by Ranjit Desai
Jotyaji said, pointing to Suryaji, ‘Seeing the men run, Suryaji took a sword and before the Mavals could realize what was happening, he cut off the ropes with which they had climbed up. “How dare you think of running away when your saviour lies on the ground?” he screamed. The Mavals, realizing their mistake, attacked the Rajputs with renewed vigour and soon, we captured the fort.’
Raje looked at Suryaji who could not stop sobbing.
The moment Raje’s hand touched his shoulder, Suryaji said, his voice choking with anguish, ‘Maharaj!’
Raje was barely able to control his own tears. He said, ‘This is not the time to shed tears, Suryaji. Tanaji has made us proud. He fought like a lion and we shall call this fort Sinhagad henceforth to honour him. But we have one more task to do. That alone will allow Tanaji’s soul to rest in peace.’
Raje stood up and walked towards the high point on the fort where the green Mughal flag fluttered. He said, turning to Suryaji, ‘What are you waiting for? Remember Tanaji had promised that he would capture the fort?’
Raje took out a saffron flag tied to his cummerbund and said, ‘I took this flag down when I had to hand over our fort to Mirza Raja. I have carefully preserved it all this time. Now you need to do Tanaji’s job. Hoist our flag!’
Soon, as the sun rose in the sky, the saffron flag fluttered in the wind. Raje’s chest puffed up with pride and, turning to Yesaji, said, ‘Send a message to Maa saheb. We won the fort but lost our lion!’
#
Raje returned to Rajgad after making necessary arrangements at Sinhagad. He knew that he had managed to wake a sleeping giant. The act of taking Sinhagad was going to provoke the Mughal might into action. He knew that he had to act fast now. There was no time to rest or lament the loss of dear ones.
Jijabai too had no time to grieve Tanaji’s death. Shivaji and Tanaji had been childhood friends but Soyarabai’s advancing pregnancy took all of Jijabai’s time as she took care of her delicate condition.
Ten days after the capture of Sinhagad, Raje sat in his quarters alone, anxiously waiting for the delivery of the child. Soon, Putlabai came in and said, ‘It is a boy!’
‘Wah!’ ‘Pointing to a bag of pearls, he said, ‘I was planning to give this to the person who brings me the news but you have already got what you deserve.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘You already have me, Putla! What else can I give you?’
‘Putlabai blushed. At the same time, Manohari entered. Seeing Raje’s smiling face she realized that he had already received the news.
‘Here, this is for you, Manu,’ Raje said, giving her the bag of pearls.
That evening the priest arrived to suggest a suitable name for the boy.
‘The child was born in a breech position,’ Raje said, turning to Maa saheb. ‘We will now breach the Mughal might too,’ he quipped, laughing at his own joke.
The drums soon announced the name of the newborn—Rajaram.
The very next day, the capture of Purandar spread cheer among the Marathas. Nilopant, after taking charge of the fort and having captured the Mughal fort-keeper, Sheikh Raziuddin, had sent him to Rajgad. Raziuddin, mentally prepared to be beheaded, was pleasantly surprised when Raje released him with due respect, in light of the happy occasion.
#
The Maratha troops, under Raje’s command, were now creating havoc in the Mughal territories. Raje attacked Mahuli Fort, personally leading the charge but the Rajput fort-keeper turned out to be a capable leader who managed to repulse the attack. Raje had to beat a hasty retreat, losing a thousand men in the process. It was a loss which he found difficult to accept.
He turned his sights towards Kalyan and Bhiwandi and managed to take these under his command. Soon, many other territories were captured. Alarmed by the many victories of the Marathas in the region, the fort-keeper at Mahuli appealed to the Mughal Badshah for help but was ignored. Fearing the worst, he deserted his post and was succeeded by another sardar, Alvardi Beg. It was the opportunity Raje had been waiting for and the Marathas soon entered the fort, killing Alvardi Beg and two hundred of his men. The saffron flag fluttered over Mahuli.
The monsoon season had been a great help to Raje. He had captured Kondana, Purandar, Kalyan, Lohgad, Mahuli, Karnala, Rohida and many other forts in that time. The looting of territories in Waradh and Khandesh had made his treasury richer by a few lakh gold coins.
