With the tragic death of Shree Dharamveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Aurangzeb's lifelong dream of capturing the Deccan was fulfilled. The whole territory from the Narmada to the Tungabhadra lay at his feet. However, the savagery of the desert barbarian Aurangzeb hardened the hearts of the Marathas and impelled them to protect their own and their... Continue Reading →
Shock, quickly followed by a wild outburst of rejoicing was witnessed when Aurangzeb and his men received the news of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj's capture at Akluj. The young king who had tried his best to follow in the footsteps of his father, the late Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had terrorized Aurangzeb and the Mughals in his... Continue Reading →
The wily Aurangzeb continued to put pressure on the Marathas by despatching Shahâb ud-Din and his son, Chin Qilich Kamaruddin Khan to grab their territory in North Konkan and Baglan. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was outraged on hearing the devious tactics employed by father and son to win over the Marathas. He launched a furious... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj's bloody beginning gradually eased into a more restrained reign and he began his operations on the Siddi of Janjira and the Portuguese of Chaul who had been cowed into submission by Aurangzeb in his typical tyrannical manner. The Siddi has been appointed as Aurangzeb's admiral and was egged on to step... Continue Reading →
The year of 1682 - 1683 presented Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj a great opportunity to strike a mentally and physically weak Aurangzeb either at his treasured palace or as Muhammad Akbar suggested to ride through Gujarat into Rajputana. It is unclear why Sambhaji Raje did not take advantage of Aurangzeb's invasion but one surmise that it... Continue Reading →
Though it is indeed difficult to comprehend how and why the largely Hindu Rajput kings swore allegiance to the Muslim invaders from the time of Babur, power and wealth since time immemorial have been dangerous temptations that have successfully enticed many to swerve from their rightful duty to their Motherland. Such was the case with... Continue Reading →
The year of 1679 saw Aurangzeb begin a full-fledged war against the princes of Rajputana. Though, the Rajputs had always sworn allegiance to the Mughals since the time of Babur, Aurangzeb wished to stamp his authority on this rich region and annex it to the Mughal empire. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was quick to denounce... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a genius way ahead of his time. In the midst of uncertainty, savagery, brutalism and widespread plunder by the desert barbarian, Aurangzeb, Shivaji Raje was a beacon of hope for Hindus. He was a self-taught man who had no experience in the workings of a great capital or court or camp... Continue Reading →
After the decisive rout of Sher Khan Lodhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj headed towards Tanjore to meet his half-brother Ekoji to effect a reasonable division of their father’s holdings. He encamped at Tirumalavadi (Thirumalvadi) that lies on the north bank of the Coleroon River, a few miles from Tanjore. As Maharaj was awaiting the arrival... Continue Reading →
The wanton interference by the English outside the purview of their trade relations with Indian rulers and invaders at the siege of Panhala did not go unnoticed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. After Kartalab Khan and Rai Bagan were mousetrapped at Umberkhind and sent back with their honour intact, Maharaj appointed Netaji Palkar to keep an... Continue Reading →
If ever awards for stupidity were to be handed out, it is highly likely that Aurangzeb would confer one for himself and award the rest to his incompetent descendants. By the end of his reign, Aurangzeb who had waged war with the Marathas for twenty-five years and had only pyrrhic victories to his credit undid... Continue Reading →
The capture of the hill forts of Purandar, Kalyan and Bhiwandi and the death, ruin and defection of feudatories like the Mores of Javli and the Sawants of Wadi respectively effected by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his able aides brought the crippling Bijapur kingdom to its knees. The construction of the new hill fort of... Continue Reading →
An interesting fort complex built during the glory days of Bengal relegated to obscurity is the Kurumbera Fort which is at a little distance from Kharagpur. Kurumbera Fort which derives its name from kurum which means stone and bera which means fence and collectively means an area fenced by stone in the local language is located in the historically... Continue Reading →
One of the most exquisite weaves in cotton and silk is found in the Bengal heartland of Shantipur - Phulia. Called as Shantipuri, this centuries-old tant (traditional Bengali saree) derives its name from Shantipur in Nadia district. The ancient handloom industry in Shantipur has been mentioned in manuscripts glorifying the life of Advaita Acharya as... Continue Reading →
A rare type of tall coconut variety with immense historical, religious and commercial importance known locally as Eathamozhy or Eathamozhi tall coconut thrives in Kanyakumari district. The unique morphological traits found in this variety are of a superior genetic constitution and it is unsurprising that there is great demand for the seedlings of Eathamozhy tall... Continue Reading →
Along with the wily Chanakya, Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya dynasty built one of the largest empires in Akanda Bharat. He abdicated the throne in favour of his son Bindusara who was equal to the task. Bindusara not only consolidated the control over the empire but also extended it further south. Travellers' documentation and... Continue Reading →
One of the best-preserved brick temple complexes of the 9th - 10th century is found in the sleepy village of Nibiya Khera in Bhadwara. Though no inscription has been found, it is likely that the Gurjara - Pratihara dynasty who ruled over a large part of Northern India built this temple. This temple complex... Continue Reading →
The historically important village of Karnagarh in Medinipur district which was once the seat of the Midnapore royal family is most famous for its Chuar Bidroha, a rebellion led by Rani Shiromani, who is called as the Rani Laxmibai of Medinipur against the highly exploitative land revenue policy of the British in 1798. The British were... Continue Reading →
One of the most beloved traditional handloom sarees of West Bengal is Dhaniakhali saree deriving its name from the place Dhaniakhali in Chinsurah subdivision in Hooghly district. Hooghly district is home to some of the oldest cottage industries like silk and cotton handloom weaving, brass and bell metal manufacturing, oil pressing, village tanning and others.... Continue Reading →
Erode, popularly called as the 'Turmeric City' is the third largest turmeric market in India after Nizamabad in Telangana and Sangli in Maharashtra. There are approximately 30,000 farmers in Erode alone and around 55,000 farmers in Tamil Nadu engaged in the cultivation of turmeric. According to historical records, turmeric was grown by peasants in... Continue Reading →
The resounding victories of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Pratapgarh and Panhala was very difficult for Ali Adil Shah II of Bijapur to stomach since he had been at the receiving end of many humiliating routs. He decided to join forces with the Mughals to either capture young Shivaji or if possible, even kill him in... Continue Reading →
The temple town of Ranipur Jharial in Balangir or Bolangir district is renowned for its prowess in Tantra Vidya. This historical town of inestimable importance was part of Dakshin Kosala where Lord Rama spent a great deal of his time. Ranipur Jharial is mentioned as Soma Tirtha in the scriptures and deemed to have many... Continue Reading →
Tucked away in the beautiful village of Khaspur in Cachar district are the ruins of the centuries-old fort of the Kachari kings. Cachar, derived from the Dimasa word kachari was originally a part of the ancient Tripura kingdom and then passed on to the Koch kingdom, the Dimasa kingdom and finally to the British. ... Continue Reading →
Medinipur or Midnapore, considered to be one of the largest districts of West Bengal after independence is rich with ancient history, archaeological sites, culture and heritage that is deeply influenced by the royal families. It is home to some of the oldest crafts that date back to the Indus Valley Civilization. One among them is... Continue Reading →
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