Maharani Yesubai

     

       Yesubai  was the wife of the second Maratha Chhatrapati  Sambhaji. She was the daughter of Pilajirao Shirke, a Maratha sardar, who was in the services of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Yesubai was taken prisoner along with her young son, Shahu when the Maratha fort at Raigad was captured by the Mughals in 1689. Aurangzeb never looked after them although they were carried with him, place to place. After Aurangzeb's death in 1707, his son, the new Moghul emperor Azam, released Shahu to incite divisions in Maratha ranks. The Moghuls, however, kept Yesubai captive for another decade or so to ensure that Shahu kept to the terms of the treaty he signed upon his release. Finally in 1719, the Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath Bhat got her released when he negotiated a wide ranging treaty with the Moghuls that recognized Shahu as the rightful heir of Shivaji.

         In early 1689, Sambhaji called his commanders for a strategic meeting at Sangameshwar in Konkan. In a meticulously planned operation, Ganoji Shirke (brother of Sambhaji’s wife Yesubai) and Aurangzeb's commander, Mukarrab Khan attacked Sangameshwar when Sambhaji was about to leave the town. A small ambush followed and Sambhaji was captured by Mughal troops on 1 Feb, 1689. He and his advisor, Kavi Kalash were taken to Bahadurgad. Aurangzeb humiliated them by parading them wearing clown's clothes. Later, Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash were tied upside down to camels with Mughal soldiers throwing stones, mud, and cow dung at them.

        When they were brought face to face with Aurangzeb, the latter offered to let Sambhaji live if he surrendered all the Maratha forts, turned over all his hidden treasures and disclosed the names of all the Mughal officers who had helped him. Sambhaji refused, and instead sang the praises of Mahadev (Lord Shiva). Aurangzeb ordered him and Kavi Kalash to be tortured to death. Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash were brutally tortured for over a fortnight. The torture involved plucking out their eyes and tongue and pulling out their nails. The later part involved removing their skin. On March 11, 1689, Sambhaji was finally killed, reportedly by tearing him apart from the front and back with 'Wagh Nakhe’ (‘Tiger claws’, a kind of weapon), and was beheaded with an axe. This grievous death was given to him at Vadhu on the banks of the Bhima river, near Pune.

         After every torture, Aurangzeb would ask him if he had had enough and wanted to convert – but the courageous king kept refusing. By doing so he earned the title of Dharmaveer (Protector of Dharma) by which he is known to this day. Aurangzeb ordered for Sambhaji's body to be cut into pieces and be thrown into the river. Residents of the nearby village named 'Vadhu' collected as many pieces of his body as they could find, sewed them together and performed the final rites on his body. These villagers later went on to use the surname 'Shivle' or 'Shivale', as per spelling preference, which means ‘sewing’ in the Marathi language.

        With Sambhaji’s death, the Maratha confederacy was thrown in disarray. He was succeeded by his younger brother Rajaram who became the leader of the Marathas. The Commander in chief of the Maratha army, Mhaloji Ghorpade, who succeeded Hambirrao Mohite, died in the ambush at Sangameshwar. A few days after Sambhaji’s death, the capital Raigad fell to the Mughals and Sambhaji’s wife and son were captured. However, Sambhaji’s torture and heroic death unleashed an unprecedented unity and heroic spirit amongst the Marathas. Aurangzeb continued his grim war against the Marathas for another 18 years but could not subjugate the Maratha state.

         Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his life in the Deccan, in constant warfare to vanquish the Marathas. He died in 1707, at Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. In 1737, within 50 years of the torture and death of Sambhaji, the Maratha – Jat Allied armies entered Delhi and re-established Hindu rule over all of western, central and much of northern India. It was the first time after 1192, when Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by Mohammed Ghori, that a Hindu army was in control of Delhi except for a brief period by Hemu in 1556. The Maratha Empire would remain the foremost military power in India till they lost power to the British after 3 Anglo-Maratha wars, the last of which ended in 1818.

Nar Veer Shiva Kashid

Shiva Kaashid was the personal barber to Shivaji, but that is not the motivation for this biography. He was a volunteer who saved Shivaji Raja and their jointly shared vision of a Hindavi Swarajya: a self-governing nation of people whose loyalties were to the land, the ideology of India and the rule of law.Recall that Raja Shivaji was stuck on the Panhala fort because of a well-planned and executed siege of that fort by the 40,000-strong army of General Siddi Jowhar. All attempts to break that siege from outside had failed. Torrential rains in the monsoon season did not help either as Siddi Jowhar had come prepared for just such an eventuality with waterproof tents. Monsoon would not last forever either and then Jowhar and his army could really push to seize the fort reinforced with English cannon. In short, Shivaji must somehow escape the siege of Panhala before the end of monsoon or else face an almost certain defeat. That would have been the end of himself and his vision of Hindavi Swaraj.

 

So, once Bahirji Naik discovered a relatively safe passage out of the siege, Shivaji sent his diplomat to visit General Siddi Jowhar and established the date for a summit meeting that he had no intention of keeping. Shivaji had asked Baji Prabhu Deshpande, a very capable captain in his army to lead him out of the siege under the cover of darkness and cacophony of rain and wind. There was a good chance that this attempt would succeed due to the natural laxity in the opposing army due to the impending summit meeting. Nonetheless, successful escape from Panhala with only 500 soldiers was not a certainty. What if that attempt failed? At this stage in the planning process, Shiva Kashid stepped forward to save his leader and the vision of an independent nation. Shiva Kaashid did resemble Shivaji in facial features as well as the general build. If he were to dress up like the real Shivaji, it would be difficult though not impossible to distinguish one from the other at least for a while. Reluctantly, Shivaji Raja accepted this plan though he did not like the concept of possibly sacrificing someone else for his own safety.

