by Ranjit Desai
He picked up his sword kept along with the puja items and sheathed it at his waist, after touching it reverently to his forehead. As he was tucking his dagger onto the other side, he said to Sambhaji, ‘Why don’t you ask Bal Raje to tuck your sword at his waist and see how it looks?’
Sambhaji helped Rajaram but the sword was much too long and dragged on the floor when Rajaram walked. Everyone laughed, irritating Rajaram, who said, ‘Aai saheb, I don’t need this sword.’
Putlabai tried to defuse the situation by saying, ‘Don’t worry! You can carry it when you are older, Bal Raje.’
Raje smiled saying, ‘But then Shambhu Raje too would have grown up, isn’t it?’
Soyarabai knew Raje was directing his comment at her and she got up in a huff and left without saying a word. Raje, along with his two sons, descended from the fort to meet Jijabai.
Once the Dussehra festivities were over, Raje focused his attention on Satara. Camping at the village of Kudir, a few miles from Karwar, he directed his troops to loot the territories of Bijapur. After a gap of three months, after having collected vast amounts of loot, he returned to Raigad.
#
A few days after returning to Raigad, Moropant informed Raje of a letter from Nashik. ‘It is from our priest, Anant Bhatt Kavle,’ he said.
‘What is it regarding?’
‘He has informed us about the expected arrival of Pandit Gaga Bhatt, a very well-respected Vedic scholar.’
‘His visit would be a blessing for us. Please ensure that our head priest visits Nashik and accompanies him here. He must be honoured suitably.’
Raje received Gaga Bhatt near Mahad, a few miles before Raigad. As soon as the palanquin was put on the ground, Raje stepped forward to receive him. Gaga Bhatt stepped out of the palanquin. He was a fair, slightly plump man. His head was covered by an embroidered yellow scarf while a red shawl was draped around his shoulders. He wore a white dhoti with a red silk border. A big mark on his forehead added to the intensity of his black eyes. A ring of topaz on one finger and a golden ring in another caught the attention of those waiting to receive him. He walked in his wooden sandals and touched Raje’s shoulder affectionately and muttered his blessings as Raje bowed reverentially.
Gaga Bhatt was pleased to be received with such respect. This was the same Shivaji who had taken an oath at the temple of Rohideshwar of creating the Hindavi Swaraj. Gaga Bhatt’s pleasure knew no bounds because he was being hosted by such a man.
A few days later, Gaga Bhatt said, ‘Raje, I have come here with a specific purpose. Tomorrow, after sunrise, at an auspicious time, I will tell you the reason for my coming here.’
Everyone had assembled in the main hall, where a raised seat had been created for Gaga Bhatt. Jijabai and Raje were seated next to him, followed by Sambhaji and Rajaram. The queens and others sat behind. The ministers and other officials were seated at the end. As soon as Gaga Bhatt’s arrival was announced, Shivaji got up followed by the others. Folding his hands, Raje requested Gaga Bhatt to take his seat. The priest removed the scarf from his head and then, looking at the audience and sighing deeply, sat down. After a while, he said, ‘Raje, the only thing a Brahmin normally demands from a king is a donation. But I have come here with a specific purpose.’
Raje said, folding his hands again, ‘We are blessed with your visit. Please command me.’
Gaga Bhatt said, ‘Raje, I have come all the way from Kashi. Word of your deeds has reached there too. In our Bharatvarsha, there have been rulers like Chandragupta Maurya, and kingdoms like Vijayanagara and Devagiri which were toppled by foreign invasions at their peak of glory. There is no kingdom worth mentioning which can be called a Hindu kingdom. I see hope in the Deccan because of you. The way you rebuilt your kingdom after the unfortunate treaty at Purandar gives us great hope. I am here to ask for something. Let me see if you can fulfil that!’
Raje did not know how to react and remained silent.
Gaga Bhatt continued, ‘My ancestors established the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Its destruction by the Muslims led to a great famine and my ancestors rebuilt the same. I am here to beg a boon from you and I hope you will not turn me away.’
Jijabai, listening to the priest, was a little worried.
