When Canteroy inspired Shivaji

It is now common knowledge that Chatrapati Shivaji (1627-1680), the Maratha Emperor, spent part of his childhood in Bangalore

and that he learnt the basics of statecraft and warfare from his father, Shahaji Raje Bhonsale (1594-1664).Shahaji then was the Jagirdar of Bangalore and he had his palace at Chickpet. Shahaji had defeated Kempe Gowda and sent him away to Magadi-Savandurga, while he retained Bangalore, Kolar, Hoskote, Yelahanka and Anekal. This was sometime in 1638. Shivaji had come to Bangalore from Pune when he was just eleven years old and he spent time with his elder brother Sambhaji and his half-brother Ekoji. Shivaji’s mother, Jija Bai, also came with Shivaji to Bangalore and by then Shahaji had married a second time. The second wife was Tukabai Mohite and Ekoji was her son.Maratha and Adil Shah records of the period state that Shahaji lived with Jijabai and Tukabai along with their sons in his palace at Chickpet. It was at Bangalore

that Shahaji decided to partition his jagir. He permitted Shivaji to return to Pune with Jijabai and he decided to give Bangalore as a jagir to Ekoji. His eldest son, Sambhaji, received the province of Kolar.    It was while he was in Bangalore

around 1640 that Shivaji heard tales of the erstwhile Vijayanagar Empire and its Emperors. He was deeply inspired by the Vijayanagar Empire and the stories of valour and piety of its Emperors. It is from the Vijayanagar Empire that he took the inspiration to found a Hindu

Kingdom. Of course, the atrocities perpetuated by the Mughals in the Deccan and by Afzal Khan and other Adil Shah commanders of Bijapur only strengthened his resolve to establish a strong and independent Hindu Empire. However, Shivaji was also inspired by another Hindu ruler of the South. This was Ranadheera Kanteerava or Kantirava Narasaraja Wodeyar (1638-1659), the wrestler King of Mysore.

Kanthirava Narasaraja I, as he is known, was the first Wodeyar King of Mysore

to use symbols associated with royalty, such as a mint and issuing coins named as Kanthiraya, which the British later called as Canteroy. He first struck coins in his own name on April 26, 1645. They were then called Kantiraya Hana or Kantirava Raya Ravi.  Another form of currency was Kantiraya Varaha which later came to be called Canteroy Pagoda. This Pagoda was divided into ten sub units called hanams. The weight of one Varaha was equal to nine hanams.

He also issued copper coins called Anekasu. Of fall his coins, the Canteroy was so popular that they remained part of Mysore

's current national money for well over a century. (In 1843, the Mysore coins formally ceased to exist). When Shivaji was in Bangalore, he came across the Canteroy coins and he immediately sensed the importance of having coins struck in his name and of using other royal symbols and seals. This resolve was further strengthened when Shivaji was told that Ranadheera Kanteerava issued the coins with the intention to strengthen his grip and hold over the Kingdom. The Wodeyar coins with Lord Narasimha created a series of fanams which numismatically came to be known as Kantirava Fanams. Narasimha is the fourth reincarnation of Hari or Vishnu with a human body and lion face. The Yogabhanda pose is depicted in earlier Kanteerava coins. Other coins have Narasimha in meditation with legs folded inward and the holy thread  or Janevara going around both his knees. One hand holds a flaming chakra and a flaming conch and the lower hands rests on his knees.

The Kantirava fanams became popular in south India

and Shivaji too was inspired by them to mint his own coins. Shivaji called his coins as Shivarayi. The Shivarayi was first issued by Shivaji after his coronation as Chatrapathi in 1664. Unlike the Canteroy, the Shivrai was a copper coin minted to denote the symbol of sovereignty, the Rajyaabhisheka Shaka. A gold coin called Shivrai Hon was also minted but such coins  are rare today.

Shivaji is  known to have minted only one set of gold coins in his time. During his coronation, seven lakh Shivrai Hon coins were showered upon him and issued for the first time. These coins are now rare as his rival and Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had most of them melted down.

These coins had a legend Shri Raja Shivachhatrapati inscribed on them. Thereafter, all royal correspondence (Rajpatra) carried the words, Kshatriyakulaawatansa Shri Raja Shivachhatrapati.

