by Ranjit Desai
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W
inter was approaching fast, and fog covered the hilltops in the morning. The next campaign was now being planned. It was decided that Raje would personally lead a campaign to Khandesh while Anandrao would lead a contingent towards Surat to create havoc there.
For nearly three months, Raje campaigned in Khandesh. Anandrao’s forces, in the meanwhile, were confronted by nearly four thousand Bhils in Ramnagar region near Daman and, despite negotiating to pay them a lakh of rupees, Anandrao and his men had to return. He joined Raje in Aurangabad, and the attack on Surat was thus temporarily abandoned.
Halting at Erandol, Raje ordered the troops to march on the English factory. The Mughal officer Keshagi tried his best to face the Marathas but had to finally run away. Raje was thus able to enter Burhanpur without any resistance and returned to Raigad with a large loot.
The winters had ended now. The English tried their best to demand compensation from Shivaji but to no avail. Apart from the Mughals and the Adil Shahi court, Shivaji was worried about another enemy—the Siddi of Janjira. He held sway over the Arabian Sea, leaving Shivaji’s ships under constant threat. With a view to counter Siddi, Raje decided to build a fort, Padmadurg, at Kasa near Rajpuri. He instructed his admiral Daulat Khan to send a naval force to protect the men as they built the fort. Soon, the fort was ready and Raje named Subhanji Mohite as the fort-keeper. Sambhaji’s thread ceremony was performed around this time as well. It was to be done during the coronation ceremony but had been delayed due to Maa saheb’s demise.
Within a fortnight of Sambhaji’s thread ceremony, a surprise attack by the Mughals at the Kalyan–Bhiwandi area also worried Raje. It was something he had not expected them to do. That evening, he called a meeting of the council. He said, as the men assembled, ‘I am told that Bahadur Khan has been furious ever since we looted his camp, which was expected. I know he is lazy and does not have Diler Khan’s grit, but his attack on Kalyan proves that he is getting ready to act.’
‘What do you propose we do, Aba saheb?’ Sambhaji asked.
‘We must reconcile with Bahadur Khan. Begin peace talks with him, and say that we are ready to pledge allegiance to the emperor and surrender seventeen forts. Also, say that I am willing to send my son to serve under him if he promises a mansab of six thousand. But all of this on the condition that the territory south of the Bhima River will remain ours.’
‘I will never serve under the emperor!’ Sambhaji exclaimed.
Raje smiled and said, ‘You will have to go, my dear! It is for the good of the kingdom.’
‘I would rather fight and die than give in so easily.’
Raje smiled, seeing Sambhaji’s reaction. He said, ‘Shambhu, I was only pulling your leg. These are negotiation tactics, and we need to buy time. Even if Bahadur Khan agrees, he has to wait for the final orders to come from Delhi. Till then at least, we will have peace and can complete our operations in Karwar.’
Sambhaji was visibly relieved to hear Raje’s plan.
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Raje’s estimate was right. Bahadur Khan, weakened by the constant attacks from Shivaji’s men, had no strength to counter the attacks. To add to things, he was worried about the emperor’s wrath. The proposal for a treaty from Shivaji Raje was an opportune one and he did not waste any time in writing to Aurangzeb, who was then camping in Punjab, to send a farman in Sambhaji’s name.
Raje, seeing that his ploy had worked, decided to start a new campaign and, after asking Sambhaji to be stationed at Raigad, planned an attack on Phonda.
On arriving at Rajapur, he dispatched forty ships to Vengurla. Raje had suffered a defeat here at the time of his negotiations with Jai Singh. Annaji too had failed to capture it. Determined not to lose this chance, they marched with a huge army of fifteen thousand cavalry and nearly an equal number of foot soldiers. On reaching Rajapur and then going via Kudal on to the outskirts of Phonda, Raje dispatched two thousand cavalry and five thousand foot soldiers to lay siege to the fort.
The summer was at its peak and the coastal humidity made matters worse. The fort-keeper, Muhammad Ikhlas Khan, despite having food supplies to hold out for nearly four months, decided to counter the Maratha attack.
