by Ranjit Desai
They ran towards the shaded part of the verandah but were drenched before they could reach it. At that moment, a soldier ran with two umbrellas. Raje said, smiling at Putlabai, ‘Look! Now that I am a Chhatrapati, I don’t even have the liberty of getting drenched in rain at will.’
#
While retiring for the night, Raje noticed a lamp burning in one of the quarters. He asked Putlabai, ‘Isn’t that Sambhaji’s mahal?’
‘Yes, it is. But he is not here. Yesu is awake.’
‘It is quite late. What keeps her awake so late?’
‘She reads the Eknathi Bhagwad each night.’
Raje looked at the lit window for a long time and then dozed off. The next morning, on his way to the temple for darshan, he asked the guards to send for Yesu. When she arrived he asked, ‘Yesu, Yuvraj is never around but should you not, as my daughter-in-law, accompany me to the temple?’
Yesu smiled in reply. They both mounted their horses and went to the temple. The guards followed at a respectable distance. On their return, Raje said, ‘Yesu, you are grown up now. Maa saheb is no more and you must take on the responsibility of looking after my successor. I am entrusting you with a responsibility. In my absence, my seals will be under your care. I am sure you will handle the responsibility well.’
A surprised Yesu said, ‘But Aba saheb, this responsibility is …’
‘I know! Don’t worry. I will let Shambhu know. He may act irresponsibly at times but I am confident you never would.’
Yesu blushed. Raje patted her forehead lovingly and said, ‘You came in here as a young bride but grew up like a daughter. I know you have the capability to take care of Shambhu. My blessings are with you!’
In response, Yesubai bent to touch Raje’s feet and left without saying a word.
That afternoon, Raje was told that Sambhaji had returned to the fort but did not present himself. He asked Annaji that evening while going to the temple, ‘I am told Yuvraj has gone to Pachad. Is that so?’
‘Yes, Maharaj.’
‘Does he go there to listen to the singers?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why did you not tell me about it?’
‘Maharaj, he is short-tempered and I did not want him to feel that I was complaining about him. Later, I thought it was proper to tell Soyarabai Rani saheb about it.’
‘It would have been better had you told me. He is my successor and we have to ensure he does not fall into bad habits.’
The next day, Sambhaji sent in a request to meet Raje. On being granted permission, he presented himself.
Raje asked, ‘Since when have you been seeking permission to meet me?’
Sambhaji stood with his head bent, unable to face his father.
‘I am told you were in Pachad, enjoying the music and dance?’
‘I am sorry, Aba saheb. Please pardon me,’ Sambhaji said, rushing to fall at Raje’s feet.
Raje let out a deep sigh and said, ‘Shambhu, I know you enjoy music. But your behaviour upsets me. It has been less than a month since Maa saheb left us and here you are, engrossed with the dancers!’
A sob escaped Sambhaji’s lips. He said, ‘Aba saheb, I don’t know what to do! Maa saheb’s absence is difficult to bear. My mind was in such turmoil …’
Hugging Sambhaji, Raje said, ‘Shambhu, is this the way to forget Maa saheb? When you went down the fort at night, her soul would have followed you, knowing you might be in danger. Don’t you know how much she cared for you?’
Sambhaji was in tears. He said, ‘I apologize, Aba saheb.’
‘I can forgive any mistake but you cannot repeat mistakes. You are, after all, my successor. You need to be careful. We cannot live our lives the way we wish, Shambhu! Wipe those tears now.’
Shambhu was relieved and managed a smile.
At that moment Yesu came in. Raje said, pointing at her, ‘Yuvraj, I have given her the responsibility of taking care of my seals in our absence. You and I will be on campaigns, and someone needs to take care of them. I hope you don’t mind.’
Sambhaji smiled in reply and then stepped out of the room. Yesu too followed coyly. Raje laughed seeing them blush. It was the first time since Jijabai’s death that Raje’s laughter was heard in the fort.
#
It was nearing a month since Jijabai’s death. Mahadev, Raje’s trusted spy, came to visit and the fort was agog with news of a campaign which would be announced soon. The monsoon was at its peak, and Raje issued orders to Hambirrao, Moropant and Anandrao to organize their troops and be prepared. The meeting, with Anandrao, Hambirrao, Annaji, Moropant and other ministers, was in progress and Sambhaji too was present. Raje asked, ‘What is the position of the Mughals?’