Seeing her reaction, Gaga Bhatt smiled and said, ‘Aai saheb, it has been a long-standing Kshatriya tradition to protect priests. Vishwamitra came to Dashrath to appeal to him for protection. Your kingdom is spread from the Tungabhadra to the Narmada, and you need a royal seal proclaiming it. We need to convince the people that there is a Chhatrapati, a protector, who will look after the Hindavi Swaraj. This is possible only with the formal coronation of Raje, declaring him the Chhatrapati. This is the special request I wanted to make of you.’
Jijabai’s eyes filled with tears. Those in attendance were awed at the prospect of a formal coronation. Raje shuffled his feet nervously and looked at his mother who nodded her acceptance.
Annaji said, ‘The revered pandit has spoken all our minds.’
Gaga Bhatt was relieved to see that his suggestion has been accepted. He said, ‘Raje, I am eagerly waiting for your consent. Please speak your mind.’
Raje stood up and said, ‘I have never gone against the advice of my priests. Your wish is my command. But I have a request.’
‘Please tell me, Raje.’
‘I want this ceremony to be carried out under your supervision. Your blessings will make a big difference.’
Gaga Bhatt raised his hand in benediction and said, ‘It is our duty, Raje, and I shall be honoured to do so.’
Raje turned to Moropant and said, ‘Please inform Samarth. Let us get his blessings as well. Please invite Anant Bhatt here. His presence would be a great benefit to all of us.’
After further discussions and having given his blessings, Gaga Bhatt retired to his residence. The fort now throbbed with a renewed energy.
#
The idea of the coronation had invigorated each and every person in Raigad. A king was being crowned after a few centuries and was the talk of almost each household. Anant Bhatt had opined that since Shivaji’s tonsure ceremony had not been performed, he was deemed a Shudra. The necessary purification ceremonies needed to be carried out before his coronation. Gaga Bhatt, determined to see Shivaji formally sit on a throne, ensured that all doubts had been suitably answered. His knowledge of the scriptures and deep understanding of the rites allowed him to carry out all the rituals without any objection.
The preparations for the ceremony had begun in earnest and large amounts of gold had been ordered to create a special throne for the occasion. Shivaji Raje may have inadvertently killed many Brahmins in his battles and raids and a special ceremony was performed to absolve him of such sins.
While all these preparations were on, Shivaji’s mind had turned to Panhala. He was aware that Bahlol Khan was preparing to attack the fort and would disregard the treaty at Umrani. Raje decided to reach Panhala as soon as possible.
#
Nearly a month had passed since Anant Bhatt’s arrival. In the early hours of one morning, Raje was walking around the fort. He asked, looking at Moropant, ‘We have selected this fort for the coronation ceremony but I wonder if there is enough place to organize the event.’
‘Don’t worry about that, Maharaj,’ Moropant said. ‘We cannot find a more suitable fort. This place is as pure as Kailash itself. Not a drop of blood has despoiled this place. And as far as arrangements are concerned, with the existing accommodation and the tents and temporary accommodation being constructed, we can accommodate at least a lakh people. We are well prepared.’
At that moment, a messenger arrived with a letter from Prataprao.
‘Please read what my commander has to say,’ Shivaji said, after going through the letter.
‘When Prataprao had the chance to capture Bahlol Khan at Umrani, he allowed him to retreat and now, the same Khan is planning to attack him. Prataprao is asking for our advice. What shall I tell him? That we are wil
ling to lay out a red carpet for Bahlol Khan? We are holding the coronation ceremony—we may as well gift the kingdom to Khan on that occasion.’
Shivaji Raje’s temper was well-known and no one dared speak. He said, looking at Annaji, ‘Send a strongly worded letter to Prataprao and tell him that I cannot afford to have an enemy disturbing us when we are busy with the ceremonies here. Order him to arrest Bahlol Khan, put him in chains and drag him here to Raigad.’
In a few days, Raje received another message from Prataprao. The letter stated that while Bahlol Khan was hiding in a valley near Nesari, he was worried about the Maratha attack. Prataprao requested that he be sent more men to ensure that the attack was successful. He was certain that he could defeat Bahlol Khan if he received more support.
