by Ranjit Desai
Jiva Mahala was, in the meanwhile, on his way to show Jijabai Khan’s head.
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At Rajgad, time seemed to crawl and the hours seemed interminably long. Despite the usual hustle and bustle, there was a strange silence everywhere. A puja was taking place at each temple in the fort, and Firangoji sat on the ramparts, his eyes scanning the eastern horizon. Everyone waited for news from Pratapgad.
The silence outside permeated into the palace. Jijabai was in the temple, not having touched a drop of water since early that morning. She sat there, looking at the idol of Bhawani Mata, while tall lamps burned on both sides. There was a pearl necklace on the right side of the idol and on the left side lay a tray on which a beautiful dagger shone in its emerald-encrusted beauty.
Jijabai’s attention was focused on the Goddess. Her lips quivered and tears fell down her cheeks like the prajakta flowers in bloom. She recalled each moment of the thirty years of Shivaji’s life. How many dreams she had dreamt with the young lad; how many plans she had made with him! News from Pratapgad could arrive any moment and she had no way of knowing what it would be. Jijabai continued her puja, asking, pleading and cajoling Bhawani Mata but the Goddess was silent. She continued to smile benevolently at Jijabai.
It was past noon, the sun was inching towards the western horizon but there was no news yet. What was taking so long? What was happening?
A maid came running in. ‘Maa saheb, Maa saheb!’
A shiver ran through Jijabai’s body and her heart skipped a beat but all she could do was continue staring at the idol.
‘Maa saheb! It is good news! Raje has reached the fort. The cannons have been sounded!’
A huge shout of joy went up outside and Jijabai bent to touch her forehead on the temple floor. She got up and said, ‘Come here.’
The maid stepped forward and Jijabai said, ‘Spread your sari.’
The maid spread her pallu in the traditional way of receiving gifts and Jijabai lifted the tray filled with gold coins and poured them into the woman’s pallu. She picked up the dagger and touching it to her forehead once, she put it at the goddess’ feet. The joy at Rajgad knew no bounds. Everyone hugged baby Sambhaji and he was smothered with kisses.
It was dawn at Rajgad when Firangoji announced the arrival of Jiva Mahala.
Saluting, Jiva said, ‘Maa saheb, Raje is fine and will be coming here shortly. We utterly routed Khan. He has sent you this and requested that it may find its place in a corner of the garden in the fort.’
And so saying, he uncovered the tray. Everyone gasped and Jijabai continued to look on, without blinking, at the decapitated head of Afzal Khan.
It was this Khan who’d had the temerity to handcuff the elder Maharaj. It was this Khan who’d killed her beloved Sambhaji. It was this Khan who had marched here to capture Shivaji. It was he who was responsible for her worries for the past few months. It was he who had despoiled the Bhawani temple at Tuljapur.
However, Jijabai swallowed her anger and said, ‘Firangoji, let bygones be bygones. As per Raje’s command, please ensure that we give him a burial befitting a commander of Afzal Khan’s stature. He may have been our enemy but he was a bold enemy. He had gotten carried away by the arrogance of his power and blindness of his faith. Now that he is dead, our enmity is over.’
Khan’s head was buried with due respect and everyone waited for Raje’s arrival. The first gate of the fort was decorated with a traditional garland of mango leaves. Each door, thereafter, wore a similar garland. The traditional gudi, usually used to celebrate the New Year, was put up to welcome Raje.
It was mid-afternoon when the news of Raje’s arrival reached the fort. He dismounted at the first gate where he was welcomed with an affectionate hug by Firangoji. Shivaji washed his feet and began climbing the steps with his fifteen-hundred-odd soldiers. Stopping briefly for darshan at the temple, he entered the palace. The ladies of the royal household stood waiting with lamps in traditional trays to welcome him, but Shivaji wanted to meet Jijabai first.
Tears welled up in her eyes while her face shone with pride. She hugged him and the tears would not stop.
Shivaji said, ‘Maa saheb, I am here now. Thanks to your blessings and Bhawani’s protection, I have come back unscathed. This is not the time to shed tears!’
Jijabai wiped her tears and said, ‘One doesn’t cry only when they are unhappy, Raje. These are tears of joy!’
‘I am blessed to see them then!’
