English records: Shivaji stops forced conversion by Christians & other observations

Source: English records on Shivaji 1659-1682 by Shiva Charitra Karyalaya, pg. 74, Available at: http://library.du.ac.in/dspace/bitstream/1/7033/4/Ch06-English%20Record%20On%20Shivaji%20vol-2%281%29.pdf

The rest of the letter can be read at the above link on pg. 75.

In a letter dated 23 January 1669/1670 from the English records President Gary of Surat wrote the following to Lord Arlington, pg. 140:

“The archrebel Sevagee is againe engaged in armes against Orangsha, who, out of a blinde zeale for reformation, hath demolished many of the Gentues temples and forceth many to turne Musslemins.”

Biography: An everflowing spring of inspiration

The biography of Shivaji Maharaj has an answer for any problem faced by a Hindu or Indian politicians; however for this purpose the biography should be read with shrewdness and insight. If read by Hindus with the immoderate vision of Gandhi with respect to non-violence, truth, pleasing Muslims, or through the coloured spectacles of Nehru, who with the concept of 'all religions are equal', meted out inferior treatment to Hindus, then Hindus will not even become aware of when they were circumscribed ! Gandhi, Nehru and their descendants had created terror in the minds of the people about what they would have to suffer if they even uttered the name of Shivaji Maharaj. In fact Shivaji Maharaj has been totally eliminated from the history text books at the Secondary school level. History on Shivaji Maharaj is taught and finished in the 3rd or 4th standards as if they are fairy tales for children to read and forget. Politicians have ensured that the youth and adults do not get any inspiration from the biography of Shivaji Maharaj simply because it is an ever flowing spring of inspiration for Hindus ! This article is a small effort made to get a sip of water from this pure spring on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj tomorrow !

Shivaji Maharaj’s inspiration to protect Hinduism !

Since childhood Shivaji Maharaj was fully aware that he had to fight the Mughals. In his book 'Chatrapati Shivaji Maharajanche Saptaprakaranatmak Charitra’ Malhar Ramrav Chitnis has described the mindset of Prince Shivaji when living with his father Shahajiraje at Vijapur. He pens Prince Shivaji’s thoughts as, “ We are Hindus. These Yavans (Muslims) are inferior to us. There is none more inferior than them. I am distressed by serving them, eating food served by them, flattering them or even greeting them. It is so wrong to see the ridicule of one’s own religion. As we walk down the road we see cows being slaughtered. At that time I feel like beheading the killers and the distress grows even more. What is the use of living to see a cow being tormented ? I am compelled to remain silent because of being reprimanded by my father otherwise I feel like killing the one indulging in cow slaughter. It is not at all good to be in the company of Muslims. So also it is inappropriate to go to the court (darbar) of the emperor or to visit any wealthy man.” As soon as he returned from the Vijapur court he would bathe and change his clothing. It is at this very age that young Prince Shivaji showed his valorous nature by chopping off the hand of a butcher who was dragging a cow for slaughter in another kingdom !

Inspiration endowed by Chatrapati Shivaji is very clear from the above incidents. The biographer has strengthened this further in the following words of Shivaji Maharaj, “ We are Hindus. The entire southern region has been invaded by the Muslims and our religion is going downhill. Hence one should not hesitate to sacrifice even one’s life to protect religion. By doing so one would add to one’s treasure of valorous deeds”. Soon thereafter by taking the vow of Raieshvari and conquering the `Torana’ fort Shivaji Maharaj revealed his nature to the world.

Talk about Muslims in Shivaji’s army and their valorous deeds!

Today people are talking of the concept of `equality of religions’ in society. The Congress party is trying to depict him as non-communal and secular. Nowadays some Hindu protagonists are trying to drag Shivaji Maharaj into the camp of secularism by making statements such as `there were Muslim soldiers in his army’. Really these are pearls of wisdom by these so-called ardent (hypocritical) lovers of Hinduism!

