When the political intrigues in the Bijapur court had reduced the state to hopeless confusion and the Marathas continued to capture their lands, the regent Khawas Khan decided to send a large army to wrest back Panhala under the commander Abdul Karim Bahlol Khan. The news of this fresh advance reached Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who... Continue Reading →
Following the triumph at Panhala, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj decided to press forward his advantage and capture lands which were under the rule of the Bijapur Adil Shahis. After the capture of the forts of Parali and Satara (captured on 26 July 1673), Maharaj had extended his dominion to the east of Ghatmatha over the present... Continue Reading →
Though there were constant skirmishes between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Mughals, the former's relationship with Bijapur was relatively peaceful. His power was acknowledged by all the southern states. The chief minister of Bijapur, Abdul Muhammad paid chauth to Maharaj to prevent him from plundering Bijapur. Even Qutub Shah of Golkonda was in awe of him... Continue Reading →
The Second Sack of Surat paved the way for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to make preparations for his ambitious missions by land and sea. The raid into Khandesh and Berar followed by Baglana and Karinja led to the bloody toil of Salher. The spirit of the Marathas was greatly roused by their comprehensive victory over Ikhlas... Continue Reading →
While Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Marathas raided Berar and Khandesh, Moropant Peshwa made his way through North Konkan into Baglana wresting the forts of Trimbak, Aundha, Patta and Ramnagar from the Mughals and passed through Mulher into West Khandesh levying contributions wherever he went. He reached Salher Fort on the border of Khandesh and... Continue Reading →
Undivided Bengal, often considered to be the richest province in Akhanda Bharat thrived under the patronage of the invaders namely the Delhi Sultanate, Mughals and the British. This province gradually imbibed the culture, language and religious norms of the invaders. Though the Mughals were less than pleased with Hindus and Hindu kings and went out of... Continue Reading →
The news of the desecration and demolition of the sacrosanct shrine of Shree Kashi Vishwanath at Benares on 4 September 1669 spread like wildfire and caused extreme consternation throughout the country. The construction of a mosque on its site only added fuel to the growing anger against Aurangzeb's fanaticism to please the Mahomedan orthodoxy. Chhatrapati... Continue Reading →
The cat and mouse game continued between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb with the former keeping the latter on his toes with raids on his territory at an alarming regularity. It started with a surprise entry into the Deccan controlled by the Mughals. Maharaj made quick work of Junnar, Ahmednagar and Parenda advancing quickly as... Continue Reading →
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's dramatic return to Raigad on 20 November 1666 was followed by widespread rejoicings among his family, citizens and the Maratha army. Each fort fired its feu de joie unceasingly and though the celebrations were appreciated by Maharaj, he decided to issue standing orders on the exact number of gunfire for specified occasions... Continue Reading →
A stunning find of a fragmentary stone inscription in an old well near Kandhar in 1959 with a detailed description of the buildings in the ancient capital and the philanthropic activities of Raja Krishna III of the mighty Rashtrakuta dynasty threw light on one of the unknown capitals of the dynasty. The inscription mentions the... Continue Reading →
Following a hurried meeting with Ram Singh at his residence, Shivaji's half-brother Hiroji Farzand and his trusty page Madari Mehtar quickly made their way out of Agra. The guards had been instructed not to disturb 'Shivaji' as he had fallen asleep after a restless night. However, the suspicion of the guards was aroused as the... Continue Reading →
It was imperative for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to maintain the pretence of submissiveness towards Mirza Raja, Jai Singh I to effect the famous Treaty of Purandar on 11 June 1665. It was quite clear that Mirza Raja was favourably disposed towards Maharaj and sanguine about a permanent understanding between Aurangzeb and Maharaj. As time passed, Mirza Raja... Continue Reading →
The night attack on Shaista Khan however spectacular did not inflict any discernible damage on Aurangzeb. Shaista Khan's seizure and occupation of Pune and its surrounding districts for over three years and the siege of Kondana (December 1663 to June 1664) by Mirza Raja, Jashwant Singh or Jai Singh I had crippled the Maratha empire... Continue Reading →
Young Sambhaji lived in Aurangabad after the peace agreement was drawn up between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb by Muhammad Mu'azzam under the guardianship of Senapati Prataprao Gujar and Niraji Raoji. They formed a close friendship with Muhammad Mu'azzam and Jai Singh I, all sharing the pleasures of hunting and amusements of living in the... Continue Reading →
Located deep in the dense forest of the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in the geologically significant tehsil of Bhanpura in West Malwa on the border of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan is the important monument and temple site of the fort of Hinglajgarh. This fort has a rich and glorious ancient history that is marred by the tragic events... Continue Reading →
The fourth of the fifty-two forts conquered by Maharaja Sangram Shah of the Garha Mandla kingdom of Gondwana in the early 16th century is the impregnable Singorgarh Fort situated atop a hillock in Singrampur village in Damoh district. This hill fort is most famous for the valour and martyrdom of the ruling Queen of Gondwana,... Continue Reading →
हालांकि भागलपुर के जर्दालू आम का उल्लेख भारत की उच्च कोटि की आम की श्रेणियों जैसे: दशहरी, लंगड़ा, हापुज में कहीं नहीं पाया जाता, परंतु इस सौंधी खुशबू वाले आम को अब धीरे धीरे वह पहचान मिल रही है, जिसका यह अधिकारी है। असल में, जर्दालू आम का अपना रोचक इतिहास है, कहा जाता है... 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 →
नाशिक जिले के निफाड तालुक में स्थित लासलगाव न केवल भारत अपितु समस्त एशिया में प्याज का सबसे बड़ा बाज़ार है। कई लोगों को इस बात का पता ही नहीं होगा कि महाराष्ट्र देश में प्याज का सबसे बड़ा उत्पादक है। प्रसिध्द लासलगाव प्याज़ जिसे लाल निफाड या नाशिक प्याज के नाम से भी जाना... 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 →
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