Shivaji held a special durbar the next day. The wounded were given special allowances and the victorious were duly honoured. Some were given special tasks and positions in Shivaji’s government. The campaign against Khan had yielded rich dividends. Shivaji had captured seventy-five elephants, four thousand horses, twelve hundred camels, a few hundred cannons, expensive clothes, jewellery and gems. Khan had lost three thousand men while only a few hundred of Raje’s troops had died in the battle. The entire province had been freed from Khan’s clutches in a single day.
Later, Jijabai said, ‘Raje, I don’t remember the number of promises I must have made to the Lord for your safety. I shall try and fulfil them to whatever extent I can remember!’
Shivaji smiled. ‘Maa saheb, it would be my pleasure to help you fulfil all of them. However, this is an opportune moment for me while the Bijapur durbar is reeling from the news of Afzal’s death. I want to take advantage of the situation—I will leave on a campaign tomorrow to capture the other forts controlled by Bijapur. This is the only chance I have.’
He paused for a moment as a bold thought crossed his mind. ‘Maa saheb, this victory is not our greatest yet. It is but a step towards our ultimate goal. The real battle has not yet begun—that would be when we defeat Aurangzeb.’
The next morning, Raje left for his campaign. His target: the majestic Panhala Fort!
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After leaving Raigad, Shivaji reached Wai. The forces that had fought Khan’s troops had been asked to assemble at Wai. The victorious commander, Netaji Palkar, presented himself. Shivaji honoured him and said, ‘Kaka, your valour has been a matter of great pride for me. I don’t mind that Fazal Khan ran away but I was disappointed that the treacherous Khandoji managed to escape.’
‘Where will he hide, Raje? He must come back one day. However, I need to speak to you about another matter.’
‘What is it?’
‘The captured sardars—Jadhavrao, Pandhare, Khagte and Siddi Hilal—have all surrendered and they would like to meet you.’
When the sardars were brought in, Shivaji said, ‘I have pardoned all of you even though you were enamoured by using the enemy’s strength against your own people. But my enmity was with Khan—I have nothing against you. You are free to go wherever you wish to.’
The sardars could not believe their ears. Jadhav stepped forward, ‘Raje, we had no choice but to work under the Badshah. But we are keen to be a part of the Swaraj now. We would feel obliged if we get a chance to work under you …’
‘The Swaraj needs all the help it can get. I am pleased that you are offering me your services.’
Jadhav, Pandhare and Khagte stepped forward at once but Siddi Hilal hesitated and stood in a corner, unsure.
Shivaji went to him and said, ‘Hilal, I am aware of your strength and capabilities. I have nothing against any religion and I treat Hindus and Muslims without any discrimination. I would be pleased if you would join us.’
Hilal was overwhelmed with emotion and laid his sword at Raje’s feet. Raje picked it up and sheathed it at Hilal’s waist.
He addressed the group and said, ‘I am going ahead with my campaign. Continue to hold your positions and when I return, I shall allocate appropriate responsibilities to each one of you.’
He said, addressing Moropant, ‘Pant, ensure that the privileges given to people in Pune, Indapur, Chakan, Supe and Baramati during Afzal Khan’s time continue as before. Once I return from inspecting the territory, I will give you new orders.’
Turning toward
s Netaji, he said, ‘Kaka, whatever damage Khan has done to our land must be compensated by conquering Adil Shah’s territory. We shall start at Chandan–Vandan and stop when we reach Panhala.’
Netaji was overjoyed at hearing the plan and gave orders for the army to march. The town of Wai reverberated with the sound of the trumpets as the huge army marched out.
After taking charge of the Chandan–Vandan forts, Shivaji’s forces occupied the Wai region. The ryots had not yet recovered from the news of Afzal Khan’s defeat. The words ‘Shivaji is coming!’ were enough to terrorize people in Adil Shah’s territories and would bend their knees before him.
The fort at Panhala was nearly six kilometres from Kolhapur. Shivaji’s dream was now within his grasp. His troops marched towards Panhala and surrounded the fort. The kiledar, with just a small platoon to guard his fort, sealed the doors and started attacking the Maratha troops. Shivaji’s army returned the attack with vigour and started picking off soldiers guarding the ramparts with their rifles. Within two days, the Marathas had taken over the fort.
It was nearly dawn when a rider approached the camp to inform Shivaji, who had been pacing his tent waiting for the news, about the victory.