In this context the author of the book 'Marathi Riyasati' and a great historian, Sardessai writes, 'Towards 1649, 500-700 Pathans from Vijapur came to Shivaji Maharaj in search of jobs. Though he did not approve of employing them, he listened to the counsel of Gomaji Naik Pansabal who advised that `these people have come after hearing about your popularity so please do not disappoint them. If you remain adamant that you will employ only Hindus and that you do not need others then you will not be able to establish a kingdom. So include all eighteen communities of all four varna (classes) of society and allow them to carry out their own duties". So he employed the servitors of Radho Ballal Korde. However the current Hindu protagonists are ignorant about the facts in this context and about how the monarch also ensured that there were spies to keep watch on those Muslim soldiers !

If these 500- 700 soldiers made any attempt to divide the army then as was prevalent in those days he would also not hesitate to punish them (by throwing them over the cliff). It was not like today when a perpetrator of a heinous crime against the Indian Parliament, instead of being hanged, goes scot free simply because he is a Muslim !

In this context a historian researcher Mr. Ninad Bedekar says, 'A new idea that Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had 'several' Muslims in his army is being projected. I will quote a few names. You can give me the rest !' When Prince Shivaji came to the Jagirs of Pune, Indore and Supe, of the representatives of Shahajiraje only three were Muslims, namely Siddi Ambar Bagdadi, Jainkhan Peerzade and Bahalimkhan. Another Muslim associated with Shivaji Maharaj was Nurkhan Beg, the chief of his infantry. But the truth is that later at some juncture all these people were driven off because no mention of their names is made anywhere in the historical annals. After the year 1675 these people were nowhere in the picture.

The British army also employed Indians as soldiers. Afzal Khan who attacked Shivaji Maharaj employed 3000 Maulas in his army, but can we call him secular ? Why then is this cord of secularism wound tightly (like an iguana) only around the necks of Hindus? Claiming that Shivaji Maharaj was secular simply because he had a few Muslim soldiers in his army is an indicator of an over liberal intellect.

Shivraya

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj always had a scientific bent of mind. During his rule he introduced various scientific based social reforms in his ‘Swaraj’, thus benefiting the common man. Shivaji Maharaj stressed on the fact that “Your deeds is our worship to the almighty”. This helped in the eradication of many blind faiths amongst the people.

Jijabai had taught Shivaji to hold all women in great respect and he instructed his soldiers to honor all women and rigidly enforced it. Shivaji and Jijabai worked together in removal of many evil practices regarding women.

Through his life, Shivaji gave us an example that no one’s future is dependent merely on forecasts and sun signs. Your tomorrow solely depends on your deeds and your faith in yourself and at the same time your almighty. Irrespective of many warnings and evil predictions from religious saint and priest, Shivaji built many of Maharashtra’s strongest sea forts.

Thus Shivaji Maharaj was the beginner of the scientific cultural spread in Maharashtra, which is still continuing in the state.

छत्रपती शिवाजीराजे भोसले

Shivaji Bhosle (b.1627-d.1680) was the only son of Shahaji Bhosle's influential wife Jijabai. Early in his childhood, Shahaji sent him to Pune along with his mother under the care of Dadoji Konddev, an able minister. Shahaji was a brilliant general who switched from Adil Shah of Bijapur to Nijam Shah of Ahmednagar to the Moghuls many times during his career. He used to have an army of his own and at one point had declared himself to be a king. During Shivaji's childhood, Dadoji (d. 1650), alongwith men handpicked by Shahaji, managed a few forts and a piece of land in the hilly Deccan which were given to him by Shahaji. At that time, India was under control of the four Muslim powers Adil Shahi, Nijam Shahi, Golkonda Empire and the Moghuls who were ever eager to fight among themselves. The state of the common man, in particular the Hindus as a community, was pathetic and humiliating.

On this background, 18 year old Shivaji and his faithfuls took the oath at Rohedeshwar Temple to establish a 'Nation of the Natives' which Shivaji maintained was the 'Will of the Providence'. In his next 35 years he lived an epic which thrilled the imagination of his friends and foes alike. It is impossible to present an adequate depiction of his eventful career in a short essay. Col. R.D. Palsokar has written a noteworthy book Shivaji : The Great Guerrilla on Shivaji's military campaigns with the Defence Service officers as his intended audience. In that book, the author has made a fairly detailed case study of the killing of Afzal Khan, the escape from Panhala, the night attack on Shayiste Khan, the raids on Surat and his crowning glory - Karnatak Conquest, in which he won land almost equal to his existing empire in a matter of days. The interested reader should go through it.