Raje was aware that the capture of territories was one aspect of expanding an empire but managing them was a totally different matter. He ensured that each fort was managed by the right set of people. Each fort was also sufficiently fortified with arms and ammunition. It was crucial that the regained territories remained with the Marathas now.
Raje decided to put Nilopant in charge of administrative matters of the kingdom. Nilopant was well versed in both warfare as well as administration. He broached the topic with him one evening and said, ‘Nilopant, I suggest you oversee the territory from Mahuli to Indapur, Chakan and Kadim.’
Nilopant, a soldier at heart, was a little disappointed hearing Raje’s request. He said, ‘Would it not be better if someone else managed these territories while I lead the men in the field?’
Raje said, holding his hand, ‘Nilopant, I understand what you are saying but believe me, I need people like you who are effective administrators and also understand battle. It is a job I cannot hand over to anyone else.’
Nilopant nodded silently. He knew Raje was speaking from his heart. He said, ‘I have one request; please ensure that my share of the revenue is less than that of the Peshwa.’
Raje was overwhelmed by Nilopant’s words. He knew his men would never take up a job for the sake of money. This integrity was what made Raje confident of his men, and secure in the knowledge that those managing the administration would count each penny before spending it.
That night, Raje told Jijabai, ‘Maa saheb, I want to visit Raigad.’
‘Let the rains subside. What is the hurry?’
‘Maa saheb, we are sure to have a direct confrontation with the Mughals soon and there is no fort better equipped than Raigad. We are safe at Rajgad right now but it is too close to Pune for comfort. Raigad, with its strong walls and tall ramparts which literally kiss the skies, is a safer place. We have fortified it well. We need to shift our capital there. And I shall ensure that you are comfortable there. We are building a beautiful haveli for you at the base, in the Pachad village.’
Jijabai was overwhelmed and agreed immediately. The next morning, Raje left for Raigad.
#
Raje was received warmly by Hiroji, who was in charge of the construction at Raigad. Raje declined to use a palanquin and decided to walk up the fort. ‘This way, I will be able to take a closer look at your work,’ he quipped.
‘Maharaj, however minutely you may look, you will not be able to find a flaw. I will live only for a few years but the fort will stand for generations to come,’ Hiroji said confidently.
‘Spoken like a true soldier! Hiroji, I have nothing to worry when I have men like you with me.’
As he walked up the narrow path leading to the main gate, Raje’s forehead glistened with sweat. The climb had been steady and difficult, turning and twisting at various places. ‘Hiroji, you have chosen the path well,’ Raje said, as he paused to take a breath. ‘You can even leave the doors open at night, safe in the knowledge that even if the enemy manages to reach here, they will have no energy left to fight!’
The sun was high up in the sky but the cool air at the top of the fort was pleasing. The clouds seemed to kiss the ramparts as they passed by. Raje stood on the bank of a large tank, the waters of which reflected a few minarets. A five-storied minaret caught his attention. He asked, turning to Hiroji, ‘Can you read minds as well, Hiroji? I have always loved the beauty of the Gwalior fort and wanted to build similar minarets one day. You have done precisely that!’
‘It is all thanks to Moropant, Raje. He is the one who guided us.’
‘I knew it! He has great foresight and perceptiveness. He is responsible for the layout of Pratapgad.’
The fort was well designed, and there were residences for ministers, a place for the market, stables, ammunition storage yards and other facilities. Satisfied with the visit, Raje stayed four more days. As he stood at the ramparts one evening, surveying the valley below, pointing in the direction of a fort, he said, ‘You can see the Konkandiwa Fort, which has long protected Raigad. We have Lingana in the north-east, Torna in the east and one each in the north and north-west.’
While returning, he instructed Hiroji to build houses for the Brahmins, guards and other sardars. These men would grace the fort and make it even more prestigious.
Hiroji said, ‘Raje, we have already spent a lot of money and I was not sure if Moropant would have approved of such expenses.’
‘Don’t worry about money, Hiroji,’ Raje said, placing his hand on Hiroji’s shoulder. ‘We have the Badshah’s bank of Surat close at hand whenever we are in need of money! I am eager to shift the capital soon so let us not leave any stone unturned.’