The Portuguese in neighbouring Goa were becoming concerned about the situation. They had promised to remain neutral but were worried that Raje may turn his attention to them once he captured Phonda. They managed to instigate the Desais on the border areas to attack the Marathas. The Desais were routed quickly and the Maratha soldiers chased them right into the Portuguese territory. The Portuguese, having captured Raje’s emissary, sent ten vessels loaded with food as relief to those trapped in Phonda but these were intercepted by Raje’s men. When the viceroy was demanded an explanation by Raje, he pleaded innocence. Raje knew that the Portuguese would now not interfere anymore and he focused his attention on capturing the fort.
Despite repeated attacks, the strong walls of the fort did not fall. There had been many casualties and Raje was worried that he may lose more men if he kept trying the same tactics. He called for five hundred ladders and asked Ibrahim Khan to lay mines near the walls.
On the day of the attack, the soldiers at the fort were taken aback by a sudden lull in the activities and many looked out from the ramparts, wondering whether the Marathas had decided to retreat. Suddenly, three deafening blasts penetrated the sky and in no time, the wall had been breached. Ibrahim Khan was the first one to attack with the Maratha flag in hand. Soon, the Maratha soldiers, shouting ‘Har Har Mahadev!’ charged in and captured the fort.
Ibrahim Khan presented himself to Raje after the capture. He could barely salute as his right shoulder was wounded and Raje was overjoyed to see him. He said, ‘You have shown great valour. You are now the fort-keeper of Phonda.’
After making necessary arrangements at Phonda, Raje moved on. He had set his sights on Karwar now.
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In the forests of Marai, near Pachad, Sambhaji had been enjoying a hunting expedition for two days. The summer was in full swing and the Savitri River, now reduced to a stream, looked miserable. As Sambhaji galloped towards Raigad, the horses frothed at the mouths, the dry and sweltering heat taking a toll on everyone. Sambhaji got emotional when the haveli at Pachad came into view.
‘Shidoji!’ He called out to his aide.
Sambhaji said, when Shidoji came near, ‘You carry on. I will take darshan of Maa saheb and join you.’
Spurring his horse, he entered the precincts of the haveli. A soldier saluted standing there but Sambhaji was lost in his thoughts as he entered the gardens, now looking deserted. The gloomy atmosphere was in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle in the place when Jijabai had resided here. He moved his horse towards Jijabai’s samadhi, and dismounted. He gently moved his fingers over the pedestal. The tulsi plant swayed in a light wind. With a heavy heart, Sambhaji abruptly turned and mounting his horse, galloped towards Raigad. He did not want to linger there any longer, memories flooding his mind and making him restless. As he raced towards Raigad, he spotted a well and a beautiful lady standing near it, holding a pitcher. He pulled the reins sharply, making the horse rear. Sambhaji had not seen a more beautiful face.
Unable to take his eyes off her, he asked, as he wiped the sweat off his face, ‘Can I have some water for my horse?’
The young woman, without saying a word, poured the pitcher into a small pit. As the horse drank, Sambhaji, stroking the horse gently, looked at the woman’s sensual and curvaceous figure. Quite to his surprise, she did not look away.
He said, as he moved towards her, ‘You have quenched my horse’s thirst. What about me?’
For a moment she looked angry and then suddenly, she smiled sweetly, and said, ‘Please go before someone sees us here.’
Sambhaji was not one to listen to orders. Giving in to his request, she poured the water from the pitcher into Sambhaji’s cupped hands. Hurriedly looking around to see if they had been spotted, she seemed in a great hurry to m
ove.
Sambhaji said, wiping his mouth, ‘I have never tasted such sweet water. Thank you.’
‘Masters should not say that!’
‘So you do recognize me! What is your name?’
‘Godavari.’
‘Do you come here every day?’
Godavari did not reply but her silence conveyed the answer Sambhaji wanted.
‘I will be here tomorrow. I will meet you.’
Sambhaji mounted his horse. As he spurred, he turned to look at Godavari who continued to stare at him. Galloping towards Raigad, he wondered whether he had been dreaming. Her face continued to wreak havoc in his mind.
The next day, Godavari came to the well as usual and was restless at not seeing Sambhaji around. Waiting desperately for him, she looked around as she continued to wash her clothes. Soon, she heard footsteps and Sambhaji emerged from behind a tree.
She asked, not knowing what to say, ‘Where is your horse?’
‘I tied him a little away. His thirst is quenched. It is I who is thirsty!’