Apart from Shivaji, the Nayakas of Sira, the British at Madras

and even the Dutch were inspired by the Mysore coins and they minted them at Pulicat, Negapatnam and Tuticorin.Generally, the Wodeyars minted coins in gold, copper and sometimes in silver. The Wodeyars had a fairly big mint at Srirangapatna. Ranadheera Kanteerava shifted the mint from Msyore to Srirangapatna when he shifted the capital to Srirngapatna.

The gold coins of Wodeyars  carried the motif and the name of the King and the mint on the reverse, while the silver coins bore the name of the king on the obverse and the name of the mint on the reverse. Some coins of smaller denominations had sculpted image of  Chamundi.

Hyder Ali continued minting coins in gold with Hindu deities, while Tipu preferred silver coins. Tipu set up twelve mints in his kingdom. The mint of  Srirangapatna was shifted after the death of Tipu Sultan on May 4, 1799.

Interestingly, the Wodeyar coins are strikingly similar to the coins of Vijayanagar Empire. Both the Wodeyar and Vijayanagar coins are similar in size, shape and weight.

When a son avenged his father's arrest

Indian history has rather been unkind to our own countrymen or rather we have been unkind in writing our own history. Even today, we have failed ourselves in reading and writing history accurately and in a dispassionate manner.
Many incidents and events in our past have either been simply glossed over or given a slant. Deliberate or otherwise, such writings have made their way into history and today they have become a part of  history books.
Indians have always been besotted with what Westerners have said about our history and culture and we have blindly accepted them even if they are wrong. Many incidents and personages have been dismissed by British and European historians without giving them their due.
One such figure who has not been accorded due recognition and whose exploits have been significantly whittled down in history is Shahaji Bhonsale, the father of  Chatrapathi Shivaji.
Few historians and fewer people are aware that Shahaji was among the first exponents of guerilla warfare. He was also an astute military strategist and he once managed to outwit the combined forces of Mughals and Bijapur armies merely by his common sense. This was when he was in the service of the Nizam Shahis.
Once the Nizam Shahis were extinguished, he joined the service of the Adil Shahs and for decades he was counted among the bravest, courageous and extremely far sighted commander of  the mighty Bijapur Army.
A peculiar incident that has not been given its proper and correct perspective during this time is the so called arrest and imprisonment of  Shahaji in 1648-1649 by the Adil Shah Emperor and his subsequent release.
While most history books ascribe his arrest to the rise of Shivaji,  contemporary accounts and even a few Marathi books speak otherwise about the incident.     
The Marathi Bakhars (Bakhar is a historical narrative written in Marathi prose and it is classified as one of the earliest genres of medieval Marathi literature. More than 200 bakhars were written from the seventeenth to nineteenth century. Many of them detail the deeds of Shivaji) and Basatin-i-Salatin by Mohammad Ibrahim Al Zubairi are sure that Shahji was arrested as a reaction to the military exploits of Shivaji.
According to these two sources, Shivaji had taken possession of some forts and territories in Maharashtra