 

After much discussion, two different palanquins were prepared: one for Shivaji Raja and another for Shiva Kaashid. Both left the fort, along with 500 soldiers under the guidance of Captain Baji Prabhu Deshpande. Everything proceeded as per plan for a while. However, just as Shivaji and his soldiers were reaching the outskirts of the siege, it became clear that some of Jowhars soldiers had become suspicious and would attempt to follow the escaping army as soon as they had the necessary reinforcements. There was no time to waste.

 

 This was the eventuality for which Shiva Kashid had volunteered. As per the original plan, his palanquin, guarded by a few soldiers, was run via the main road to VishalGad while Shivaji Raja and the rest of his army went by a side road that very few knew about. When Siddi Jowhars son-in-law followed with his 2,000 strong army, eventually they captured Shiva Kaashids palanquin thinking that they had captured real Shivaji and brought him back to Siddi Jowhar. After a while, it became clear that Shiva Kaashid was not the real Shivaji but by that time, Shivaj is soldiers had acquired a very essential lead. Though history does not seem to know for sure, it is very likely that Shiva Kaashid was killed.

The origins of this battle were laid a little over six months before, when Shivaji killed Afzal Khan at Pratapgad on the 10th of November in 1659. This was then followed by a very short battle a month later between Shivaji and Rustom-e-Jaman at Kolhapur on December 28, 1659. Shivaji, after this victory took over Panhala from Ali Adil Shah II, the fifth king of the Adil Shahi sultanate of Bijapur (Bijapur was one of the five Deccan sultanates including Ahmednagar, Bidar, Berar, and Golconda). Shivaji then continued spreading his influence over the region. This obviously caused distress to Ali Adil Shah II who was all set to march to Panhala. However, Siddi Johar who had defied the Shah and taken over the jagir Kurnool, offered a deal to Ali Adil Shah II to recognise his control over Kurnool in return for laying the siege at Panhala. The Shah agreed, and also gave him the title of Salabat Jung. Siddi Johar was assisted by Siddi Masud and Fazal Khan (Afzal Khan’s son). The seige was laid on March 2, 1660 with a force of fifteen thousand men.

The siege continued for six months into the month of July in 1660. The Adilshahi army cut of all supplies to the fort and made it increasingly difficult for Shivaji to continue resisting the siege. Sensing the trap, Shivaji clandestinely communicated with Siddi Johar and requested an alliance with him and a safe passage. Siddi, saw this as an opportunity to carve out a separate empire of his own with Shivaji and agreed to meet him. They met at at midnight and agreed to cooperate. Shivaji returned to the fort and the seige continued as before.

Fazal Khan, however, was adamant on taking revenge for the death of his father, Afzal Khan, at Pratapgad. He maintained a close watch on the movements of Shivaji and continued the seige in all seriousness. However, Panhala is one of the largest forst in the Sahydri Mountain Range. Fifteen thousand men were too less to take on a fort of that size. Fazal Khan, instead, chose to atatck Pavangad, a nearby fort and avoided a frontal attack. He used British guns and began shelling Pavangad. The commander of Pavangad requested for relief from Panhala. Shivaji know knew that if Pavangad fell, supplies to Panhala would be cut and would be starved.

Two teams left Panhala on the night of July 13, 1660. Shivaji and his commanders took a side road to Vishalgad, about 70 kilometres away from Panhala, while Shiva Kashid, a barber who had a strong resemblence to Shivaji, led the other team on the main road to Vishalgad, impersonating Shivaji. When news reached Fazal Khan’s camp, they captured the second team and brought them back to base. The imposter was however recognised and beheaded and Fazal Khan chased Shivaji through the night to Vishalgad.

Dadoji Konddeo

Dadoji Konddeo was a 17th-century administrator or havildar for the Pune region and the nearby Kondana fort appointed by Shahaji raje Bhosale, a nobleman and general of the Bijapur based Adilshahi sultanate. He is known in history for overseeing the training of Young Shivaji, the future founder of the Maratha empire.

Shahaji appointed Dadoji as administrator of the Pune jaagir restored to him (Shahaji) after he joined the service of Adilshahi in 1637.Shahaji himself was based in Bangalore as the commander of Adilshah during this period.As the administrator, Dadoji established complete control over the Maval region, winning over or subduing most of the local Maval Deshpandes (chiefs). Dadaji also rebuilt the settlement of Pune and got back the prominent families who had left the town during the destruction by another Adilshahi general Murar Jaggdeo in 1631. Shahaji also selected Pune for the residence of his wife, Jijabai and son, Shivaji, the future founder of the Maratha empire. Dadoji also oversaw the construction of a palace in Pune, called Lal Mahal, for Jijabai and Shivaji. Dadoji is well known for overseeing young Shivaji's training.Per Jadunath Sarkar, young Shivaji and Dadoji did not always see eye to eye. Dadoji wanted Shivaji to aspire to be a loyal chieftain of the Adilshahi Sultan but Shivaji with daring efforts to capture forts in the Sahyadri mountains had other goals in mind.Dadoji, an old man at that time wrote to Shahaji about his son without any response from the father

Dadoji Kondev was in the service of Shahaji Raje Bhonslé, a nobleman and a commander in the Nizamshahi military of Ahmednagar. Shahaji proved himself as a brilliant commander was given a Jagir in area that roughly corresponds to present day Pune district.