‘Aurangzeb has recalled Diler Khan and has sent his trusted commander Bahadur Khan to the Deccan now.’
‘And he has renamed the fort at Pedgaon Bahadurgad, hasn’t he? They think we have been lax since the coronation. We need to teach them a lesson.’
‘Maharaj, the rains are at its peak. Would it be sensible?’
‘Yes, it is the right moment. How much did we spend on the coronation?’
‘Nearly a crore hons.’
‘I am told Bahadur Khan has collected nearly a crore of rupees in taxes. He has nearly two hundred thoroughbred horses. We need to capture them before they are dispatched to Delhi. Apart from that, I want Moropant to go to Kalyan and Bhiwandi and bring a quarter of the tax collections from the Vasaikars. Annaji will go to capture Phonda at the same time. I will be leading the campaign against Bahadur Khan.’
‘What about me, Aba saheb?’
‘Shabbash! I am happy that you have asked me about this. A restless mind sometimes needs a campaign to divert its attention. Anandrao will accompany Yuvraj, and your task is to create terror in the Mughal territory of Bhaganagar. We must teach them that we are always alert and have not gone to sleep since the coronation.’
He continued, looking at those present, ‘This is my plan—what does the council think?’
Everyone nodded and when the others departed, Moropant stayed back and said, ‘Raje, Yuvraj has asked the singers to leave after paying them a handsome amount.’
‘I am aware.’
‘Oh?’
‘I am also aware that you adjusted the amount paid to them against the coronation ceremony, didn’t you? Moropant, you may see him as Yuvraj but I look at him as a father would!’
In a few days, Moropant was ready to leave. Sambhaji came to meet Raje before leaving. Raje said, ‘Shambhu, take care of yourself and don’t show bravado where it is not required. You are now a responsible sardar and have to ensure you return safe. I shall be waiting for you.’
Raje met Hambirrao and said, ‘You must draw Bahadur Khan out. Take two thousand men and see that Bahadur Khan comes out of the fort to attack you. I will, in the meanwhile, attack his fort with eight thousand men and take over the treasury.’
‘And shall we challenge Bahadur Khan to battle?’
‘No. We don’t want to lose a single man now. The treasury is our target. The English came with their presents during the coronation. The Mughals did not. We shall collect one crore hons and two hundred horses as our gift from them! It would be a fitting gift from the Mughal emperor, don’t you think?’
Hambirrao replied, ‘Maharaj, do you expect the Mughal Badshah to retaliate?’
‘I don’t think so. I doubt whether he would even notice such a small amount being looted!’
Raje was lost in thought as Hambirrao took his leave. He was thinking of Alamgir.
#
The monsoon had not yet reached Delhi. The clouds, however, had gathered, making the weather oppressively hot. In the Diwan-i-Khas, the fountains gurgled, creating a cool environment around the hall. The vetiver screens were constantly being watered with rose essence. In the centre of the hall sat Aurangzeb, looking into a few papers.
Two servants with hand fans made of peacock feathers stood on the side, waving them gently. Jaffar Khan and a few
other sardars stood at a respectable distance. Aurangzeb smiled, reading one of the letters. The news from Iran was good. He said, ‘It seems things in Iran are under control.’
Jaffar Khan replied, ‘Alampanah, we are taking care of that territory.’
‘Who are we to take any care? Allah is great and merciful,’ Aurangzeb replied while the sardars nodded vigorously.
‘And what about the Deccan,’ Aurangzeb asked, turning to Jaffar Khan.
‘The Adil Shahi dynasty has been taught a lesson and will not dare to oppose us. If you say, we can annex it to our empire.’
‘No, I don’t intend to annex the territory. It is good they know their limits. But when I said Deccan, I was asking about Shivaji. What about him? You seem to be taking him lightly.’
‘I beg your pardon, Jahanpanah. Bahadur Khan is there now.’
‘And what is he doing about Shivaji?’
Jaffar Khan smiled. ‘What can he do? I was laughing when I heard about what he’s been doing.’
‘What about it?’
‘Well, I am told that he had a pandit from Kashi and held a coronation. Now, isn’t that ridiculous? He makes a laughing stock of himself.’