Raje, already irritated with Prataprao, screamed, ‘Stop it, Annaji!’ Turning to his scribe, he said, ‘Write this down verbatim: You have disappointed me with your behaviour. I am unable to understand why you allowed Khan to escape when you had the chance to capture him in the first place, and all these problems could have been avoided. Asking for more help does not become you. Please don’t show your face to me unless you defeat the Bijapurkar troops!’
The messenger left but Raje was not able to sleep peacefully that night. The next morning, he asked Annaji to send a letter to the troops camped at Chiplun to help Prataprao at the earliest. He said, ‘I am restless since I read Prataprao’s letter. If Bahlol Khan attacks, I shall personally go to Panhala as soon as Shivaratri is over.’
Shivaratri arrived, and despite it being winter, the sky was cloudy, creating a gloomy atmosphere. After returning from the temple, Jijabai said, ‘I don’t know why but the garland that I tried putting on the idol fell down twice. It is not a good omen!’
Raje was restless and would look out of the office window to check if the messenger from Prataprao’s camp had arrived. He got up when he saw Anandrao come in hurriedly and asked, ‘Has he defeated Bahlol Khan?’
‘No.’
‘Tell me what happened, Anandrao?’ Raje almost screamed, seeing Anandrao’s dull face.
‘Raje, we attacked Bahlol Khan but could not defeat him. Your commander kept his word though.’
‘And why has he not come himself to tell me this?’
Anandrao could not hold his emotions in check as tears streamed down his cheeks. He managed to mutter, ‘Our commander and his six sardars died in the battle, Maharaj!’
Raje asked, his voice almost a whisper, ‘Tell me exactly what happened!’
‘We had surrounded Khan. Our commander was waiting for reinforcements but then he received your letter. He said, after reading it, “Such a small force will be no match for Khan’s but you can tell Maharaj that I fought as per his command.”’
Raje’s lips shivered. He clenched his fists, trying to hold back his tears.
Anandrao continued, ‘We tried to dissuade Prataprao but he paid no heed and galloped away with six of his sardars. They attacked the ten-thousand-strong army. As we feared, they all lost their lives. We had no option but to retreat.’
Anandrao sat down on the ground, sobbing. Raje sat down next to him, numb after listening to Anandrao. This was the same Prataprao who had not hesitated once while attacking Mirza Raja.
Seeing Jijabai enter, Raje lost his composure and said, ‘Maa saheb, I am responsible for Prataprao’s death. A man of dauntless courage, he has sacrificed his life to follow my orders!’
Jijabai tried her best to console Raje but she could not stop his tears. The next morning Raje came into the office red-eyed but with a resolute expression on his face. He said, ‘Anandrao, I am going to avenge Prataprao’s death.’
‘Maharaj, the coronation ceremony is approaching and I suggest …’
‘On my order, Prataprao laid down his precious life. While Bahlol Khan is still roaming free, do you think I care about the coronation ceremony?’
Everyone present was worried that Raje may personally lead the campaign against Khan. Anandrao stepped forward and said, touching Raje’s feet, ‘Give me a chance, Maharaj! Hansaji Mohite and I—we want to teach Khan a lesson and we shall not show you our faces if we fail.’
Raje hugged Anandrao and said, ‘I don’t want to hear anyone say that again! Take whatever help you need and finish off Khan but return safe. I will be waiting for you.’
Hearing the drums in the distance, Raje said, looking at Annaji, ‘Ask the drum beaters to stop that noise. Our Prataprao is no more and I wish to mourn his death.’ He turned and left with a heavy heart.
#
The preparations for the coronation ceremony were going on in full swing. The golden throne was being fabricated by the best artisans and jewellers. Shivaji Raje was a little worried about the lakhs of hons being spent on the coronation ceremony and felt uncomfortable about so much money being wasted. On expressing his doubts, Moropant replied, his chest puffing in pride, ‘Raje, leave managing the expenses to me. Our treasury has enough to spend on ten such coronations.’
Raje asked, turning to Annaji, ‘I haven’t seen Shambhu Raje since the morning.’
‘I am told he went down the fort last night,’ Annaji said.
‘Why?’ Raje asked, a little surprised at Shambhu not informing anyone about his whereabouts.
At that moment, Sambhaji stepped in and saluted.
‘Where were you, Shambhu?’
‘I was at the base of the fort. I had received news from my spies of our victory over Bahlol Khan.’