and they belonged to the Adil Shah. Besides, he had killed several Bijapuri officers and even surprised the escort below the Bhor Ghat and captured the royal  treasure which was being sent from Kalyan to Bijapur. The conquest of Kalyan and the hill forts of Rajmachi and Lohgad had angered the Adil Shah who naturally concluded that these disloyal acts must have been done by the young Shivaji with the advice and instigation of his father. Hence secret orders were issued to arrest Shahaji.
Other sources such as the Sabhasad do not give credence to this view and infact they go so far as to say that Shivaji’s conquests had nothing to do with his father’s arrest. On the contrary, the Sabhasad throws up an entirely new angle on the incident. The Sabhasad records-this was the earliest work on Shivaji written by one of  the courtiers in the Maratha administration, Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad, in Ginjee in 1694- that a letter was sent to Shahaji by the Adil Shah Emperor directing him to keep Shivaji  under proper control.
The record further says Shahaji replied that his son was no longer under his control and that the Emperor might consequently deal with him in any manner he liked. This reply angered the Emperor who directed Afzal Khan to punish Shivaji. Surprisingly, the Sabhasad makes no mention of the imprisonment and release of Shahaji in 1649. The Chitragupta and Shiva Pratap Bakhars also make no such mention.
One of the earliest historians on Marathas, Chitnis, claims that Shahaji wrote a letter to Shivaji censuring his conduct and asking him to go to Bijapur. Chitnis further claims that Shivaji sought advice of his wife, Sai Bai Saheb, as well as of his officers and nobles.
Another work, Shiva Digvijaya, reproduces all the letters of  Shivaji, Shahaji and the Adil Shah on the issue. It confirms that Shivaji consulted his mother, officers, his wife and Goddess Bhavani before he wrote to his father and the Adil Shah.
Shivaji says in his letters that he was responsible for his own actions and that he was ready to take responsibility for the consequence of his deed. He further said he could not be diverted from his course.
Another source says that the Adil Shah disbelieved Shahaji when told that he had no control over Shivaji. Since the Adil Shah continued to be suspicious of Shahaji’s conduct, he ordered another Maratha nobleman in his service, Baji Ghorpade, to arrest Shahaji by any means and bring him to Bijapur.
Shahaji then was near Tanjore or Thanjavur and Baji Ghorpade accompanied Nawab Sarje ( Sharza ) Khan to meet Shahaji. The Adil Shah had asked Baji Ghorpade to arrest Shahaji in case he refused to control Shivaji. The Nawab, however, refused to arrest Shahaji as he considered him to be his friend.
Baji Ghorpade asked Shahaji to take steps to control his son and prevent Shivaji from invading the Adil Shahi territories. When Shahaji said he had no control over his son, Ghorpade decided to arrest Shahaji.
The Muhammad Namah, an imperial chronicle of Bijapur, has a different story altogether. It says there was some ill will between Shahaji and Mustafa Khan, Prime Minister of the Adil
Shahi Kingdom, during the siege of Ginjee. It says Shahaji questioned the authority of the Prime Minister who then ordered his arrest. Historians like Jadunath Sarkar say that the arrest of Shahji was due to his hobnobbing with the Raya of Vijayanagar and other Hindu Kings.
The Basatin-i-Salatin and the Shiva Bharat carry the same tale about the imprisonment of Shahaji. The Shiva Bharat narrates that one day, just as the sun was about to rise, the Adil Shahi commanders Dilawar i Khan, Masud Khan, Ambar Khan, Rajahs of  Adoni and Karnpur, Farhad Khan, Khairat Khan, Yaqut
Khan, Azam Khan, Bahlol Khan, Malik Raihan Khan,
Balal, son of Haybat Raja, Sidhoji, Mambaji Pawar,
Mambaji Bhosla, and some other nobles, besieged the
camp of Shahaji.
As Shahaji’s soldiers had kept awake the night, they had no idea of such a sudden attack and were unprepared, and so there was a great disorder and tumult in their camp. Masud Khan himself was commanding the forces. Then Khandoji, Ambaji, Manaji, Baji Raje and a few others entered the camp and arrested Shahaji.
The Basatin-i-Salatin says three Sardars- Baji Rao
Ghorpade, Yashwant Rao Wadhwe and Asad Khan-entered the
camp of Shahaji and thus awakened him and asked him to surrender. However, Shahaji decided to fight and ordered all his nobles to be prepared. He then rode on his faithful horse and attacked Baji Raje Ghorpade.
Shahaji was injured in the fight against Ghorpade. When he  swooned, fell down wounded, Ghorpade arrested him. The three thousand horse of Shahji soon dispersed and much plunder was secured from the camp.
Another account says that Shahaji was invited by Baji Raje Ghorpade of Mudhol to his house for a banquet and was treacherously put under arrest. Surprisingly Shahaji;s own kinsmen like Mambaji and Trimbakji Bhosle were in the
pursuing party, as were Sidhoji and Mambaji Pawar. The accounts say that Baji Raje was really accompanied by seven Maratha Sardars.
The vast booty acquired in the fort of Ginjee and Shahaji
were brought to Bijapur under the personal escort of Afzal
Khan. The Adil Shah received the party led by Afzal Khan in the Kalyan Mahal.
The Muhammad Namah claims that “Shahaji Raja who was brought in chains was sent to the prison.” However, the fact that the Adil Shah did not mete put any harsh treatment or torture Shahaji surprised the nobles and people of Bijapur.
A further surprise awaited the when the Adil Shah said he would release Shahaji and restore his jagir provided his forts of Bangalore
and Kondwana were returned to him. Shahaji then wrote to his two sons, Sambhaji and Shivaji, asking them to return the forts. When the forts were returned, the Adil Shah honored Shahaji and gave back his jagir.  
Shahaji, on his part, never forget the arrest. He wrote to Shivaji asking him to take revenge against the Ghorpade. Shivaji did kill the Ghorpade in his palace in Mudhol  and extracted revenge but that is another story.
Once Shahaji came back to Bangalore
, he allowed Ekoji to rule the province and he himself retired to Kanakagiri where he stayed on till his death in a horse accident in Hodigere near Chennagiri in 1664.

