CHATRPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ - THE NATIONAL HERO OF INDIA

Just two days back, we celebrated the birthday of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, filled with patriotic fervour and enthusiasm. It was then one doubt came to my mind. Did we regionalize this brave emperor? Have we forgotten his  glorious legacy? I feel it is not the people, but various political organizations as well as groups with vested interests have made him a local figure in Maharashtra.

But can clouds cover the sun for long? Absolutely NO!! Just like that, no one can make Shivaji, the brave son of Jija Bai, a local figure! He was, is and will continue to be national hero in our minds, in the minds of all patriotic Indians, irrespective or caste, religion or geographical barriers. His wars for Hindavi Swaraj was a glorious freedom struggle against the foreign powers, the Turks of Bijapur and the Mughal Empire. It would later become an inspiring tale for many of our brave freedom fighters in the independence movement against the British. I would like to show the readers why he was a pan-Indian hero, rather than a Maharashtraian one.

SETTING THE NEW RULE – WARS ARE TO BE WON, NOT TO BE FOUGHT

It was Shivaji who revolutionized the concept of war in India. The concept of Dharmayudh (righteous war) and perverted sense of virtues had led to the defeats of the previous Indian kings in the wars with the Turkish, Afghan and Mughal foes. But, Shivaji changed the rule. ‘Wars are to be Won. Fight it for winning it, not just for the sake of fighting it.’ He knew that only the victor would survive in this world. So if his nation was to survive, he had to win the war, which he did precisely. He believed in consistently attacking the enemy and never allowed them to regroup or fight back. The wars Shivaji fought was a obviously ‘dharmayudh’, but he made it sure that he used all the strategies to win the war – including diplomacy, tactical retreats and surprise counter-attacks. Shivaji’s victory over Adil Shah's Pathan commander Afzal Khan in Pratapgarh, his celebrated raid on Shaista Khan in Pune, and his glorious escape from Agra are testimonies to this fact. It shows that he was the true disciple of Shri Krishna and Arya Chankya.

Shivaji also did not hesitate to sign treaties when he found himself in a disadvantageous position. He signed the treaty of Purabandar in 1665 and gave up many of his forts. But, it should be noted that he recaptured all these forts by 1673. He was a man who attacked the enemy at the time and place of his choosing, not the enemy’s. After all, victory is important, not the tactic. This can be seen from the fact that many enemy generals like Afzal Khan (Pathan), Fatullah Khan (Mughal) etc lost their lives in battles with Shivaji Maharaj.

Shivaji also knew that diplomacy and war was the sides of the same coin and used them accordingly to realize his dream of Hindavi Swaraj. His other achievements were development of a strong navy and espionage system which would help his successors to liberate this nation.

The difference in the war tactics altered the course of Indian History and prevented the Aurengazeb’s dream of ‘Islamization of India’. The Marathas, even after the death of the Shivaji in 1680, shattered the Mughal power and had by the 1750s, had planted the flag of Swaraj in Delhi, making the Mughal emperor merely a puppet in their hands.

 

IDEA OF HINDAVI SWARAJ (INDIAN SELF-RULE)

Shivaji right in his young age had a burning desire to liberate his motherland from the foreign bondage. This was mainly due to the encouragement and influence of his mother Jija Bai. Isn’t it stunning that, the ruler of a small jagir in Pune think about this? He was just 15 years old when he took the oath of Hindavi Swaraj at Raireshwar temple along with a handful of followers, to end the slavery of more than 400 years since the fateful day of the fall of Prithviraj Chauhan. 

This was a national, secular ideology and not a theocratic one. His dream was an independent nation where all Indians could live as one people, irrespective of caste, creed, religion or language where all the Indian ancient cultural values are protected and inspiration is derived from them. He made this soldiers know that they are fighting not just for their ruler, not just for Maharashtra, but for all their countrymen who were groaning under the tyranny of the foreign rulers. Shivaji's pan-Indian national ideology was a result of inspiration from Sant Tukaram and Ramdas. 

