Balaji Vishwanath had already proved to be indispensable to Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj in a short time and further strengthened his bond by winning over a great adversary in resources, valour and skill namely Kanhoji Angre. Kanhoji Angre, the wiliest admiral of the Western Coast and head of the Maratha Navy is undisputedly the true champion,... Continue Reading →
Since the ancient times, it has been the practice of Hindu kings to assiduously follow the tenets as laid down in the Shilpa Shastra while building forts, palaces, mansions, temples and dharmashalas. Traditionally, these grand structures were built along river banks, seashores or lakes to observe the obligatory rites and rituals of the Hindu scriptures. ... Continue Reading →
Lazy and uninformed "historians" of Indian (commissioned by the British Raj) and British origin have done an outstanding job for over three centuries to whitewash our glorious Hindu heritage and relegate the contributions of our valorous Hindu kings to obscurity. A concerted effort to prevent one from learning about Hinduism, the oldest civilization in the... Continue Reading →
Sahastradhara, one of the most mesmerizing tirthasthalas of Maheshwar is best accessed by boat from the heart of the ancient city. Sahastradhara derives its name from the Sanskrit words sahastra which means thousand and dhārā which means streams or watercourses. According to the Puranas, Ravana, Lord of Lanka chanced upon the serene waters of the Rewa River while... Continue Reading →
One of the oldest temples in Maheshwar also known as Gupta Kashi is Shri Raja Rajeshwar Sahasrarjuna Temple, a little distance away from the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. As the name suggests, this temple is dedicated to the mighty Raja Kartavirya Arjuna or Sahastrabahu Arjuna (the thousand-armed one). Raja Kartavirya Arjuna is believed to be... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj made an aggressive start to secure the northern portions of his patrimony. He deputed Pratinidhi Gadadhar Pralhad and Senapati Dhanaji Jadhav to Baglan and Khandesh with his trusted aide Balaji Vishwanath. They decisively vanquished the local Mughal officers like Karim Beg of Junnar and plundered the city of its riches. They... Continue Reading →
The sacred city of Maheshwar is dotted with many temples of great antiquity, of tremendous spiritual potency and of philosophical and literary excellence. It will be perhaps difficult to find even one place in Maheshwar that has not been mentioned in the Puranas and has not witnessed exemplary erudition. One of the oldest temples... Continue Reading →
Shahu Raje lost no time in marching towards Satara after defeating the mighty army of Maharani Tarabai, halting for a short period at Shirwal. The faithful follower of Maharani, Sachiv Shankaraji Narayan had his official residence in Fort Rohida near Bhor. Shahu Raje asked him to either surrender or face the consequences of refusal. ... Continue Reading →
Maheshwar, named after Lord Shiva is dotted with ancient temples, innumerable Shiva Lingas carved at the ghats and decorative chhatris on the banks of the sacrosanct Rewa River that are perfect for meditation and to catch a glimpse of the mesmerizing rising and setting sun. One of the most beautiful temples built by Punyashlok... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was in for a big disappointment. His aunt Maharani Tarabai did not acknowledge him as the rightful heir to the throne as she felt that the kingdom which was once ruled by his late father Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj had been lost to her late husband Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj and his son, young... Continue Reading →
The tyrannical reign of Akhanda Bharat's worst and most radical Islamic barbarian, Aurangzeb finally came to an end on 20 February 1707. The fanatical Mughal had spent more than twenty-five years of his life draining the coffers while attempting to subdue the indomitable Marathas. The long-drawn war of independence would start taking shape under the leadership... Continue Reading →
The demise of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj and the ascendance of Maharani Tarabai changed the state of affairs in the Deccan. Aurangzeb had been successful in setting up a well-oiled administration to look after the matters of the Marathas. The prominent families of the territory between Satara and Aurangabad had accepted the sovereignty of Aurangzeb... Continue Reading →
Upon hearing Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj's sudden demise, Ramchandra Pant Amatya headed to Sinhagad and conveyed the news to the various officers and generals requesting them to continue their good work and perform their respective duties as before. He appealed to them to exert themselves with more fervour and reminded them of their ambitious goal of... Continue Reading →
Just as the Marathas looked poised to reclaim their lost lands and begin the final battle for Akhanda Bharat, tragedy struck. Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj who had fought tirelessly against the Mughals found the strain of camp life unbearable and his health began to fail rapidly. He became so ill during the march that he had... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj managed to elude the Mughal parties stationed around Jinji and proceeded to Vishalgad. He had sent offers of peace directly to Aurangzeb which were declined. As war raged on relentlessly, Rajaram Raje reached the Maratha land and decided that a new seat of power needs to be established. As both Raigad... Continue Reading →
The tragic death of Santaji Ghorpade brought great joy to the Mughal camps who had lived in constant fear of him and his wrath on the battlefield. Santaji Ghorpade is undoubtedly one of the greatest masters of guerrilla warfare Akhanda Bharat has ever seen. His brilliant tactics, unwavering courage in the most perilous situations and... Continue Reading →
The primary aim of the Marathas during this perilous period of war with Aurangzeb was to convince their Hindu brothers who had joined the Mughal service to return to their king to defend the Maharashtra dharma. Hindavi Swarajya, the ambitious goal of the late Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was designed to throw out the Muslim invaders... Continue Reading →
With the Mughals hot on their trail and mounting pressure every day, the Marathas focussed on their primary goal to create a safe passage for Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj from Gingee and save him from a fate similar to his brother's and liberate the Maratha lands from the Mughal control. Aurangzeb was not one to... Continue Reading →
As the siege of Jinji dragged on languidly, Aurangzeb became increasingly exasperated with both Zulfiqar Khan and his father, Asad Khan. He bemoaned the inability of his army to overcome the guerrilla tactics of the Marathas. Zulfiqar Khan had been given two clear tasks namely to capture Gingee and Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj and so far,... Continue Reading →
Zulfiqar Khan after capturing Maharani Yesubai and young Shahu was immediately despatched to pursue Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj as he left for the Deccan. He left Aurangzeb's camp on 30 November 1689 and arrived at Gingee in June 1690 and laid siege to the fort. The siege lasted for 8 years and is probably one... Continue Reading →
The shift of the Maratha power to Gingee created serious problems for Aurangzeb. It would be difficult for his men to receive information on what was happening within the four walls of Gingee. He decided to act quickly to put down the rising Maratha power. He left his camp of Koregaon on 18 December... Continue Reading →
With mounting pressure and constant assaults on the Marathas by the Mughals, Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj revisited his strategy of staying put in Panhala. The situation was getting increasingly dangerous for him and his men and it was decided that they would make their way to the safe haven of Jinji in the Deccan. Jinji... Continue Reading →
Raigad, one of the most impregnable forts of all the Maratha forts had been made largely inaccessible by the natural defences of Mother Earth. This fort was constructed on a large plateau with enough food, cattle and supplies required for a large military presence to hold out for a long time. In fact, this... Continue Reading →
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 →
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