During his career, Shahaji Raje Bhosale became a prominent warlord of the region and at different times served three powers. His last employer was the Adilshahi of Bijapur. As part of his service he was sent to Bangalore to defend Adilshah’s possesions in that region. At that time Shahaji appointed Dadoji as the Administrator or Subahdar of his Pune Jagir (Fiefdom) and also to take care of his wife Jijabai and infant son, Shivaji.

After Shahaji sent him to look after Jijabai and baby Shivaji, Dadoji Konddeo ran the administration of the small jaagir of Shahaji, while Shahji himself was in Bangalore as the commander of Adilshah. He established complete control over the Maval region, winning over or subduing most of the local Maval deshpandes (chiefs).He is also credited with overseeing Shivaji’s training.Jedhe Shakawali written by Kanhoji Jedhe and his son Baji Jedhe mentions about Dadoji Konddev as:“He developed city Shivapur as per order by Shahajiraje in 1636 and Lal Mahal in Pune in next year.”  

 Dadoji Konddeo was Shivaji's tutor and guardian. He was a 16th century martial arts expert from India who was an extremely loyal servant of his master Shahaji. Konddeo was also a Subehdar of Kondada fort. Dadaji Kondeo came from a Marathi Brahmin family and in his early life; he functioned as a nobleman and a commander in the Nizamshahi military of Ahmednagar. When Shahaji set up his own military base near the Pune region, he appointed Dadoji Konddeo as the instructor, who was particularly skilled in warfare and swordsmanship. Since Shahaji was constantly engaged in diplomatic maneuvers due to the constant warfare between the three forces, he sent Dadoji Konddeo along with council of ministers to look after his wife Jijabai and son Shivaji and to look after the jagir as well from1637 till his death 1649 at the age of 72. Thus Dadoji Konddeo looked after the administration of the small jagir of Shahaji, while Shahaji himself was in Bangalore as the commander of Adilshah. 

 Dadoji Konddeo is credited with the overall supervision of Shivaji's later education. By the time Konddeo was given the charge of Shivaji, the boy had already completed eight years of age. He was already tutored in Sanskrit Language and war tactics by his own father. Dadoji Konddeo took care of Maharaj's education from 1636 to 1646. From a young age the tutor was aware of the boy's fierce streak of independence. Shivaji had great respect for him. Repeatedly he told Dadoji Konddeo that he wanted to learn wisdom from him, but when Konddeo's way of thinking brought Shivaji back on the beaten track, the young man sidetracked the wisdom which was being drummed into him. Of the two, Shivaji was the more practical.

Dadaji Konddeo was concerned about Shivaji's decision to establish an independent kingdom. He advised him to follow the footsteps of his ancestors, who rose to the positions of power and wealth as vassals of the Deccan Sultanates. Shivaji's association with the hill brigands and his plans of capturing forts worried Dadaji a lot. He complained to Shahaji, but this didn't change Shivaji's plans. Dadaji Konddeo died in 1647, leaving Shivaji in control of the region at the age of 17.

Jiva mahala [bodyguard of Shivaji]

 The Character Jiva mahala is very famous for saving life of Shivaji Maharaj during Afjhalkhan Battle in 1659.Jiva Mahala Sankpal , a brave personality from village ‘Kondhwali’, near Wai ,Satara in Maharashtra. Later on he got introduced to Shivaji’s Court. In 1659 Afjhalkhan came to Pratapgad fort to finish Shivaji’s kingdom. The meeting decided with some rules in which only 10 bodyguards from both account shall be present at the place. Jiva mahala was appointed one of the ten.

Meeting went terribly wrong When AfjhalKhan attacked Shivaji Maharaj , Shivaji saved by his armor, recovered and counter-attacked Afzal Khan. Bada Sayyad rushed to the scene and attacked Shivaji with his flexible sword (Patta). Shivaji's bodyguard Jiva Mahala intervened, chopping off Sayyid Banda' s right arm in a quick combat.

To curb Shivaji’s activities in Maval, Adilshahi court sent Afzal Khan, general of Bijapur. On the way Afzal Khan damaged Tuljapur and Pandharpur temples, trying to entice Shivaji out of the mountainous areas. Shivaji had encamped at Pratapgad. Unable to incite him, Afzal Khan moved his army to Pratapgad.  Shivaji sent an emissary to Afzal Khan, stating that he did not want to fight and was ready for peace. A meeting was arranged between Shivaji and Afzal Khan at a shamiyana at the foothills of Pratapgad. It was agreed that the two would meet unarmed, but would bring ten personal bodyguards each. Nine of these guards would remain ‘one arrow-shot’ away from the pair, while a single bodyguard would wait outside the tent.

As the two men entered the tent, the 7′ tall Khan embraced Shivaji, swiftly drew his hidden dagger and stabbed Shivaji in the back. The dagger was deflected by his armour, and Shivaji responded by disembowelling the Khan with a single stroke of his wagh nakhi. Khan rushed outside shouting for help, and was defended by Krishanaji Bhaskar Kulkarni, his emissary, who was himself then killed by Shivaji. Thereupon Afzal Khan’s bodyguard Sayyed Banda attacked Shivaji with swords but Jiva Mahala, Shivaji’s personal bodyguard fatally struck him down, cutting off one of Sayyed Banda’s hands with a Dandpatta.This event is remembered in a Marathi idiom: Hota Jiva Mhanun Vachala Shiva – ‘Because there was Jiva, Shiva lived’. Shivaji sped up the slope towards the fortress and his lieutenants ordered cannons to be fired. It was a signal to his infantry, hidden in the densely forested valley, to raid the Adilshahi forces. In the war,  Adilshahi forces lost their artillery, 65 Elephants, 4000 Horses, 1200 Camels, jewels worth 300,000 Rupees, 1,000,000 Rupees, heaps of precious cloths, tents to the Marathas. The Marathas lost 1,734 soldiers, while 420 soldiers were wounded.