Yesaji said, ‘Raje, please rest a while, I will go and inspect the fort. You have not slept the whole night.’
‘Yesaji, this news is balm to my tired soul and I am eager to see the fort. Come, let us go.’
Shivaji mounted his horse and the cool morning breeze soothed his skin. The morning mist was everywhere and the mashaals flickered in the cold wind. After an inspection of the fort, Raje stood at the eastern ramparts, looking at the landscape below. It had been his dream to look at the Malvan valley standing atop the fort, while the saffron Maratha flags fluttered in the wind. At that moment, the sun broke through the veil of the mist, lighting up the valley below. Raje put his palms together to pray to the sun god.
The fort was huge and well maintained with four large gates. The store was adequate enough to contain six thousand tons of grain. A fresh water spring gurgled nearby, providing a perennial water supply. The buildings inside the fort were both aesthetic and architecturally sound. Bijapur’s most prized fort had been added to the list of growing acquisitions of the Swaraj!
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The entire durbar at Bijapur was waiting for Afzal Khan to make good on his claim of ‘capturing that Maratha rat’ and bringing him back to Bijapur when they received the news of Afzal’s defeat and death. The durbar woke up from its dreams of victory and the Badshah left the court hurriedly and Badi Begum was taken ill. To add to their anxieties, news reached them that Shivaji’s men were collecting revenue from their territories. The final blow was the news of Panhala Fort being captured.
Shivaji had acted swiftly, capturing Panhala within eighteen days of defeating Afzal Khan. The Adil Shahi court was clearly worried and tried to figure out how to protect themselves from the increasing Maratha ambition.
After sending a dispatch of horsemen to Aurangzeb the Mughal Emperor in Delhi, appealing to his succour, Adil Shah decided to attack Shivaji. Afzal Khan’s son Fazal Khan was waiting for an opportunity to take revenge, and the second attack was planned under the leadership of Fazal Khan and Rustam Zaman. Adil Shah’s sardars—Sadat Khan, Fateh Khan, Santaji Ghorpade and Sarjerao Ghatje—also joined the campaign.
The moment Raje heard of the impending attack, he moved his troops from the Pune region. The sardars, along with new ones like Siddi Hilal, waited patiently. When Fazal’s troops reached Kolhapur, the Maratha troops attacked first. Fazal lost his nerve seeing the huge Maratha force approaching them in swirling clouds of dust and before the Bijapur army realized what was happening, the Maratha forces descended on the Muslim troops, and the shouts of ‘Har Har Mahadev!’ drowned the meek ‘Deen Deen!’ of the Muslim soldiers. Fazal’s troops ran for their lives and the Maratha troops returned to Kolhapur after chasing them a short distance. Shivaji managed to capture twelve elephants and two thousand horses.
Shivaji was sure that Adil Shah would not have the courage to attack again and began to take the Konkan, and the troops marched towards the Rajapur Port under the leadership of Daroji. Rajapur was controlled by Rustam Zaman, and Shivaji’s objective was to capture the three ships that belonged to Afzal and not touch the fort town itself. However, British soldiers tried to retain possession of one of the ships. Daroji was enraged on hearing this and ordered the capture of the British official Gifford and his agent.
Shivaji was camping at Miraj when British representatives came to negotiate for the captured British soldiers, and Gangadharpant brought the representative to Raje. Shivaji had recognized that the British were cunning but he was also aware that they were friends with Rustam Zaman. Shivaji released Gifford and the middlemen for the written agreement that they would not support the Siddi Nawab of Janjira or anyone who was against Shivaji’s expansion and rule.
Adil Shah, in the meanwhile, was growing more despondent with each passing day. He had seen Shivaji loot many towns, capture multiple forts, defeat Fazal and continue to grow more powerful. The news that Shivaji was planning to attack Bijapur itself, dethrone Adil Shah and nominate someone else was the proverbial last straw. Ali Adil Shah ran to Siddi Johar, the valiant sardar of Kurnool, for help.
Siddi Johar was an expert at politics and decisive in nature. Adil Shah honoured him with the title of Salabat Khan, and asked him to attack Shivaji with an army of twenty thousand cavalry and forty thousand foot soldiers. Fazal Khan and Rustam Zaman also joined Siddi Johar’s campaign to avenge their defeat.
