufactured. It was believed to have been cast in 1680.
The sword was in the personal collection of  Lord Kitchner of Khatroum. It was presented to the museum in 1964.
You can also see a sword of Aurangzeb at the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad. This museum has also daggers belonging to Jahangir, Shahajan and Noorjahan.
Well, coming back to Aligarh and the AMU. The manuscript section of the Maulana Azad library has some of the most valuable books of ancient and Mediaeval India in Persian, Sanskrit, Urdu and other languages.
The Persian translation of the Leelawathi, a book on mathematics, by Abul Faizi is in the library. Leelawathi is part of the book Siddantha Shiromani authored by renowned astronomer and mathematician, Bhaskaracharya in 1150. Emperor Akbar had commissioned Faizi, one  of the famed Navaratnas of his court, to translate Leelawathi from Sanskrit to Persian.

The library is reputed to have more than 16,000 manuscripts from almost all the periods of Indian history. Other rare books include a fragment of the holy Koran inscribed more than 1400 years ago by Hazrat Ali, the 4^th Calpih of Islam. The AMU was set up as Mohammadan Anglo Oriental College and Centre for Muslim education, learning and excellence in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. It got its present name. AMU, in 1920. It is one of the most famous central universities.

Aligarh is also well known for locks. It is also historically important as  it was here that Balarama, brother of Krihsna, slew Kol, a demon. Therefore, in ancient days, it was known as Kol. Qutb-Ud-Din Aibak was the first Muslim ruler to subdue Kol or Koil and appoint a Muslim Governor, Hisam-ud-din Ulbak, to rule over the province.