Khan’s death dealt the Adilshah’s rule a severe blow. A quarter of his territory, forts and a fifth of his army were captured or destroyed, while Shivaji doubled his territory, losing a tenth of his army. Having established military dominance and successfully beaten back a major attack by a powerful empire, Shivaji had founded the nucleus of what would become the Maratha Empire.

Maratha troops commanded by Shivaji's captain Kanhoji Jedhe, swept down on Afzal Khan's 1,500 musketeers; resulting in a complete rout of the musketeers at the foothills of the fort. Then in a rapid march, a section of Adilshahi forces commanded by Musekhan was attacked. Musekhan, Afzal Khan's lieutenant, was wounded and subsequently fled the field.

Meanwhile, Moropant led the Maratha infantry toward the left flank of Adilshahi troops. The suddenness of this attack on Afzal Khan's artillery at close quarters made them ineffective in providing artillery cover for the main portion of their troops. And as a result of this the rest of their troops rapidly succumbed to an all out Maratha attack. Simultaneously Shivaji's Sardar (captain), Ragho Atre's cavalry units swooped down and attacked the large but unprepared Adilshahi cavalry before they were able to be fully geared up for battle and succeeded in completely routing them in short order.

The Maratha cavalry under Netaji Palkar pursued the retreating Adilshahi forces, who were attempting to join up with the part of their reserve forces stationed in the nearby village of Wai. They were engaged in battle before they could regroup and were defeated prior to reaching Wai. The Adilshahi forces not withstanding the onslaught of the Marathas started retreating towards Bijapur. The Maratha army chased the retreating army and on their way captured 23 Adilshahi forts. In fact, the Adilshahi Killedar of the Kolhapur fort himself handed over the keys to the Marathas.

Maharana Pratap Singh

Also known as	Pratap Singh
Reign	1568-1597
Born	9 May 1540
Birthplace	Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
Died	19 January 1597 (aged 56)
Predecessor	Udai Singh II
Successor	Amar Singh I
Consort	Maharani Ajbade Punwar
Son	Amar Singh
Royal House	Sisodia
Father	Udai Singh II
Mother	Maharani Jaivantabai
Religion	Hinduism
Accession	Pratap was not the first choice of his father to succeed him. Rana Udai Singh wanted Jagmal, his another son, to be the King after him.
Battle of Haldighati	On 21 June 1576 the Mughal forces and Pratap's army fought at Haldighati, Gogunda (presently in Rajasthan). His army was outnumbered and thus had to flee.
Pratap's Escape	Legend says that one of Pratap's lieutenants disguised as Pratap, wearing his clothes, fought in his place in the battle, thus enabling his escape.
Guerrilla warfare	Being in the hills of the Aravallis during his exile, Pratap attempted several raids using the technique of guerrilla warfare.
Assistance from Bhamashah	Bhamashah, his general, was a great assisstance to Pratap as he offered his loot at Malwa to Pratap so that he could continue his fight against the Mughals.
Battle of Dewar	The Battle of Dewar was fought between the army of Mewar and Pratap. Pratap won and claimed back many Mewar territories but failed to get control over Chittor.
Children	17 sons, 5 daughters
Final days	Maharana Pratap died on 19 January 1597 at Chavand.

Maharana Pratap is a synonym to Rajput valor, chivalry and perseverance. He was a stand alone fighter against Mughal aggression and never bent down to any temptation. He was loved by his men and they stood by him in his fight for independence. He lost the Battle of Haldighat to Akbar but did not surrender and continued his combats till the end of his life.

Gallantry and a love for freedom was in Rana's blood as he was the grandson of Rana Sangha and the son of Udai Singh. At a time when all the Rajput states were making ally with Akbar, Mewar remained independent and this made Akbar furious. He attacked Mewar in Rajasthan and captured the fort of Chittor. Udai Singh fled to the hills but chose to stay independent even without his kingdom. After his death Pratap took up the responsibility and the people found a true leader in him.

With the neighboring states allying with Akbar, Pratap had a difficult time resisting the Mugahls as he had no capital. Akbar sent Man Singh as his emissary to invite Pratap in a dinner but the main aim was to seek a negotiation to come to a peaceful alliance. Pratap refuse to attend personally and sent his son Amar Singh instead. This incident soured the Mughal-Mewar relations even more and the Battle of Haldighat (1576) soon followed.

Akbar's army led by Man Singh had a numerical advantage over Pratap's army but he fought valiantly to resist them. The Bhil tribes of the surrounding hills came to Pratap's aid. Pratap himself fought valiantly and unfortunately missed Man Singh by a whisker. Finally, a Mughal victory was inevitable and Prata'ps men convinced him to leave the field. One of his noble men-Jhala disguised as Pratap got killed helping Pratap to escape. Injured severely, his loyal horse Chetak rode Pratap to safety before collapsing to death.

Pratap faced extreme hardship living the life of a fugitive but never gave up his struggle for freedom. With the help of his trusted men like Bhamashah he fought back and recovered most of his territories. 