As she moved to give him some water, Sambhaji said, raising his hand, ‘No, that won’t quench my thirst.’ He held the edge of her pallu. ‘Godavari, I could not sleep all night!’
Extricating herself from his grip, she said, ‘The receiver should not harass the one that gives.’
Sambhaji took out a necklace he was wearing and gave it to her.
She shook her head saying, ‘I am visiting my parents—I cannot take that.’
‘What shall I give you, Godavari? Something that you would remember all your life. Tell me!’
‘If you insist,’ Godavari said, a little hesitant, ‘then I’d like to experience you as closely as possible!’
Sambhaji was quiet for a moment and then said, ‘I shall fulfil your wish. I will return soon.’
He returned to the fort. The blazing sun hardly mattered to him. On reaching the fort, he received news of Raje’s capture of Phonda. An excited Sambhaji said, ‘Please let the cannons announce Raje’s victory.’ He turned to go to his quarters.
As he stepped into his room, Yesu asked, ‘Are you planning to go out tonight again?’
‘Yes. I am told a tiger is prowling nearby. If you keep my secret, I will go.’
A braid of champak flowers attracted his attention. Picking up the braid, he said, as he inhaled the scent deeply, ‘This is so lovely. And it is intoxicating too, isn’t it?’
At that moment, the cannons boomed announcing the victory.
#
The news of further victories was reaching the fort daily. Within fifty days of capturing Phonda, Raje had captured Akola, Kadra and Karwar and merged them into the Maratha kingdom. Karwar was known for its slave trade. As soon as the territory was merged into the kingdom, Raje said to Prataprao, ‘The practice of slavery is a shameful one. We must stop it immediately.’
Prataprao said, ‘You may be right, Raje, but we must be patient. The trade occurs in Bijapur and Hubli too. The English, the Bijapurkurs and the Mughals are all involved in it.’
Raje was perplexed. He asked, ‘I can understand the inclination of the Mughals and the Bijapurkars. Why do the English need slaves?’
‘They have a fascination for Indian dwarfs, Maharaj.’
‘I see! I am not going to allow this to persist in the kingdom of the Lord. We must impose heavy taxes on the trade so that it stops automatically. Please issue orders immediately to this effect.’
After staying in Karwar for a few days, Raje decided to return to the fort. A large portion of coastal Konkan was under his control now. As the monsoon advanced towards the Western Ghats, Raje started his return march to Raigad.
At Raigad, Sambhaji’s midnight excursions had become a regular affair, much to the anxiety of the elders, but no one dared question him.
The rains were in full swing now. As Sambhaji was getting ready to leave one night, Yesu asked, ‘When are you likely to come back?’
‘Tomorrow—or the day after for sure.’
‘Have you informed my mother-in-law?’
Sambhaji replied casually, ‘Tell her I have gone out for some recreation.’
As he was about to leave, he saw Soyarabai standing at the door.
She asked, ‘Where are you off to?’
Seeing Sambhaji raise an eyebrow questioningly, she said, ‘Oh, I am sorry. You must be going on an important mission and I should not have asked.’
‘Well, I am going to receive Aba saheb, who is expected any day.’
‘Why did you not say that?’
‘The custom here at the fort is that till he comes to the fort, no such news must be made public.’
‘I see!’ Soyarabai left, fretting and fuming.
Yesu asked, as soon as she was out of earshot, ‘Why did you snub her? People get hurt for the smallest of reasons.’
‘Well, Aai saheb is the one who hurts others. It is my misfortune that I was born first. She will never forgive me for that!’
Yesu, overwhelmed with emotions, could barely say anything. Sambhaji did not wait for her to respond and left.
#
The western sky was filled with dark clouds, threatening to burst open at any moment, as Sambhaji waited with his horsemen for Raje to arrive. The air was warm and humid. Sambhaji dismounted after seeing Raje at a distance. Raje too dismounted and hugged Sambhaji affectionately. He said, putting his hand on his shoulders, ‘Is everything all right?’
‘Ji, Aba saheb.’
Raje turned to Hambirrao and said, ‘You know, it would have been fine had Sambhaji met me at the fort but to be honest with you, I did wish that he would receive me here!’
Hambirrao smiled and said, ‘You are fortunate to have your wishes fulfilled!’