Another remarkable aspect of his military conquests and his kingdom was that he united the countrymen from all castes and religions. In fact, even the people outside the kingdom, even in the north, saw in Shivaji, a great liberator. His greatest success was that he was able to infuse patriotic fervour in people not only in Maharashtra, but across India. He had an all-India vision and tried to woo Rajputs as well as the people in Deccani kingdoms for Pan-Indian unity.

Shivaji’s tolerant religious policy is also a great one. It should be noted that he followed the policy – ‘Justice for all, appeasement of none.’ It is an amazing fact that he managed to win the support of a large number of Indian Muslims when he fought the tyrannic rule of foreign Muslim emperors and sultans. He ensured freedom of religion for his people and opposed forced conversion. He even brought many converts back to Hinduism like Netaji Palkar. He respected Hindu as well as Muslim saints and protected the places of worship of the minorities. Even the Mughal historians like Kafi Khan accept this fact.

From these instances, we could easily understand that Shivaji can be considered as the father of Indian nationalism and the founder of a secular state in India.

THE INVINCIBLE MARATHA EMPIRE - THE REALIZATION OF SHIVAJI'S DREAM

It should be noted that it was due to the strong ideological and political setup of Shivaji that the Marathas were able to beat back the huge Mughal army and assert the independence of the Swaraj after his death in 1680. He turned the common people of the country into lions so that they would form a strong bulwark against all the alien attacks. His successors too were inspired by the same patriotic idea of Swaraj. We just have to recall Dharamveer Sambhaji's martyrdom and the heroics of Dhanaji and Santaji. 

Later, the Marathas led by Bajirao Peshwa took the war deep into the Mughal Empire and till the gates of Delhi. Mughals were thoroughly crushed and made puppets to the Maratha Empire. His son Peshwa Balaji Bajirao and Sadasivarao Bhau were instrumental in liberating Hindustan from Attock to the seas. The Turks, Portugese and the British were completely defeated and rendered helpless. The day of Panipat arose, the Hindustanis lost the battle, but won the war. Madhavrao Peshwa avenged Panipat by severly punishing the Afghans (Pathans and Rohillas) and finally freed India from the foreign rule, signalling the accomplishment of Shivaji's dream of Hindavi Swaraj. Never again an Afghan dared to cross the Indus. Marathas ruled supreme over India as one of the most powerful empires on the world, under the leadership of Mahadaji Sindhia and Nana Fadnavis. The death of the able leaders led to the decline of the Maratha Empire and the independence of India was lost to the British in 1818.

The period of Marathas was golden epoch in our history. It was for the first time in a millennium when a native power dominated the politics of Indian sub-continent. But, it was Shivaji Maharaj's vision and inspiration that made this impossible mission a reality. He gave courage to the people that they were the masters of their destiny and not the foreigners. It was infact, Shivaji who saved India from experiencing the fate of Persia which lost its ancient faith to the tidal wave of political Islam.

"Had not there been Shivaji, Kashi would have lost its culture, Mathura would have been turned into a mosque and all would have been circumcised”.

                                                                                     - Kavi Bhushan

We Indians should therefore free this true son of Bharat Mata from the shackles of regionalism and every Indian from Kashmir to Kanyakumari should be proud of his contribution to our country.

"Shivaji is one of the greatest national saviours who emancipated our society and our Hindu dharma when they were faced with the threat of total destruction. He was a peerless hero, a pious and God-fearing king and verily a manifestation of all the virtues of a born leader of men described in our ancient scriptures. He also embodied the deathless spirit of our land and stood as the light of hope for our future."

-         Swami Vivekananda.

Rabindranath Tagore wrote in his famous poem "Shivaji":

In what far-off country, upon what obscure day
I know not now,
Seated in the gloom of some Mahratta mountain-wood
O King Shivaji,
Lighting thy brow, like a lightning flash,
This thought descended,
"Into one virtuous rule, this divided broken distracted India,
I shall bind."