History is not as monstrous as we believe it to be. In fact, it is like an old aged person who has immense wealth of experience and knowledge. The only thing which history, as a person asking is that "at least listen to me.." It is really sweet to listen, trust me.
Large states were formed in north India and in Deccan between 750 CE and 1000 CE and one of the prominent among those were Rashtrakuts who ruled Deccan and often controlled territories in south and north India.
It was founded by Dantidurg with its capital at Manykhet, more popularly known as Malkhed near Solapur in Maharashtra.
There were other two empires who made a big impact during that period, The Pala empire who dominated Eastern India and The Pratiharas who dominated western India and upper Gangetic valley.
Of these three emires, Rastrakutas lasted the longest. It wasn't not just the strongest empire of that time but also served as the bridge between and north and south India's economic and cultural harmony.
Probably 3 most powerful kings of Rastrakuta were Govinda III, Amoghavarsha and Vallabhraja (Balhara).
al-Masudi who visited India at that time said Vallabhraja is the greatest king of India and most other Indian rulers accepted his suzerainty.
The Rashtrakuta reign lasted for almost 200 years. Art flourished during their reign. The famous Kailash Mandir at Ellora (Verul) is built by Krishna I.
The directly administered areas in Rashtrakuts were divided as Rashtra (province), visaya (district) and bhukti (town). The head of Rashtra was called as Rashtrapati.
शिवाजी महाराजांचा जन्म इंग्लिश कॅलेंडर नुसार १९ फेब्रुवारी १६३० ला झालाशके १५५१, फाल्गुन वद्य ३ ला.
शिवाजी महाराज जयंतीच महत्व आणि गांभीर्य कळायला आपण त्याला ४ टप्प्यात बघायला हव. १. शिवाजी महाराज जन्मायला येण्या आधीचा काळ . २. शिवाजी महाराज जन्माला आले तेव्हाची परिथिती ३. शिवाजी महाराजांचं कार्य ४. आणि त्या कार्याचे परिणाम.
शिवाजी महाराज जन्मायला येण्या आधीचा काळ
महाराष्ट्रात हि परिस्थिती पूर्वीपासून अशीच होती असा नाही पण इ.स. १२९३ ला अलाउद्दीन खिलजी विंध्याचल ओलांडून देवगिरी वर चाल करून आला, तेव्हा राज्य होत यादवांच आणि त्याने यादवांचा राजा रामदेव रायाचा पराभव केला. तेव्हा पासून महाराष्ट्रवर आणि त्याच्या रयतेवर पारतंत्र्याचे ढग जे आले ते जवळ जवळ ३००/३५० वर्ष गेलेच नाहीत.
१३२० पर्यंत खिलजी घराणे नंतर १३४७ पर्यंत तुघलख, १५२६ पर्यंत बहमनी, बिदर ला १५९२ पर्यंत बरीदशाही, वर्हाडला १५७२ पर्यंत इमादशाही, अहमदनगरला १६३३ पर्यंत निजामशाही, विजापूरला आदिलशाही, आणि मघाशी सांगितल्या प्रमाणे उत्तरेत मोगल तर होतेच.
महाराट्रात आणि महाराष्ट्राच्या दक्षिणेला जी हिंदूंची राज्य होती तिला एक एक करून संपण्याचा प्रयत्न या सगळ्या सुलतानांनी केला. विजयनगरचे साम्राज्याशी बहमनी सल्तनतीचे नेहमी युद्ध सुरु असायचे. बहमनी सल्तनतीत इ.स. xxxx मध्ये फूट पडली व तिथें ५ नवीन सुलतान आले. शेवटी इ.स. xxxx मध्ये निजामशाही ने राक्षतागडीच्या युद्धात विजयनगर राज्याचे पूर्ण पारिपत्य केले आणि विजयनगरचे एवढे भव्य साम्राज्य लयास गेले.