‘Our soldiers wait impatiently for the rains and are eager to reach home before that. Yurvraj, let us go to the fort now.’
As they rode towards Pachad, Raje ordered the troops to take the horses to the stables.
Sambhaji said, ‘Aba saheb, would you like to rest for a while? It is terribly hot now.’
‘What? Wait now? No, we’d better make our way to the fort.’
As they crossed the well where Sambhaji had met Godavari, Sambhaji said, ‘Aba saheb, you must drink the water of this well. It is very cool and tasty.’
Godavari was standing nearby and filled the pitcher to serve Raje. She said, ‘I do not have any other vessel with which to serve you’
‘Don’t worry,’ Raje said, as he cupped his palms for her to pour water in.
Wiping his mouth, Raje said, ‘It is indeed very tasty. What is your name, dear girl?’
‘Godavari.’
‘It suits you. The one who served us water! Where are you from?’
Hambirrao stepped forward and said, ‘Maharaj, she is the daughter of Dinkarpant and is related to Annaji.’
‘Oh, is that so? Please see that when she leaves for her father-in-law’s home, she is given a blouse piece and a coconut. Let us go now.’
Godavari watched as the horses galloped away. Her heart was overflowing with love and affection.
#
Torrential rains lashed Raigad. The rivers were in full spate, and mist covered the mountains throughout the day. In the meanwhile, Raje was busy with his spies, gathering information for his forthcoming attack on Janjira. He was only waiting for the rains to recede.
Raje had been at Raigad for more than a month when one morning, the news that Bahadur Khan’s envoy was on his way to meet Raje reached the fort. The envoy was provided with a separate residence and a date was fixed for an audience with Raje. As he waited in court for Raje to arrive, he glanced at the dazzling throne with its precious gems and stones. Wearing a Mughal turban and a silk kurta on loose trousers, he admired the beauty of the throne and asked, a little bewildered, ‘Does Shivaji Raje have so much wealth? Where did you get this throne?’
The question was asked to Nirajipant, who said, ‘We did not get it. We got it made with thirty-two maunds of gold, not
to mention the hundreds of gems and precious stones.’
The envoy was perplexed. He wondered why such an affluent king would want to willingly hand over his forts and serve under the Mughals. Just then, a sentry announced Shivaji’s arrival. The court rose. Shivaji Raje walked in, flanked by ushers who held golden spears. As Raje turned to sit on the throne, the envoy bent thrice in an elaborate mujra. Ramchandrapant introduced him and said, ‘The envoy of Mughal Subedar of the Deccan, Khanjahan Bahadur Kokaltash Jafarjung is here in our durbar.’
‘I am glad to welcome the envoy of Bahadur Khan.’
The envoy stepped forward and clapped his hand once. The servant standing behind him holding trays covered in silk came forward. He removed the covers and the trays were full of gold coins and precious items. Shivaji stretched his hand forward in acceptance. The envoy, licking his lips nervously, chose his words carefully before saying, ‘Huzoor, my master Bahadur Khan had made a plea on your behalf to Emperor Aurangzeb and he has been kind enough to forgive all your offences. He has asked you to surrender the forts and send Sambhaji Raje to accept his mansabdari.’
Raje smiled. ‘I don’t think he sent me a message. “Order” would be a more appropriate word.’
The envoy was taken aback and said, swallowing nervously, ‘Ji, Huzoor.’
Raje’s smile vanished and he said, his voice now threatening, ‘Order? Bahadur Khan has the temerity to send me this order? It seems he has forgotten how we looted the fort. What makes him think we are going to surrender and accept their servitude?’
‘But Huzoor …’ The envoy began.
‘Shut up and listen! Leave before I lose my temper.’
As Raje stood on the dais, the envoy hurriedly saluted and vanished from the durbar.
As he left the fort, he wondered how he was going to convey the message to Bahadur Khan. He had come with hopes of serving the Mughal farman and had been dreaming of the rewards on his return. Aurangzeb, in anticipation of the treaty, had promoted Bahadur Khan and had sent him an elephant as a gift. He now prayed fervently that Bahadur Khan had the courage to bear the way Shivaji had insulted him. Unmindful of the lashing rains, the envoy hurriedly left the fort.
