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.