जसे दक्षिणेत सुलतानाचे राज्य सुरु होते तसेच युरोप मधून आलेल्या वसाहती पण होत्या. ए.स. १४९७ ला वास्को द गामा ने cape of good hope ला वळसा घातला आणि तो कालिकत (आजचे kozikode) ला पोचला. हळू हळू करत त्यांनी हिंदी महासागराच्या किनाऱ्यावर अनेक वसाहती केल्या. एत्तद्देशीय लोकांचा छळ करणे, धर्मांतर करणे, सण साजरे न करू देणे, मंदिरे पडणे इ. गोष्टी केल्या. पोर्तुगूइसांसारखे आरमार व सामर्थ्य कुठल्याही तेव्हा च्या राजा कडे नव्हते म्हणून त्यांना आळा घालणे फार कठीण कर्म होत. समुद्रात त्यांच्या परवानगीशिवाय जहाज नेणे शक्य नव्हते. पोर्तुगीझांचे परवाने त्याकरिता लागत, त्याला kartaz म्हणत. ज्याचं कडे kartaz नाही त्याचे जहाज जप्त होत असे नाही तर नष्ट होत असे.
शेवटी मोगल आणि आदिलशाहीने मिळून १६३३ ला निजामशाहीच संपविली आणि महाराष्ट्र च्या भागात जास्त करून राज्य सुरु झाले आदिलशाहीचे व थोड्या प्रमाणात मोगलांचा मुलुख पण होता.
शिवाजी महाराज जन्माला आले तेव्हाची परिथिती
शिवाजी महाराज जन्मले तेव्हाची मराठी माणसाची आणि महाराष्ट्राची परिस्थिती फार चांगली नव्हती. जेव्हा शिवाजी महाराजांचा जन्म झाला तेव्हा या भागात राज्य होतं विजापूरला आदिलशाह, भागानगरला कतुबशाह, अहमदनगरला निजामशाह (जी जवळ जवळ संपली होती). आणि दिल्लीतला मोगल बादशाह तर संबंध महाराट्र आणि महाराष्ट्राचा दक्षिण भाग कधी घेतो याच्या प्रयत्नात होता.
एवढं सगळं होत असतांना कुठल्याच माणसाने एत्तद्देशीय लोकांसाठी, त्यांच्या कल्याणासाठी कधी प्रयत्न केल्याचे दिसत नाही. इथल्या हिंदूंच्या रयतेवर संवत नाही असे अत्याचार सुरु होते. धर्म, संस्कृती, कला इतकाच काय तर रोजचं जगणं सगळंच संकटात होतं. या शक्त्यानं विरुद्ध तलवार उपसायला कोणीच तयार नव्हत. जे सुरु होतं ती जगण्याची पद्धत म्हणून जवळ जवळ स्वीकारली गेली होती.
२५ जुलै १६२९ ला जिजाऊ साहबांचे वडील लखुजी जाधवराव त्यांच्या ३ मुलांसह अचलोजी, राघोजी व यशवंतराव यांच्या बरोबर दौलताबाद किल्ल्यावर निजामशाह ला भेटायला गेले, ते निजामशाहीच्या सेवेतच होते. भेट ठरलीच होती पण काही इतर सरदारांनी बादशाह चे कान भरले असावेत. लखुजी जाधवराव आणि त्यांचे पुत्र दरबारात पोचल्यावर अचानक सपासप तलवारी उपसले गेल्या आणि जिजाऊ साहेबांचं महेर कापून काढण्यात आले. शिवाजी महाराज जन्मायच्या जवळ जवळ ७ महिने आधी. मोठ्या मोठ्या सरदारांची हि परिथिती होती तर सामान्य रयतेचे काय हाल होत असतील विचार करा.
असा काळ सुरू असतांना शके १५५१, फाल्गुन वद्य ३ ला, शुक्लनाम संवत्सरात, शुक्रवारी, हस्त नक्षत्रावर, शिशिर ऋतूत, सिंह लग्नावर, कन्या राशीत शिवनेरी गडावर जिजाऊ साहबांच्या उदरी पुत्ररत्न जाहला आणि त्या मुलाचे नाव ठेवण्यात आले शिवाजी.