The little-known brother of Shivaji

There are innumerable records, chronicles, annals and even letters  about the life and times of Chatrapathi Shivaji who spent two years in this city from 1640 to 1642. However, the very same records contain scanty or practically no information about Shivaji’s brother, Sambhaji.

When Shivaji came to Bangalore, Shahaji, his father, got him married a second time. He also ensured that Shivaji was trained in statecraft and warfare along with Sambhaji, and their half-brother Vyaknoji or Ekoji who later on went to found the Maratha line of rulers at Tanjore or Thanjavur, now in Tamil Nadu.

Both Shivaji and Sambhaji were the only surviving sons Shahaji and Jija Bai-four sons died in infancy. While Shivaji stayed on in Poona with his mother, Sambhaji was taken to the Deccan by Shahaji and he was with his father for several years. Shahaji had his second wife, Tuka bai Mohite, by his side and Venkoji was their son.  

When the Adil Shahis overran Bangalore in 1638 and defeated Kempe Gowda, the Adil Shahi commander Ranadulla Khan gave due credit to the victory for Shahaji, who was also a frontline  commander. Interestingly, the redoubtable Afzal Khan, who Shivaji later killed, was an understudy of Ranadullah Khan.

It was Ranadullah Khan who sent Afzal Khan to Sira, while he himself proceeded to Bangalore along with Shahaji.

The reason for the mighty Adil Shahi war machine to march towards south Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh were many. The Adil Shahi Emperor, Ibrahim Adil Shah also called Jagadguru, had died in 1627 and he was succeeded by Muhammad Adil Shah (1627-1658). Muhammad never wanted to see the rise of Vijayanagar and he decided to take on Sriranga Raya, the Vijayanagar ruler who was making attempts to reassert his authority.

Sriranganga was in touch with the many erstwhile provincial governors or palegars of the once mighty Vijayanagar Kingdom. At the same time, the Wodeyars of Mysore were emerging as the powerhouse of the south Mysore region. Kempe Gowda in Bangalore was also a prominent figure as were Bidanur and Sira.

Muhammad then ordered Ranadullah Khan and Shahaji to take on the Hindu principalities. They were ably assisted by Afzal Khan and at times by Myustafa Khan and Asad Khan.

Ranadullah Khan first took on the Raja of Dharwar and Lakshmshwar in 1637 and defeated them. He then took on the Vijayanagar King and captured Penugonda, Chandragiri, Adoni or Adwani in Andhra Pradesh, Vellor and Ginge in Tamil Nadu, Ikkeri-Bedanur, Bangalore, Kanakanagiri and Sira in Karnataka.

Ranadulla Khan and Shahaji got on well with each other. Both respected each other’s bravery and the Khan knew that Shahaji was an excellent military strategist. Once the war was over, Ranadullah Khan left the terms of surrender and other aspects to Shahaji and he rarely interfered.

Thus, when Kempe Gowda, the third, surrendered to the Adil Shahi, Shahaji allowed him to leave to Magadi and set up court there. Impressed with Shahaji, the Adil Shah granted him the jagir of Bangalore, which also included the surrounding principalities of Kolar, Chikaballapur, Doddaballapur and Kakakagiri.

Shahaji stayed back at Bangalore and set up court. His headquarters was the present Chickpet where he had his palace called Gauri Mahal.

Shahaji then became extremely busy in wars and campaigns conducted by the Adil Shah. He rarely had time to go back to Pune and meet his first wife Jija Bai and his second son, Shivaji.

Shahaji could not even attend the first marriage of Shivaji. He then invited Jija Bai and Shivaji to Bangalore so that he could meet his daughter-in-law.

Once in Bangalore, Shivaji learnt statecraft and warfare and he stayed here for two years from 1640 to 1642.