 

 After the famous battle of Haldighati, Maharana Pratap’s own brother, Shakti Singh, who had joined the Mughals helped him escape the battlefield, as his beloved and trusted horse Chetak was wounded in his hind leg and Jhala Man a noble was wearing the Maharana’s crown as decoy. Chetak, Maharana Pratap’s trusted horse, delivered him to safe grounds before breathing his last. Pratap had to take refuge in the Aravalli hills. The Bhil tribals of the Aravallis supported Maharana during times of war, and helped him in living off the forests during times of peace. In exile, Pratap spent considerable time perfecting war tactics like guerilla warfare, harassing the enemy and light horse tactics which helped him win back Mewar.Col. Tod, the famous British antiquarian, gave Pratap the title of ‘Leonidas of Rajasthan’. In one of his writings on Pratap, Tod mentioned that, “There is not a pass in the Alpine Aravalli that is not sanctified by some deed of Maharana Pratap – some brilliant victory, or oftener, more glorious defeat.” It is believed that during his exile, Maharana Pratap, was at breaking point. A Rajput poet and warrior, Prithiraj of Bikaner who was at Akbar’s court sent a letter to the Maharana giving him strength, and steered him to carry on his war efforts.Maharana Pratap died at the age of 57, after sustaining a injury while hunting.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Raja Ram Mohan Roy is a great historical figure who put laudable efforts to transform India and dared to defy the age old Hindu traditions. He undertook a lot of social reforms to change the society and worked to uplift the status of women in India. Roy fought against Sati system. He was also a great scholar who translated many books, religious and philosophical work and scriptures into Bengali and also translated Vedic scriptures into English.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian socio-educational reformer who was also known as ‘Maker of Modern India’ and ‘Father of Modern India’ and ‘Father of the Bengal Renaissance.’ He was born on May 22, 1772 into a Bengali Hindu family.He was the founder of the Brahmo Samaj at Kolkata in 1828. His efforts actually led to the resumption of the ethics principles of the Vedanta school of philosophy. He co-founded the Calcutta Unitarian Society. He extensively studied Christianity and other religion. This made him realize that some Hindu traditions and superstitions were required to be reformed. He came to this conclusion while working for the East India Company. Apart from this he was born into a family with religious diversity which probably controlled his thinking. Roy was against idol worship and propagated the oneness of God through Brahmo Samaj..

 

The title ‘Raja’ was given to him by the Mughal Emperor. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the first educated Indian to travel to England. He went to England as an ambassador of the Mughal emperor Akbar II. He wanted to combine the righteousness of Western and Indian culture. He was against traditional Hindu practices and echoed his voice against Sati system, polygamy, caste rigidity and child marriage. He was greatly moved by his sister-in-laws death who became Sati. He put remarkable efforts in the education system of India. To modernize the education system, Raja Ram Mohan Roy established many English schools. He set up the Hindu collage at Calcutta in 1822. He assisted Alexander Duff to establish the General Assembly’s Institution. Roy promoted and urged that science, technology, western medicine and English should be taught at Indian schools.To politically educate people, Raja Ram Mohan Roy even published magazines in different languages including English, Hindi, Persian and Bengali. Noticeable magazines published by him were the Brahmonical Magazine, the Sambad KaumudiandMirat-ul-Akbar.

In 1983, a full scale Exhibition on Ram Mohan Roy was held in Bristol's Museum and Art Gallery. His enormous 1831 portrait by Henry Perronet Briggs still hangs there, and was the subject of a talk by Sir Max Muller in 1873. At Bristol's Centre, on College Green, is a full size bronze statue of the Raja by the modern Kolkata sculptor, Niranjan Pradhan. Another bust by Pradhan, gifted to Bristol by Joyti Basu, sits inside the main foyer of Bristol's City Hall. A pedestrian path at Stapleton has been named "Rajah Rammohun Walk". There is a 1933 Brahmo plaque on the outside west wall of Stapleton Grove, and his first burial place in the garden is marked by railings and a granite memorial stone. His tomb and chattri at Arnos Vale are listed Grade II* by English Heritage, and attract many admiring visitors today.

 

Raja Ram Mohan Roy died on 27 September 1833 in Bristol because of meningitis.Though India has made a progress in some areas and left behind certain social evils but condition of women is still far behind what it should be. Reformists like Raja Ram Mohan Roy should be born again in India to remove all sorts of evils

  

Religious reforms

The religious reforms of Roy contained in some beliefs of the Brahmo Samaj expounded by Rajnarayan Basu are:-

• Brahmo Samaj believe that the most fundamental doctrines of Brahmoism are at the basis of every religion followed by man.
• Brahmo Samaj believe in the existence of One Supreme God — "a God, endowed with a distinct personality & moral attributes equal to His nature, and intelligence befitting the Author and Preserver of the Universe," and worship Him alone.
• Brahmo Samaj believe that worship of Him needs no fixed place or time. "We can adore Him at any time and at any place, provided that time and that place are calculated to compose and direct the mind towards Him."

Jhansi Chi Rani Lakshmibai

Born	Manikarnika Tambe, 19 November 1828
Place of Birth	Varanasi, India
Nationality	Indian
Father	Moropant Tambe
Mother	Bhagirathi Sapre
Died	18 June 1858 (aged 29), Kotah ki Serai, near Gwalior, India
Spouse Name	Jhansi Naresh Maharaj Gangadhar Rao Newalkar
Chidren	She gave birth to a boy, later named Damodar Rao, in 1851, who died when four months old.
Education	She was educated at home and was more independent in her childhood than others of her age; her studies included shooting, horsemanship, and fencing.
Known for contribution as	Lakshmi Bai.
Awards and honours	honour of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi

  Rani Lakshmi Bai was one of the leading warriors of the India's first struggle for independence. A symbol of bravery, patriotism and honour, Rani Lakshmi Bai was born on 19 November 1828 at Poona. Her actual name was Manikarnika. Her father Moropant Tabme was a court advisor, and mother Bhagirathi was a scholarly woman. At a very early age she lost her mother. Her father raised her in an unconventional way and supported her to learn to ride elephants and horses and also to use weapons effectively. She grew up with Nana Sahib and Tatya Tope, who were active participants in the first revolt of independence.

