Challenging Destiny : A Biography of Chhatrapati Shivaji

by Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran

‘When peace demands despair and shame, war remains the only option that is most humane.’

When Shivaji was barely fifteen, a Patil of a village called Ranjhe that fell into his jagir misbehaved with a woman. The Patil was summoned and the perpetrator could not believe that what he had done was indeed considered as a crime; it was his right, wasn’t it? First he started cursing, and then begging in the courtyard of Lal Mahal that was filled with people who had come from far and near to witness the court proceedings. With his mother sitting next to him and with Dadaji standing behind him, young Shivaji gave his verdict, pronouncing the Patil ‘guilty’ and handed over the punishment:‘Patil of Ranjhe, Taraf – Khedebare, Babaji Bhikaji Gujar, has committed an act of offence, while serving in his office as a Patil. The report of his actions has reached us – and his guilt has been proved beyond doubt. Thereupon, as per our orders, chop off his limbs, all four limbs.’

Shivaji and Aurangzeb as protagonists. The other characters included Shah Jahan (the aging Mughal Emperor), his first son Dara Shukoh (the crown prince), his second son Shah Shuja (the subhedar of Bengal), and his fourth son Murad Baksh (the subhedar of Gujarat). In the Adilshahi, the now dead Mohammad Adil Shah’s queen, the Badi Sahiba, her adopted son Ali Adil Shah, and their newly appointed general, Afzal Khan, too, had meaty roles to play. Abdullah Qutb Shah, king of the Qutbshahi kingdom and his Grand Wazir Mir Jumla, too, would bask in the limelight of the most interesting period of our history.

Players of the Indian history during Shivaji maharaj