Jaffar Khan did not notice the change of expression on Aurangzeb’s face. He was busy recounting the tale of the coronation when he stopped mid-sentence. Aurangzeb’s face had turned pale, and before others could see his tears, he abruptly got up and left before the sardars, who had bent to perform an elaborate mujra, could straighten up. With two sardars in tow, Jaffar Khan ran behind Aurangzeb.
Entering his room, he was surprised to find Aurangzeb lying on the carpet and crying, praying to Allah. ‘Parwardigar, for what crime are you punishing me? Did I not perform my namaaz properly? Please give me the strength to bear this insult. Please help me!’
‘Jahanpanah!’ Jaffar Khan exclaimed, when he saw the emperor in such a helpless state.
Refusing Jaffar Khan’s hand to help him get up, Aurangzeb stood up.
Jaffar Khan said, ‘Jahanpanah, what will Shivaji gain by holding a coronation? There are many fools who have tried the same thing and have been shown their place by the Mughal sultanate.
Aurangzeb said, ‘Enough, Jaffar! Don’t talk nonsense. Shuja and Salim held coronations, but they had a right to the Mughal throne in some form or other. Don’t take Shivaji’s coronation lightly. Don’t you realize that it is a direct affront to Islam?’
‘Alijah, where does Shivaji stand in comparison to the Mughal throne? If we cannot find a way to sign a treaty with him, we will defeat him and …’
Jaffar Khan stopped mid-sentence as Aurangzeb laughed hysterically and said, ‘That traitor!’
Jaffar Khan nodded saying, ‘That is true, Alampanah. He is a traitor! That idol worshipper!’
Aurangzeb stared at Jaffar Khan. Realizing that he had made a mistake, Jaffar Khan looked down at the carpet.
Aurangzeb said, ‘I was not calling Shivaji a traitor. I was talking about you! You want to sign a treaty with him? Don’t you realize that he may die but his throne will live on?’
Aurangzeb raised his hands in the air praying and said, his voice pleading with Allah, ‘Parwardigar, don’t doubt my faith in you. Please trust your most faithful servant—I beseech you!’
Turning to Jaffar Khan and the sardars he said, ‘You have already shown your impotence by allowing Shivaji to escape from Agra. Now, before I lose my temper and order you beheaded, get out of this room!’
The sardars hurriedly saluted and left. They did not dare to turn back and see Aurangzeb standing alone in the hall, lost in his thoughts.
#
The monsoon had ebbed a little but the sun was still playing hide-and-seek behind the clouds. Raje left for Pedgaon as the rains, albeit reduced to a steady downpour, continued to fall. The entire region seemed covered under water.
At the banks of Bhima River, Raje and his troops halted for a while. The river was in spate with the brown water gushing forth at great speeds. Bahadur Khan’s cantonment looked peaceful, the soldiers resting with nothing to do in the wet weather.
Standing guard at the entrance of the fort at Bahadurgad, the gatekeeper noticed two turbaned horsemen galloping towards him. Soon they reached the gate and while dismounting, they said, ‘Quick! Close the gates. The Marathas are on their way!’
Bahadur Khan was sent a message and soon enough, his spies reported seeing a contingent of Maratha soldiers marching towards Pedgaon. ‘How many of them are there?’ Bahadur Khan asked.
‘Two thousand, Huzoor.’
‘Is that all?’ Bahadur Khan was surprised to hear that.
‘Huzoor, they are known to travel light with a small contingent.’
Bahadur Khan laughed as he caressed his beard. He said, ‘Sound the bugles.’ He had finally got a chance to teach the Maratha rats a lesson, he mused.
Soon, at the sound of trumpets and horns, a ten-thousand-strong cavalry left the fort, leaving only a few men to guard the fort behind. On the outskirts of Pedgaon, he spotted the Maratha contingent which, to his surprise, turned and started to gallop away when they saw the Mughal troops. Bahadur Khan was surprised. He had heard of the Marathas and their treacherous ways but this was the first time he had seen an enemy run away without bothering to challenge him. He commanded his men to chase them. For hours, they raced to catch up with them, but soon the Marathas had stretched their lead to an extent that was impossible to bridge.
Bahadur Khan ordered the men to stop and said, ‘Cowards! They have run away, those Marathas!’