         In 1842, Rani Lakshmi Bai got married to Raja Gangadhar Rao who was the Maharaja of Jhansi. After her marriage, she came to be known as Lakshmi Bai. In 1851, she gave birth to a son but unfortunately he died in his fourth month. After this tragic incident, Damodar Rao was adopted by the Maharaja of Jhansi as his son. Moved by the death of his son and his poor health, Maharaja Gangadhar Rao also died on 21 November 1853. When the Maharaja died, Rani Lakshmi Bai was just eighteen years old, but she didn't lose her courage and took up her responsibility.

        Lord Dalhousie, the Governor-General of India at that time, was a very shrewd person who tried to take advantage of the misfortune of Jhansi to expand the British Empire. The British rulers did not accept little Damodar Rao, as the legal heir of late Maharaja Gangadhar Rao and Rani Lakshmi Bai. Their plan was to annex Jhansi on the ground that it did not have any legal heir. In March 1854, Rani of Jhansi was granted an annual pension of 60,000 and was ordered to leave the Jhansi fort. She was firm on the decision not to give up the dominion of Jhansi to the British.

        For strengthening the defence of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmi Bai assembled an army of rebellions, which also included women. For this great cause she was supported by brave warriors like Gulam Gaus Khan, Dost Khan, Khuda Baksh, Sunder-Mundar, Kashi Bai, Lala Bhau Bakshi, Moti Bai, Deewan Raghunath Singh and Deewan Jawahar Singh. She assembled 14,000 rebels and organised an army for the defence of the city.

       In March 1858, when the British attacked Jhansi, Rani Lakshmi Bai's army decided to fight and the war continued for about two weeks. The army fought very bravely, even though Jhansi lost to the British forces. After a fierce war when the British army entered Jhansi, Rani Lakshmi Bai, tied her son Damodar Rao to her back and fought bravely using two swords in both her hands. She escaped to the fortress of Kalpi under the cover of darkness and was accompanied by many other rebellions. She departed to Gwalior and a fierce battle was fought between the British and the Rani's army. On the unfortunate day of 17 June of 1858, this great warrior martyred her life for India's freedom. 

 

After all the British in Jhansi had been killed by mutinous Indian troops in June 1857 the Rani took over the administration provisionally until the British returned. However she had to form an army to defeat the invading forces of Orchha and Datia and the British believed she had been responsible for the earlier British deaths.In March 1858, British forces led by Sir Hugh Rose came to Jhansi to take back the city from the Rani who now wanted independence. Jhansi was besieged and finally taken after strong resistance. Many of the people of the city were killed in the fighting and many more afterwards. The Rani escaped to Kalpi and jointly with the Maratha general Tantya Tope then seized Gwalior. In the battle of Kotah ki Serai in which the Rani Laxmi Bai was died on 18th June 1858 at kotah ki serai ,Gwalior India

Maratha-Baji Rao I Peshwa

Famous as:  Peshwa of Maratha Empire

Nationality: Indian

Birth Date:  August 18, 1700

Died At Age: 39

Sun Sign:  Leo

Father: Balaji Vishwanath

Siblings: Chimnaji Appa

Spouses/Partners: Mastani, Kashibai

Children: Balaji Baji Rao, Raghunathrao, Shamsher Bahadur I

Religion: Hinduism

Died on: April 28, 1740

Bajirao I was the Peshwa (Prime Minister) to the fourth Maratha Chhatrapati (Emperor) Shahu. A courageous warrior, he is credited with expanding the Maratha Empire, especially in the north. Also known as Bajirao Ballal and Thorale ("Elder") Bajirao, he was born into a Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin family. His father was the first Peshwa of Chhattrapati Shahu, and Bajirao used to accompany his father on his campaigns from a young age. He inherited his father’s courage and valor, and grew up to be a brave and daring warrior himself. He gained much fame for his military skills while still a teenager and was appointed as the Peshwa when he was just 20 years old. In this position he proved himself to be an outstanding cavalry leader who took up the charge of leading his troops and helped to greatly expand the Maratha Empire. Famed for his military skills, Bajirao made use of rapid tactical movements in battle which greatly contributed to his success. He fought several major battles and is reputed never to have lost one. He was a much respected figure who earned the love of his troops and his people. In addition to his exploits as a warrior, Bajirao was also known for his love for his half-Muslim wife Mastani. 

Childhood & Early Life 

• Bajirao was born on 18 August 1700 into a Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin family as the son of Balaji Vishwanath and Radhabai. He had a younger brother called Chimnaji Appa.
• His father was the first Peshwa of Chhattrapati Shahu. As a young boy he often used to accompany his father on military campaigns and was well trained by the Maratha cavalry generals. Under his father’s able guidance, he grew up to be a disciplined and highly skilled warrior.
• His father was treacherously arrested by Maharaja Shahu’s army-in-chief Dabhaji Thorat in 1716. Bajirao chose to accompany his father to jail and remained with him for two years till he was released. He travelled with his father to Delhi in 1718.