Enthused by Raje’s words, Hiroji said, ‘I have three hundred men working here. I will add another two hundred. You may shift here anytime you wish.’
A satisfied Shivaji left the fort the next morning.
#
A fortnight after inspecting Raigad and a few days before Diwali, Shivaji camped with more than twenty thousand men near Kalyan in preparation for his attack on Surat.
The city of Surat seemed peaceful when Raje reached the outskirts, a mere ten miles from the city. An English spy, having got the news of the impending attack, had warned his men, who promptly moved their goods to the dockyard at Swali. The Mughal Subedar on the other hand, despite having got the news, dismissed it as a mere rumour. He had just three hundred men guarding the city. The city had not learnt its lesson since the previous attack, except for the addition of a fortified city wall.
The news that ‘Shivaji has come!’ spread when the Maratha troops were at sighting distance. There was a sense of general chaos and the residents ran amok to save their belongings and lives. It was Diwali, and the city woke up to a deathly silence as the rays of sun tried to penetrate the fog which engulfed the havelis. Except for a few stray dogs, the roads were empty, as the citizens huddled in their houses, fearing the worst.
Ghiasuddin stood at the gates with his men, his eyes searching the rice fields for the Marathas. Despite the cold morning, he was sweating. He glanced at his men, who were nervously looking at each other and as he loosened his jacket buttons, he said ‘Shivaji will never come here. It is all rumours and nothing else!’
‘Subedar saheb,’ one of the soldiers shouted.
‘What is it?’
‘Look …’ the soldier said, pointing in the direction of the rice fields.
Ghiasuddin strained his eyes but could see nothing. Within moments, a rumbling noise was heard and, as their worst nightmares came true, a long line of horsemen emerged from behind the trees.
‘Shivaji has come!’ someone screamed from the crowd.
It was a chilling sight. The noise stopped suddenly as a few thousand cavalrymen waited a few hundred yards from where Ghiasuddin stood. Giving instructions to his sardar to stop them, Ghiasuddin ran inside the city to hide in what he believed were the safe confines of his fort.
Shivaji, astride his white steed, instructed Prataprao to take charge of the city. ‘Anandrao and Vyankojipant, you create a blockade. I shall camp here and wait for you. Take care not to pick a fight with the English and the Dutch. We are here to loot and not fight.’ Pointing his sword in the direction of the city, he said, ‘May the Goddess Bhawani be with you!’
The chant of ‘Har Har Mahadev!’ filled the skies as the Marathas stormed the city. The loot began in earnest and soon, heaps of gold, silver and other precious jewellery were laid before Shivaji. The English, fearing for their lives, had launched a counter-attack and had killed many Marathas.
At Raje’s insistence, the Dutch had remained neutral. The king of Kashgar had taken refuge inside the French factory and his treasury was an added bonus which the Maratha troops received without any resistance. The burning havelis and markets gave the city a golden halo as it burned in the night, the light of which could be seen for miles around. The loot continued for three days. It had been an extremely successful raid, the total loot accumulating to more than a crore gold coins. It was time for them to return.
While returning, Shivaji warned the merchants that if they did not pay him twelve lakh rupees annually they would have to face the same fate once again. The city heaved a sigh of relief as the Maratha soldiers retreated, leaving them to gather whatever was left behind.
#
The caravan moved slowly back towards Pune because the carriages lumbered with the weight of the loot. As they neared Nashik, they received information that the Mughal sardar Daud Khan was marching towards them. Raje pushed the troops to cross the Chandwad hills through the Kanchana–Manchana pass and stopped for the night.
Prataprao, aware of Daud Khan’s might, suggested, ‘Maharaj, wouldn’t it be better if we continue to march ahead?’
‘That is not necessary, Prataprao. Let the booty move ahead with two thousand men and reach Rajgad. We shall wait for Daud Khan here. We must let the Mughals know that we do not run away!’
Raje’s troops, nearly fifteen thousand strong, were ready in the wee hours of the morning for the Mughals. Raje, clad in brocaded armour and holding the dandpatta, the long, double-edged sword, surveyed the flat plains ahead as he mounted his horse. The Mughals were said to be a mere five thousand or so but they were a force to reckon with as they carried ammunition and elephants.
