Row over the Shivaji statue in Telangana’s Bodhan town

• IAS NEXT, Lucknow
• 24, Mar 2022

Reference News:-

Section 144 has been imposed in Bodhan town in Telangana after protests turned violent over the installation of a statue of Chhatrapati.

About Shivaji:

Born at Shivner in 1627.

Father: Shahji Bhonsle.

Mother: Jija Bai.

Inherited the jagir of Poona from his father in 1637.

Achievements of Chhatrapati Shivaji:

Initial phase:

• He first conquered Raigarh, Kondana and Torna from the ruler of Bijapur.
• After the death of his guardian, Dadaji Kondadev in 1647, Shivaji assumed full charge of his jagir.
• He captured Javli from a Maratha chief, Chanda Rao More. This made him the master of Mavala region.
• In 1657, he attacked the Bijapur kingdom and captured a number of hill forts in the Konkan region.
• The Sultan of Bijapur sent Afzal Khan against Shivaji. But Afzal Khan was murdered by Shivaji in 1659 in a daring manner.

Military Conquests of Shivaji:

• Shivaji’s military conquests made him a legendary figure in the Maratha region. The Mughal emperor Aurangazeb was anxiously watching the rise of Maratha power under Shivaji.
• Aurangzeb sent the Mughal governor of the Deccan, Shaista Khan, against Shivaji. Shivaji suffered a defeat at the hands of the Mughal forces and lost Poona.
• But Shivaji once again made a bold attack on Shaista Khan’s military camp at Poona in 1663, killed his son and wounded Khan.
• In 1664, Shivaji attacked Surat, the chief port of the Mughals and plundered it.
• A second attempt was made by Aurangzeb to defeat Shivaji by sending Raja Jai Singh of Amber. He succeeded in besieging the fort of Purander.

Treaty of Purander 1665:

• According to the treaty, Shivaji had to surrender 23 forts to the Mughals out of 35 forts held by him.
• The remaining 12 forts were to be left to Shivaji on condition of service and loyalty to Mughal empire.
• On the other hand, the Mughals recognized the right of Shivaji to hold certain parts of the Bijapur kingdom.

Renewed war against Mughals:

• Surat was plundered by him for the second time in 1670.
• He also captured all his lost territories by his conquests.
• In 1674 Shivaji crowned himself at Raigarh and assumed the title Chatrapathi.

Administrative Policies:

He laid the foundations of a sound system of administration. The king was the pivot of the government. He was assisted by a council of ministers called Ashtapradhan.

• Peshwa – Finance and general administration. Later he became the prime minister.
• Sar-i-Naubat or Senapati – Military commander, an honorary post.
• Amatya – Accountant General.
• Waqenavis – Intelligence, posts and household affairs.
• Sachiv – Correspondence.
• Sumanta – Master of ceremonies.
• Nyayadish – Justice.
• Panditarao – Charities and religious administration.

Revenue Policies:

• Lands were measured by using the measuring rod called kathi. Lands were also classified into three categories – paddy fields, garden lands and hilly tracks.
• Taxes: Chauth and sardeshmukhi were the taxes collected not in the Maratha kingdom but in the neighbouring territories of the Mughal empire or Deccan sultanates.
  • Chauth was one fourth of the land revenue paid to the Marathas in order to avoid the Maratha raids.
  • Sardeshmukhi was an additional levy of ten percent on those lands which the Marathas claimed hereditary rights.

Shivaji was a man of military genius and his army was well organized:

There were two divisions in the Maratha cavalry:

• Bargirs, equipped and paid by the state;
• Silahdars, maintained by the nobles.

In the infantry, the Mavli foot soldiers played an important role.