‘What?’
‘Yes, Aba saheb! Anandrao and Hansaji didn’t attack Bahlol Khan directly, as he had taken help from the Mughal sardar, Diler Khan. Instead, they attacked his jagir, looted his bazaars and picked up cartloads of wealth. They ravaged Bahlol Khan’s territory and, as we speak, Anandrao is returning here with a pair of elephants and five hundred horses captured in the battle as booty—not to mention the tons of other wealth we have got along with them.’
‘Oh, that is fantastic news!’ Raje exclaimed.
‘Aba saheb, I got the news last night and I went down to ensure that that I personally received the heroes.’
‘Well, that was very good of you!’ Raje said, happy at Sambhaji’s conduct.
‘Now welcome the triumphant warriors here,’ he added.
As soon as Anandrao entered, Raje stepped forward and tucked a crest into his turban. ‘Your success has helped me to relieve a little bit of the pain caused by Prataprao’s death. Welcome back,’ he said, hugging him affectionately.
To add to the celebrations, another piece of good news came in the same day; Raje’s naval troops had defeated Siddi at Janjira. It was indeed a happy day!
#
The preparations at the fort were progressing at a rapid pace. Artists were busy decorating the walls of the palace with new paintings and all the havelis, houses, mansions and other buildings were being renovated. Fifty thousand people were estimated to attend the ceremony. Kashibai, having taken ill, was shifted to the haveli at Pachad on instructions from the physician. She was being looked after by Putlabai and Sagunabai while Soyarabai and Maa saheb supervised the work at the fort.
Raje had one more worry—he had not been able to select a suitable successor to Prataprao as the Senapati. He needed to fill the post soon. He was worried that the Adil Shahi and Mughal troops may take advantage of the temporary lull in activity and attack during the coronation ceremony.
That night, Raje sat in his quarters with Annaji, Moropant, Yesaji and Sambhaji. Raje said, ‘I have lost Prataprao. We need someone in his place now.’
Annaji said, ‘Maharaj, may I suggest something? I nominate Anandrao who defeated Bahlol Khan and proved his worth.’
Raje said, smiling, ‘If victory in wars was the only criterion, we have many such heroes. Kondaji and you won at Panhala while Moropant showed his bravery at Salher besides Yesaji and Hansaji. A Senapati needs to have foresight, be thoroughly familiar with the kingdom, have the trust of his men and show loyalty to the kingdom. N
etaji was a daredevil and had the men’s trust but his shaky loyalty to the throne made him unworthy of the position. Prataprao was loyal to the core but his eagerness to prove the same cost him his life.’
‘Aba saheb, if I may …’
‘Yes, please.’
‘I feel Hansaji Kaka would be a worthy choice. He has a calm temperament and is very loyal.’
‘How do you know that he is loyal?’
‘He is related to us but has never demanded a position. In fact, he shared the credit for having the battle against Bahlol Khan along with Anandrao but instead of coming here, he preferred to look after his duties in Chiplun.’
Raje said, his face turning a little grave, ‘I will think over it. I will visit Chiplun as soon as possible.’
As everyone took leave for the night, Raje said, ‘Sambhaji, please come with Anandrao to meet me in the morning. And don’t mention it to anyone.’
After Sambhaji left, Raje lay down on his bed for a long while as sleep eluded him.
#
The next morning, as Raje returned from darshan, he found Firangoji waiting for him. He said, accepting his salute, ‘Why were you waiting for me? You should have sent a message. What brings you here?’
‘I heard about the coronation ceremony and could not wait to see you.’
After chatting for a while, Raje was about to get up but found Firangoji hesitating. He seemed to be wanting to say something more. Raje said, ‘Please speak your mind, Firangoji. I can see you want to say something.’
‘Raje, this old man has spent his entire life in your service. You are going to have a coronation ceremony, but I will not be there to witness it.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘You are asking me why? You were the one who issued the orders—“Protect the forts with utmost care and don’t allow the smallest of negligence in your duties. Else you will not be spared …”’
Raje laughed loudly and said, ‘I know I have issued the orders but it does not mean you won’t be present here. How can the ceremony take place without you? Now, please ensure that you depute someone to Chakan in your absence and make yourself available here at the earliest.’