Dreaming of the way he would have tortured the rats if he had caught them, Bahadur Khan cantered back towards his fort. As they came within sight of the fort, he was surprised to see black smoke billowing from the fort and the cantonment around. Spurring his horse on, he galloped all the way. The fort seemed desolate. The door was wide open and the half-burnt tents in the cantonment flapped miserably in the wet wind. Bahadur Khan, aghast to see the carnage asked, as he spotted a solider coming his way, ‘What happened?’
‘Those Marathas,’ the soldier said, sobbing, ‘they came and looted everything while you were away.’
A furious Bahadur Khan realized that he had been tricked by Shivaji’s men as he chased them needlessly across the muddy plains. A few miles away, Hambirrao, astride a horse, galloped as Raje and the troops moved at rapid pace towards Raigad. Two hundred of the thoroughbred steeds and a crore of gold coins of loot was the reward they carried with them. Soon, Raigad was in sighting distance!
#
The campaign at Bahadurgad was a major success. As planned, Moropant had created havoc at Kalyan–Bhiwandi, spreading terror among the English and Portuguese. After Bahadurgad, Raje’s men moved to Junnar while Annaji was at Phonda. The entire region was being shaken up. While good news poured in, Raje was eagerly waiting for Sambhaji’s return.
It had been a month since the campaign at Bahadurgad, when one day, in the wee hours of the morning, Raje woke up to the trumpets announcing Sambhaji’s arrival. Raje eagerly reached the office but was told that Sambhaji had gone to his quarters, having entered through a side gate.
‘Anandrao, what happened to Yuvraj?’
Anandrao smiled. ‘We had reached Bhaganagar as instructed by you. We were confronted by the Qutb Shahi troops and I asked Yuvraj to turn back. Much against his wishes, he turned back. But in his anger, he refused to talk to me for the rest of the way. He feels that he has returned without fighting and is ashamed to show his face to you.’
‘Oh, so that’s what is going on! Well, in that case, let me go see him,’ Raje said, as he walked towards Sambhaji’s quarters.
Sambhaji was sitting on his bed while Yesubai stood nearby. Seeing Raje enter, Sambhaji got up and saluted, and stood with his head bowed.
Looking at Yesu, Raje asked, ‘Have you not welcomed your husband in the traditional manner with an oil lamp and tray?’
Sambhaji erupted with anger and said, ‘What for, Aba saheb? A hero is welcomed home�
�not a coward.’
Raje smiled. ‘Who says that running away is the mark of a coward? It is often a wise thing to do. It is not easy to do and needs courage.’
‘Huh! If only Anandrao had not forced me to turn back.’
‘Yuvraj, I had asked you to loot the territory and not to fight the Qutb Shahi?’
‘What impression would they have of us, seeing us run away like that?’
‘That is irrelevant. We got what we wanted. Don’t mourn your so-called defeat—I have faced many of them. I cannot forget the way I had to run from Panhala and it taught me many lessons.’
Sambhaji smiled, much to Raje’s relief. Turning to Yesu, Raje said, ‘Now, please welcome your husband properly. He is a hero and needs to be welcomed appropriately.’
As Raje stepped out of Sambhaji’s quarters, a visibly relieved Sambhaji hugged Yesubai, much to her embarrassment.
#
The rains had ended, turning the land green. Raje supervised the construction of a new stable at Pachad where he housed five hundred select horses. As he sat in his office one evening, he remembered Nischalpuri’s prediction. While Raje did not believe in bad omens, many felt that the day of the coronation, chosen by Gaga Bhatt, had not been a very auspicious one.
Raje said, looking at his sardars, ‘Lord Rama was crowned at a very auspicious time, yet he had to go into exile for fourteen years. We lament the death of our commander Prataprao but we forget that he fought a ten-thousand-strong enemy force. Maa saheb left us but hers was a life well lived. What more could she have asked for?’
Knowing that the sardars did not want to leave anything to chance, Raje relented in sending the word for Nischalpuri. He was a master of tantric rites. Amidst the loud chanting of mantras, Raje was asked to ascend the throne once again. A satisfied Nischalpuri blessed Raje, and said, ‘It is because of your qualities that the land will flourish for another three hundred years, Chhatrapati! The power of the invading foreigners will be routed in the interim.’
Raje descended from the throne and instinctively turned to the right. Having walked a couple of steps, he realized that Maa saheb, who would usually be sitting next to him, would not be there to bless him. There was no one at whose feet he would now place his head for blessings! Holding back his tears, he left for his quarters.