In 1642, Shivaji returned to Pune with his mother and he began the task of building up the Maratha Empire. Simultaneously, Shahaji began a process of  Hindu revival in the south. He did not put to the sword the Palegars or Nayakas whose territory he conquered on the behalf of the Adi Shah. He took away the capital cities of these provincial rulers and sent them away to smaller cities and towns. Thus, he earned the gratitude and respect of  the Palegars.

The only exception to this was in Sira where Afzal Khan treacherously murdered Kasturirangan, the ruler, by calling him out of the fort on the pretext of holding negotiations.

Sambhaji slowly earned the respect of his father and soon, Shahaji made him the Governor of Kolar.

When Muhammad Adil Shah called Shahaji to Bijapur in 1648 and imprisoned him, Sambhaji stoutly defended Bangalore against the Adil Shah army led by Farhad Khan and Tanaji Dure and even defeated them. In the Pune region, Shivaji defied the Adil Shah. Both gave up their defiance only after Shahaji addressed a letter to them and pointed out that their resistance might lead to his losing his life.

However, the Adil Shah realised the folly of imprisoning Shahaji and released him and conferred several honors on him. He also restored the jagir of Bangalore to Shahaji who then came back to Bangalore.

Sambhaji then continued to govern from Kolar, while his father lorded over Bangalore. Sambhaji met an unfortunate death in 1654 when the Adli Shahis under Afzal Khan attacked Kanakagiri. The Palegar, Apakhan, had revolted against the Adilshahis.

Afzal Khan once again played the part of a traitor and this led to the death of Sambhaji who was wounded by a cannon ball fired from within the fort of  Kanakanagiri.

When Shahaji heard of his son’s death, he personally marched to Kanakagiri and conquered it. For Shivaji, the loss of his elder brother was devastating. When his mother told him about the complicity of Afzal Khan in the death of Sambhaji, the Maratha swore revenge.

Today, people know about Sambhaji, the son of Shivaji but very few know about Sambhaji, the brother.

Sambhaji was born at Verul or today’s Ellora near Aurangabad in 1619 in Maharashtra. He was married to Makai and they had two sons- Suratsingh and Umaji, who records say was an adopted son. Umaji was believed to be the son of Parsoji Raje Bhamberker
After the death of Sambhaji,  Kolar was continued as Jahagir to his son Suratsing. When Shivaji conquered Bangalore from his half-brother Vyankoji, he continued the jagir of Kolar to his brother’s children.

Kola remained in Maratha hands till Hyder Ali (1721-1781) claimed Kolar as his right. Hyder’s reason for his conquest of Kolar was because he was born at Budikote, a short distance away from Kolar.

The Tarik-i-Shivaji, Siva Digvijaya, Chitnis Bakhars, Sabhasad and Adil Shah records give us information about Shahaji, Shivaji and Sambhaji as does the excellent work by H.S. Sardesai.

A barber who impersonated an Emperor

This was truly an incident that perfectly illustrated the proverb of a David overcoming a Goliath. But in this case, the David was more shrewd, more brave, more intelligent than the Goliath who outnumbered him in thousands and had scores of generals and commanders who were battle hardy.

The David here was one of the greatest Indians of all times and the founder of a Hindu Empire after the fall of Vijayanagar. A man whose valour was known and appreciated even by his enemies, he was a perfect foil to two mighty dynasties, both Muslims.

If one of the dynasties ruled the whole of India, barring the Deccan, the other was an equally powerful dynasty that had a major say in the decimation of Vijayanagar and in the 17^th century it was the foremost Kingdom in the south.

The David, however, was unperturbed by the two Muslim powers and he managed to carve out an independent Kingdom which threatened the very existence of the Muslim Kingdoms. The Emperors of both the Kingdoms tried every trick in the trade, every military and political tactic to overcome their common foe but to no avail.

If the Kingdom in the south attempted to assassinate the David, the Kingdom in the north even held David a prisoner for short while before he managed to escape. Emperors of both the Muslim Kingdoms spent huge amounts of money and manpower to capture the David but in vain.

Today, both the Kingdoms are history and most of their monarchs are forgotten. Only the ruins of their empire stand but the David is still revered today. He is ever present in the hearts of people and the his is the first name when one talks about patriotism. He is none other than Chatrapathi Shivaji, who founded the glorious Maratha Empire in the 17^th century and the two Muslim Kingdoms which opposed him tooth and nail were the Adil Shahs of Bijapur and the Mughals.

