The braveheart of the Maratha empire Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was one of the most righteous Indian rulers in history and the pride of Marathas. He is known for his unshakable courage and valor. Millions of people from around the globe recognized the contribution of Shivaji's commendable guerilla warfare tactics. It is also said that his strategy is used till date on several battlefields. Shivaji Raje was among the earliest fighters of the freedom struggle paving the way for Swaraj in India. Tales of his gallantry and heroism are stories sung to every child of the country. Shivaji Maharaj was born in Poona (now Pune) and was admired by his subjects for the tolerance he showed towards religious freedom and the intolerance towards injustice. Shivaji was one of the few royals of his time who had created an empire that was safe for both women and people of the lower caste. The ruler also gave opportunities to women and lower caste people and tried to uplift their standing in society. His way of ruling easily made him one of the most admired king of the kingdom. Shivaji was one of the greatest contributors of Swaraj for the nation.
1. Shivaji Maharaj was born on February 19, 1630, to Shahaji Bhosale and Jijabai in the prestigious Shivneri Fort, located near Pune in Maharashtra. He was named Shivaji Bhosle but soon after the people of the kingdom started calling him Chatrapati out of respect for him. Chatrapati meant the Chief of the Kshatriyas or the chief of the warriors.
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2. Shivaji was a gifted leader by birth and the noble prince was groomed to be a king by his mother Jijabai. Jijabai's teachings and values of dharma (justice) and strategical tactics had enriched his knowledge about art, culture, and politics. He grew up learning all about things that made him an Indian Legend marked with gold in the sheets of history. Jijabai's values had prepared Shivaji to be a just and honest ruler with a broader mindset about society.
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3. Shivaji Raje was prepared to lead the troops on the battlefield at the early age of 16. The young warrior, who had an undying pride and love for his motherland had proved at an early age that his warfare skills were unparalleled. The 16-year-old prince had captured the Torna Fort which was a lost land for the Bijapur Kingdom. He started gaining the trust of the warriors of his kingdom with this feat.
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4. Raje was all set to march forward towards achieving higher goals. The Battle of Pratapgarh against Afzal Khan is one of the most important chapters of his journey. Threatened by the increasing power of the Maratha, the Muslim sultans of Bijapur Kingdom had planned to trick Shivaji into a trap and kill him. Afzal Khan had planned to kill Shivaji by setting a trap inside the tent where only the two rulers were present. Afzal hugged to greet Shivaji and stabbed him with a knife on his back, but Shivaji had seen right through his mischievous plans. While the troops were stationed outside, Shivaji killed Afzal after he attacked and Shivaji's chain armour protected him, while unaware of Shivaji's counter-attack, the sudden attack killed Afzal.
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5. The increasing oppression of Mughals upon the Hindu citizens had come to notice of Shivaji who deeply respected the teaching and values of his own Hindu religion. The Mughals ruling the north and sultans of the south had made living conditions of Hindus harsh by forcing religious persecution on them. Many Hindus were also forced to convert their religion.
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6. As Shivaji won the Battle of Pratapgarh against Afzal Khan, the veer Martha's presence had gained massive fame overnight. Sagas of his extraordinary skills spread like a wildfire. With his outstanding leadership and tactical planning skills, he won numerous battles against the Sultanate of Bijapur. His rising name and power across the lands were viewed as a great threat by the emperor of north Aurangzeb. With the strength of a large troop and enormous wealth, Aurangzeb had captured a majority portion of the Indian subcontinent and the rising uproar by Shivaji Raje for Swaraj was a great deal to him.
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7. Aurangazen planned his first blow on Shivaji by sending his viceroy of the south to attack the Maratha king but the plan failed and the viceroy fled after being defeated by Shivaji. The brave blood could not ignore the fiery challenge by the Mughal emperor. He sent out his general Mirza Raja Jai Singh but situations took a turn for worse and Raje along with his son was held captive in Aurangzeb’s court at Agra. Soon after, Shivaji had found a brilliant plant to flee from the captivity of Aurangazed by hiding in large baskets of fruits and flowers going out from the palace.
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8. Shivaji Majaraj's return was news of joy for his men. He quickly regained his strength and won back the territories that were lost. In addition to this, Chhatrapati also won several lands of the Mughal emperor and learned more about the sea routes and power to hold the marine lines. It is widely believed that Shivaji was the pioneer of building a naval force. He was the first ruler to utilize the power of naval forces for trade and defense.
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9. He was coroneted as the king of Marathas on 6th June 1674 after the battle of Sinhagad. The reign of Shivaji as a king had given citizens of all religions to freely practice their beliefs and also allowed people to turn back to the Hindu religion if they wished. The fiery Mughal-Maratha war or the Deccan war spanning from 1680 to 1707 had inflicted a great deal of damage to the mighty Mughal empire as Aurangzeb was killed and the victorious Marathas extended their empire up to Peshawar.
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10. The undefeated warrior who won over the Mughal troops by sheer intelligence, tactics, and bravery had succumbed to fatal illness. His empire was taken over by his son Sambhaji and even though Sambhaji could not hold onto the might of his father, Shivaji's fearless nobility stays alive within the hearts of uncountable people. Chhatrapati Shivaji’s reign is considered a golden era that had built an ideal society and instilled the feeling of Swaraj or India’s Independence among the people.
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