The Mughal troops led by the able sardar Ikhlas Khan crossed the pass, confident that the Marathas would have run away on hearing of their arrival. The sight which greeted him shook him. Spread across the fields was a huge Maratha army poised to attack them.
As the Mughals descended, the Maratha troops retaliated and within no time, more than three thousand Mughals had been killed. Ikhlas Khan was routed while Daud Khan beat a hasty retreat to save his remaining forces.
That evening, as they camped for the night, Raje asked, ‘How many men did we lose?’
‘Just three hundred, Maharaj,’ Prataprao answered as he nursed a wound on his arm.
At that moment, a messenger came in and said, ‘Maharaj, Daud Khan has taken refuge in the hill. His men are busy burying the dead.’
Anandrao sensed an opportunity and said, ‘If you permit me, I will take my troops and finish them off.’
‘No, Anandrao. We do not behave the way they do. We have already defeated them. Send their two ministers, who are in our captivity, back with due respect and let us move our wounded soldiers to Kunjargad. I too shall go there.’
#
Raje personally attended to the wounded soldiers and ensured they were resting. He also received the news that Moropant, who had not been able to take Shivneri, had finally managed to capture Triambakgad. At this, there was also confusion within the Mughal camp. Daud Khan’s son Ahmad Khan and Jaswant Singh did not see eye to eye while Shahzada Muazzam and Diler Khan were becoming careless. It was a good opportunity to take advantage of. Raje set out on a new campaign, and this time the target was the city of Karanja, the ancient city near Akola, nearly five hundred kilometres away from Kunjargad.
Karanja was primarily a trading centre, and was known for its riches. The campaign was a complete success and Raje’s troops, after looting the town for nearly three days, had to load the booty onto four thousand bullock carts and mules. With a booty of more than a few crores of gold coins, Raje returned to Rajgad, capturing the fort of Salher on the way.
#
Jijabai was eagerly waiting to meet Raje. She said, as he touched her feet, ‘You must be tired.’
‘On the contrary, Maa saheb, I wish I had wings so I could show you our territory and the flags
fluttering on our forts now.’
Jijabai hugged him affectionately. She said, as she ruffled his hair, ‘I can see it in your eyes! I don’t need your wings.’
At that moment Sambhaji, hiding behind a pillar, came forward and said, ‘Aba saheb, I am told you managed to steal an elephant from Daud Khan?’
‘Who told you so? We found the poor elephant grazing alone in the forest and bought him here.’
‘Shivba, he may be young, but you should not lie to him,’ Jijabai reprimanded gently.
‘You will understand better when you grow up,’ she said, turning to Sambhaji.
‘He is grown up enough, isn’t he? He is thirteen now, and it is time he took charge of some duties.’
‘What do you have in mind?’
‘I am going to give him some administrative tasks once we move to Raigad.’
It was time to move to Raigad now. Subhanrao, the fort-keeper at Rajgad, was overwhelmed with emotions and was unable to speak. Raje said, ‘Subhanrao, it is not easy to leave you. I have many memories attached to this place. It was from here that I went to meet Afzal Khan, and I defeated Shaista Khan from here. It was from this fort that I had gone to meet Mirza Raja.’
His tears flowed without hesitation, and Raje put his hand on Subhanrao’s shoulder, and said, ‘There are some memories that will remain buried here forever!’ He could not continue and, without turning back, mounted his horse and rode away.
#
The work at Raigad was completed before the monsoon. Keeping the monsoon and Jijabai’s health in mind, Raje made arrangements for her in a haveli at Pachad. Sambhaji had taken charge of some parts of the administration and would make regular visits to Jijabai’s quarters.
As the month of Shravan ended, Raje paid regular visits to the forts nearby and inspected them. He was in Mahad to see how fortification work was progressing when he received some shocking news—Pune had been raided by Diler Khan, Bahadur Khan and Mahabat Khan. They had mercilessly killed everyone above the age of eight, whether man or woman. Having burnt the city, they had left Pune reduced to ashes.