Both the Adil Shahs and Mughals made numerous attempts to reign in Shivaji and his marauding forces but in vain. A Bijapur General, Afzal Khan, a physical giant (He was almost seven feet tall) and an outstanding commander tried to kill Shivaji by deceit but ended up dying. The Mughals Emperor, Aurangzeb, too by deceit, imprisoned Shivaji but he had not reckoned with the Maratha’s resourcefulness. Shivaji and his son escaped from prison, much to the Mughal’s humiliation.

Shivaji inspired his men to greater heights. Even a common man, inspired by the Maratha’s ideals of freedom, independence and patriotism, gave up his life for Shivaji and one of the most outstanding example of this is how a barber saved the Chatrapathi.

The barber is immortalised even today and his deeds are sung about in Maharashtra. The barber impersonated Shivaji, allowing him the much needed time to escape from the Adil Shahis.

This is how the story of Shivaji and his barber unfolded.

It was July 13, 1660 and Chatrapathi Shivaji was facing perhaps the toughest time of his illustrious career. Both the Mughals under Emperor Shahajan and the Adil Shahis under Ali Adil Shah had joined forces to take on Shivaji.

The Adil Shahis had a clutch of  formidable generals and they were led by the huge African, Siddi Jahaur and his son-in-law, Siddi Masud Khan. With them was Fazal Khan, son of Afzal Khan whom Shivaji had killed on November 10, 1659 near Pratapgadh fort.

The Adil Shahis were 15,000  strong and they had completely surrounded Panhala, leaving no room for Shivaji to escape. The siege by the Adil Shahis was so tight that it would not be wrong to describe it as an action in which even a fly could not escape.

Try as he might, Shivaji was unable to pierce through the Adil Shahi ranks. To add to Shivaji’s discomfiture, the Mughal General Shaistya or Shaista Khan was attacking the Maratha Empire from the northern side towards Pune.

Even the redoubtable Maratha commander and Shivaji’s Sanapathi Netaji Palkar could not break through the siege from outside. A desperate Shivaji then decided to give a final battle. However, he hit upon a plan and he opened negotiations with Siddi Jahaur.

Siddi Jahaur was so sure that Shivaji would have to surrender that he relaxed the siege and Shivaji soon took advantage and rode away from the fort. However, he realized that unless and until he reached the fort of Vishalgad, he was still in danger. He then asked his barber to impersonate him.

The plan worked and even as Shivaji and his faithful band galloped towards Vishalgadh, the barber-Shiva Khasid-deliberately drew attention to himself. An incensed Siddi Jahaur came after Shiva even as Shivaji and a band of 600 faithfuls led by Baji Prabhu Deshpande rode to safety.

Meanwhile, the Adil Shahi troops captured Shiva Kashid and a few remnants of  the Maratha army. When they were brought before Siddi Jahaur, he soon realised that the Shivaji in front of him was not the man he wanted. He immediately had Shiva Khasid killed and asked his Siddi Masud Khan to go after Shivaji.

Siddi Masud attacked the Marathas at Pavankhind and the incident  is popularly known as the Battle of Pavankhind. The battle was fought in the vicinity of  Vishalgadh near present day Kolhapur.

The Marathas were led by Baji Prabhu Deshpande, while Siddi Masud led the Adilshah forces. The Maratha forces, though heavily outnumbered held the Adilshahi forces till Shivaji reached the fort Vishalgad.

The Marathas managed to defeat Siddi Masud Khan and this was the last major battle between Adilshahi forces and Marathas. Hereafter, the  Marathas came to be recognised as an independent power.

The sacrifices of Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Shiva Kashid is remembered even today. The war and  the escape of Shivaji, the gallantry of the Marathas and the defeat of the numerically superior Bijapur forces are recreated even today when youths trek on the route taken by the Chatrapathi between the forts of Panhala and Vishalgadh. The distance between the two forts is around 70 km.

Both the forts are in Maharashtra. Panala is 18 kms north west of Kolhapur. Incidentally, the descendents of Shivaji ruled from Kolhapur which also happens to be the place where Goddess Padmavathi, the wife of Srinivasa, resides.   

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 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.