Raje was in Miraj when Siddi Johar marched from Bijapur. Netaji was stationed in the Bijapur sector. Daroji had left Rajapur and had moved towards the Achare, Vergule and Kudal provinces. Two of Shivaji’s units were busy in the interiors when Shivaji received the news of Siddi Johar’s campaign.
It was an unexpected move and left Shivaji a little perturbed. He moved out of Miraj and asked Daroji and Netaji to meet him as soon as possible. After darshan at the Kolhapur Mahalakshmi Temple, he reached Panhalgad the day after Gudi Padwa. The fort was decorated with the traditional gudis strung across the arches welcoming the New Year. Adil Shah’s troops seemed bent on ensuring that the Swaraj’s victory did not last long. The news of the Mughal sardar Shaista Khan marching towards Panhala with seventy-five thousand soldiers was another damaging blow.
The Adil Shahi and Mughal forces had planned their attack in order to rout the Marathas. Shaista Khan had reached Ahmadnagar while Siddi was closing in fast. There was no news of Daroji’s and Netaji’s whereabouts.
Shivaji spared no effort to fortify Panhalgad. A week later Trayambakrao’s accountant came running in and said, ‘Raje, we have news—the Muslims will be here soon.’
‘What are you afraid of? We have faced the enemy before and the Goddess has protected us.’
As he stood on the southern ramparts, looking towards Kolhapur, Shivaji could see a cloud of dust on the horizon. The enemy was approaching fast.
Siddi’s forty-thousand-strong army reached Panhala and laid siege to the fort. The eastern flank was managed by Siddi Johar, Fazal Khan and Rustam Zaman while the western side was held by Sadat Khan, Masood and Baji Ghorpade.
Shivaji’s men took their positions. The cannons were ready to fire the first salvo. When the enemy was within hitting range, Shivaji raised his hand to signal the attack.
Johar had to retreat. There was chaos in the Muslim flanks as the cannon fire routed them. The reach of the cannons sort of determined the distance to which Johar’s troops could advance. Siddi Johar was enraged and concentrated on tightening the siege.
The lion of the Sahyadris was now being trapped in his own fort.
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At Raigad, Jijabai was anxious on hearing of the siege. Netaji Palkar, who was busy wreaking havoc in the Bijapur region, heard of Siddi Johar’s attack at Panhalgad and decided to turn the tables by attacking and looting Shahapur near Bijapur and looted it at his will.
&
nbsp; Netaji had assumed that, seeing his town near the capital attacked, Ali Adil Shah would ask Siddi Johar to return. Ali Adil Shah was about to decide likewise when he got the news from his spies that Netaji had but a small platoon of soldiers. He sent Khavas Khan with an army of five thousand soldiers to subdue Netaji. Realizing that he had no chance of a victory, Netaji retreated hastily. With Shivaji trapped in the fort at Panhala, this was yet another blow to the Maratha morale.
Jijabai was receiving depressing news from all over. Shaista Khan had reached Shirval, the heart of the Maratha kingdom, with his huge army. There was a lady, the bold and daring widow of Udaram Deshmukh of Mahur, who was fighting with Shaista Khan. Aurangzeb had given her the title of Raibaghan, the royal tigress. To make matters much worse, Trayambakrao Bhosale, Babaji Bhosale, Dattajirao Jadhav and Shivaji Raje’s maternal uncle, Rustamrao Jadhav were also fighting against Raje. Even family had turned against them now and Jijabai’s heart broke hearing about developments like this.
Even though Panhala had been under siege for more than a month now, Jijabai’s spies were unable to penetrate the barricade and reach the fort. But Jijabai did not lose hope and ordered her troops to use guerrilla tactics to harass the enemy. Shaista Khan left Shivapur and reached Pune. He camped in Shivaji’s Lal Mahal Palace while his cantonment was spread far and wide on the banks of the Mula and Mutha Rivers.
More than three months slipped by while Shivaji continued to be trapped in Panhala. Jijabai made up her mind: She decided to gather whatever forces she could and lead the forces herself. The council of ministers were in a dilemma.
Moropant tried to reason with her when Jijabai asked, ‘Pant, do you think I want to do this? Raje is stuck with a small band of troops in Panhala Fort. Khan grows stronger by the day. Should we merely sit and watch Khan capture Panhala?’
‘Maa saheb, I beg your pardon, but it is not wise to attack the enemy with such a small force.’