Later Years  

• His father Vishwanath died in 1720. Chhattrapati Shahu immediately announced the appointment of Bajirao as the new Peshwa even though the young man was barely 20 years old.
• Bajirao was a tall and well-built man who in spite of his young age possessed great military skills. His appointment to the prestigious position of Peshwa at such a young age made many in the Maratha court jealous, but it did not take Bajirao long to prove that Shahu had made the right decision in choosing him.
• From the very beginning he set his eyes upon extending the Maratha Empire. He embarked on his first major campaign in 1723 and conquered Malwa followed by Gujarat. Then he went on to annex most of central India and even dared to attack the imperial Delhi.
• Eventually the administrative capital of the Maratha Empire was moved from Satara to the new city of Pune in 1728 at his suggestion. Chhattrapati Shahu had tremendous faith in Bajirao who fearlessly confronted the Mughals and played a major role in weakening their stronghold on the Indian subcontinent.
• Bajirao led several military campaigns over a career spanning two decades. He is credited to have created the later Kingdoms of Scindias (Ranoji Shinde) of Gwalior, Holkars (Malharrao) of Indore, Gaekwads (Pilaji) of Baroda, and Pawars (Udaiji) of Dhar as part of the Maratha Empire.
• The courageous warrior was highly skilled in military maneuvers and warfare. He fought over 41 major battles and many other smaller ones, and is reputed never to have lost a battle. He is especially noted for his victory over Bangash Khan who was regarded as the bravest commander of the Mughal army.

Major Battles

Bajirao was known for his military tactics and the Battle of Palkhed which he fought against the Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad is considered a great example of his brilliant execution of military strategy. Eventually the Nizam was defeated by the Marathas and Bajirao was hailed as the hero of the Marathas’ resounding victory.

Personal Life & Legacy

• Bajirao’s first marriage was to Kashibai with whom he had two sons: Nanasaheb and Raghunathrao.
• His second marriage was to, the daughter of Maharaja Chhatrasal of Panna by a Muslim wife. Mastani was a beautiful and brave woman, skilled in horse-riding, spear-throwing and swordsmanship. However, Mastani was never accepted by Bajirao’s mother and brother as she was a half-Muslim. This marriage also caused a rift in the orthodox Hindu Pune society of the time.
• Mastani gave birth to a son who was called Krishnarao at birth. However the orthodox Hindus did not allow the couple to raise their son as a Hindu. So the boy was renamed Shamsher Bahadur and raised a Muslim.
• Bajirao died of an illness on 28 April 1740. Mastani too died shortly afterwards. According to popular folklore she committed suicide, though the exact details of her death are not known.
• Bajirao’s legend has inspired several books, television series, and films, one of the most popular ones being the movie ‘Bajirao Mastani’ (2015) directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Maratha-Maharani Saibai Shivaji Bhosale

Maharani Saibaisaheb Shivajiraje Bhosle

(1633 – 5 September 1659) was the first wife and chief consort of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire. She was the mother of Shivaji Raje’s eldest son and heir-apparent, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who succeeded Shivaji Maharaj as the Emperor.

Family

Saibai was a member of the prominent Nimbalkar dynasty. The members of the Nimbalkar dynasty were the rulers of Phaltan from the era of the Yadava dynasty until the integration of the princely states into the new nation of India in 1947. She was the daughter of the fifteenth Raja of Phaltan, Mudhojirao Naik Nimbalkar, and the sister of the sixteenth Raja, Bajaji Rao Naik Nimbalkar. Saibai's mother Reubai was from the Shirke dynasty.

Marriage

In the year 1630, Mudhojirao ruled over Phaltan. Before that he was a prisoner of Adilshah at Satara Fort. Shahaji Raje (Shivray's father) helped him escape prison. Out of appreciation, Mudhojirao gave his daughter Sai to Shivaji Maharaj. The two of them got married in May of 1640.

The exact date of marriage is not known but Shivabharat mentions that it occurred after Shivaji Maharaj was in his teens. The wedding likely took place when Shivaji Maharaj was around 10–12 years old, and Sai Bai 7, around 1640-42 AD. A reference in Raja Shivachattrapati mentions the event to have taken place on 16 May 1640 AD, and that the marriage was conducted in Pune and Shahaji Raje was unable to attend it as he was in Bangalore at that time.

They had three daughters namely Sakhubai, Ranubai and Ambikabai followed by their son Sambhaji. On 7 September 1651, a girl was born to Shivaji Maharaj at Rajgad. She was named Sakvarbai (Sakhubai). She was later said to be of "wheatish" complexion and was extremely beautiful. Ranubai was their second daughter born in 1653. Ambikabai was their third daughter born in 1655. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was their only son born on 14th may 1657 at Purandar fort.

Saibai and Shivaji Maharaj shared a close relationship; she was Shivray’s first and favourite wife. It is said that on his deathbed his last word was "Sai".

Children

Saibai and Shivaji Maharaj had 4 children in total, three daughters and a son.

•  Sakavarbai or Sakhubai (born in 1651)

• Ranubai (born in 1653)

• Amanika or Ambikabai (born in 1655)

• Sambhaji (born on 14 May 1657 at Purandar Fort).

Their first daughter Sakhubai, was married to Mahadji the son of Bajaaji Naik Nimbalkar i.e. son of Saibai's brother. This marriage took place in year 1657 with an objective to consolidate Bajaji's return to Hinduism as he was converted to Islam by Aurangzeb.

Ranubai was married in Jadhav family. Amanika or Ambikabai married Harji Raje Mahadik in year 1668.