On June 6, 1674 Shivaji was coronated a soverein king. India was under the juggernaut of foreigners for at least 3 centuries. The belief that only a Muslim ruler from Delhi/Bijapur/Ahmednagar/Golkonda was given the right to rule was widespread and the common man had come to accept and live with it. Shivaji's coronation and its background gave Hindus all over India the assurance that they too were entiled to a free and fair life, and the confidence that if they were willing to fight it out, it could be theirs. His administration seems to have been centralised and quite efficient with a cabinet of 8 ministers looking after well defined departments

Considering the sagacity, originality and ability to execute hazardous operations putting his own life at stake, it is not too much to say that Shivaji belongs to the highest bracket of the generals the world has seen and stakes a very strong claim to the title of the Greatest World Hero. Even then, his greatest achievement is that he succeeded in building an empire which was looked upon by his people as their Nation for generations to come.

THESE ARE SOME IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Shivaji was born of a Maratha family in 1627 A.D. His father was a chief of the kingdom of Bijapur. Though he was high up, he was not allowed to control any fort. In his early youth, Shivaji inspired the local peasant youths around Poona to follow him in his idealistic pursuits.

In his early, his band attacked the mountain fort of Torna about twenty miles from Poona. He took control from the fort as Governor. It was characteristic of him immediately send a word to the King of Bijapur, that he had done purely in the king's interest as the ex-governor was not given all the revenue due to the king. This brought more time, and Shivaji used this technique of cunningness to conquer more and more such forts. The king eventually ordered Shivaji to stop these activities. But Shivaji knew that by now the whole region was behind him and thus ignored any warnings from the King of Bijapur.

The King then sent a small army under Afzal Khan to catch him dead or alive. Shivaji now portrayed even more cunning techniques. He pretended to be extremely afraid of Afzal Khan and his army, and offered to surrender personally to him provided his well-being was guaranteed. He suggested that he should be accompanied by two unarmed followers to meet Afzal Khan and two of his guards personally. This was agreed to. When the meeting took place, Afzal Khan (a big, stocky and giant of a figure, compared to short and agile figure of Shivaji) tried to kill Shivaji with a big embrace and stab at Shivaji. Shivaji was however prepared with a short knife under his palm. With a swift action, he slayed the giant.

When the ruler in Delhi heard of this he sent his general Shaista Khan to suppress this uprising which was gaining momentum at great speed. Shivaji had to abandon temporarily the plains to a much more powerful Moghul army. With the help of the locals, he could enter into the living quarters of the general with his followers and created chaos. He had caused irreversible injury to the generals’ body and pride, so much so that he was recalled to Delhi.

Due to requirement of maintaining a large army, Shivaji felt the need of finance. His next crusade was to loot the Mughal city of Surat, which was the centre of the rich, traders from all over. He is likened here to Robin Hood here. No injury to women, children of elderly was ever caused. This wealth gave Shivaji sufficient wherewithal to continue his crusade.

This time the Mughal emperor sent a vast army under its senior general, Jai Singh. After a few skirmishes Shivaji thought it prudent nominally to accept the emperor's sovereignty and offered to come to court itself to pay homage. The trick worked and his army remained intact. He proceeded to Agra to present himself at the mughal court. However the perfidious emperor arrested him. As is well known, Shivaji tricked his jailors and escaped. By the time he returned to Poona, his army was in good condition. This was his opportunity to give a crushing defeat to the retreating armies.

Shivaji drew strength from the guidance of his guru, Guru Ramdas who together with mata Jijabai in his young life, made him a national hero.

Now Shivaji had an unquestioned sway over a big area. Fort Raigad was to become the centre of power and prowess. During the coronation ceremony he gave magnificent gifts to holy men and the poor. He died after three years. His son could not amass sufficient strength to finish the work of liberation throughout Bharat. Nevertheless, Shivaji had laid the foundation of a great Hindu empire which lasted for two centuries.