Issue

During the course of their nineteen years of marriage, Saibai and Shivaji became parents of four children: Sakavarbai (nicknamed "Sakhubai"), Ranubai, Ambikabai and Sambhaji. Sakhubai was married to her first-cousin, Mahadji, the son of Saibai's brother, Bajaji Rao Naik Nimbalkar. This marriage took place in 1657 with an objective to consolidate Bajaji's return to Hinduism as he had been converted to Islam by the Mughal viceroy Aurangzeb. Ranubai married into the Jadhav family. Ambikabai married Harji Raje Mahadik in 1668. Saibai's fourth issue was her only son, Sambhaji, who was born in 1657 and was Shivaji's eldest son and thus, his heir-apparent. The birth of Sambhaji was an occasion of great joy and significance in the royal household for many different reasons.

Death

Saibai died at the age of 26 at Rajgad fort while Shivaji Maharaj was making preparations for his meeting with Afzal Khan at Pratapgad. She was ill from the time she gave birth to Sambhaji, who was two years old at the time of her death. He was brought up by Jijabai saheb, mother of Shivaji Maharaj. To nurture the newborn child Sambhaji, Jijabai appointed Dharai Gade Patil (Dharau) as his wetnurse.

Maratha- Tanaji Malusare

Born	1600 AD
Died	1670 AD
Village	Godoli, Javali taluka, Satara district, Maharashtra
Religion	Hindu
About	Tanaji Malusare, founder of the Maratha Empire, was a warrior in the army of Shivaji. He is also famous as Simha.
Known For	Battle of Sinhagad, 1670
Legacy	A ballad has been written in his honour. Also, a Marathi novel, Gad ala pan sinh gela was written, describing his life.
Battle of Sinhagad	The Battle of Sinhagad was fought on 4 February 1670 between Tanaji Malusare and Udaybhan Rathod.
Death	When Shivaji came to know about the death of Tanaji, Malusare he remarked, "We have gained the fort, but lost a lion."

Tanaji Malusare was a military leader in the Maratha Empire. Hailing from the Malusare clan, Tanaji fought alongside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in various battles throughout the years. He is most famously known for his role in the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670.

Tanaji is one of the brave and famous Maratha warriors and a name which is synonymous with valor and heroism. A lifelong companion and friend of the great Shivaji, he is famous for the capture of the Sinhagad Fort situated at the top pf the hill.Tanaji and his fellowmen braved the steep cliff and attacked the Mughal soldiers. Tanaji lost his life but ensured victory for the Marathas.

The fort of Kondana was situated at a very strategical location and it was very important for Shivaji to capture it. The fort was well guarded by 5000 Moghul soldiers led by Udai Bhan. The only unguarded portion was on top of a overhanging cliff. Tanaji decided to scale the steep cliff with the help of a reptile called Ghorpad. Ghorpads can stick to any surface and can carry the weight of several men with the help of a rope tied to it. At the dead of the night, Tanaji and his 300 fellowmen climbed the cliff silently and attacked the Mughals completely unaware. Tanaji was killed by Udai Bhan after a fierce battle but Shelar Mama avenge the death and the fort was ultimately won by the Marathas.

Despite the victory, Shivaji was upset for the loss of one of his most able commander. He renamed the Kondana fort as the Sinhagad fort in the honour of Tanaji - the 'Sinha'.

 Sinhgad in the hands of Mughals

        The Treaty of Purandar (June 1665) had forced Shivaji Maharaj  to surrender 23 forts to the Moghuls, including Sinhagad. The treaty hurt the pride of the Marathas. None felt the sting more deeply than Jijabai, the mother of Shivaji Maharaj, who was in a way the mother of the kingdom. Shivaji Maharaj, however deeply he loved his mother, could not fulfill her wish, because the conquest was considered virtually impossible, with the fortifications and select Rajput, Arab and Pathan troops guarding it. Shivaji Maharaj’s lieutenants shared this view.

But, Jijabai refused to share their hesitation. It is said that once determined, a woman’s strength of will and thirst of sacrifice are the most potent forces, and the example Shivaji Maharaj’s mother Jijabai definately supported this view. One morning, says the ballad of Sinhagad, while she was looking out of the window of Pratapgad, she saw in the distance the Lion Fort. The thought that the fort was now under the control of Moghuls enraged her. She summoned a rider and ordered him to go in all haste to Shivaji Maharaj, then resident at Rajgad, and tell him that she desired his immediate presence.

Tanaji Malusare on the 'Mission to re-capture Sinhgad

        Tanaji was in the village of Umbrat, engaged in celebrating his son’s wedding, when the call came for him to meet with Shivaji Maharaj at Rajgadh. He hastened to meet Shivaji Maharaj, accompanied by his brother Suryaji and his uncle Shelarmama. Shivaji Maharaj did not have the heart to tell his dear comrade that he had been summoned to such a mission, and directed Tanaji to Jijabai to hear from her the nature of his mission.

Undaunted by the terrifying nature of his mission, the Lion-hearted Tanaji vowed either to accomplish it or die in the process. He set out at night and from the Konkan marched towards the fortress with his men, reaching it unnoticed on a cold, clear and moonless night – in February 1670. He had taken with him Shivaji Maharaj’s favourite ghorpad or lizard to assist in scaling the fort wall (the lizard was regularly used to map a suitable route for climbing forts). The creature, to whose waist a cord was tied, refused to climb the fort, as if to warn Tanaji of the impending disaster. Tanaji expressed his rage, and the lizard got the message and terrified, scaled the hill top, which helped the Marathas to clamber the cliff.