शिवाजी महाराजांचं कार्य
१९ फेब १६३० लाशिवाजी महाराजांचा जन्म झाला, अवघ्या १८ वर्षांचे असतांना आदिलशाही सरदाराला युद्धात हरवले, १६५६ ला जावळी केली, १६५६ ला रायरी घेतला, १६५६ ला प्रतापगडाचे बांधकाम सुरु केले, १६५७, दंड राजपुरीच्या मोहीम काढली व सिद्दी ला नमवलं, १६५७ ला कल्याणभिवंडी, १६५८ च्या जानेवारीत माहुली किल्ला घेतला, १५५९ ला अफझल सारखा शत्रू मारला आणि पुढच्या १८ दिवसात प्रतापगड ते पन्हाळगड सगळे किल्ले जिंकले, मोगल सरदार वर १६६३ शाईस्ताखानावर अकस्मात छापा घातला. औरंजेबाने रागावून शाईस्ताखानाची ट्रान्सफर बंगाल ला केली. मोगलांचे ठाणे सुरते वर एकदा नाही २द चाल केली (१६६४ आणि १६७०) पुरंदरच्या तहात बरच किल्ले द्यावे लागले पण ते सगळे लवकरच जिंकून घेतले व अजून किती तरी नवीन बांधले व जिंकले. स्वतःचं आरमार बांधलं, व सागरी किल्ले बांधले, सागराची आणि navy चे महत्व जाणणारा हे एकच राजा त्याकाळातला. मी म्हणाऱ्या जंजिरेजर सिद्दी ला आळा घातला. इंग्रज, portuguese अनु इतर परदेशी वसाहतींवर वाचक बसवला. अनेक शतकानंतर महाराट्राला सार्वभौम राजा मिळाला, ६ जून १६७४ शिवाजी महाराजांचा राज्याभिषेक झाला आणि शिवाजी महाराज छत्रपती झाले. १६७७ आपल राज्य जिंजी म्हणजे आजचे चेन्नई पर्यंत गेले, १६७८ ला कोप्पळ चा किल्ला घेतला, १६८० खांदेरी आणि उंदेरी ला इंग्रजांचा समुद्रात पराभव केला. एक माणूस किती काम करतो हो? ३० वर्षांची कारकीर्द पण माणूस किती काम करतो? आपल्याला काय गाठायचं यावरून प्रतिकूल परिथितीत पण लक्ष ढळत नाही. म्हणून "निश्चयाचा महामेरू..."असा त्यांचा उल्लेख होतो. गडकोट, समुद्र तर जिंकलेच पण माणसांची मन पण जिंकली. तुम्हा आम्हाला स्वाभिमानाने जगायला शिकवलं. आणि हे सगळं कशा साठी? ना स्वार्थ, ना लोभ, एक माणूस आपलं सगळं आयुष्य जण कल्याणासाठी वेचतो आणि असं काही करून जातो ज्याने पुढचे शाकुनुशतके त्या कर्तृत्वाचे पडसाद या भूमीत, नद्यांमध्ये, समुद्रात, सह्याद्रीच्या कडेकपाऱ्यात घूमतात. म्हणून त्याच वर्णनात त्यांचा उल्लेख "श्रीमंत योगी..." म्हणून पण होतो.
एवढेच काय महाराजनची कीर्ती ऐकून उत्तर प्रदेश मधला कवी इतका मंत्र मुग्ध होतो के तो महाराजांना वर काव्यरूपी जडजवाहिरांची उधळण करतो.
आणि त्या कार्याचे परिणाम.
संभाजी महाराजांच्या वधानंतर, राजाराम महाराज जिंजी ला गेले आणि तिथून त्यांनी मोगलांविरुद्ध लढा सुरु ठेवला. इ.स. १७०० मध्ये राजाराम महाराज गेले. आपलं सैन्य लढतंय, ताराराणी होत्याच पण तस नेतृत्व कोणाच नव्हत. तरीही लोक लढत होते. आपला आयुष्य स्वराज्यावर ओवाळून टाकायला मागे पुढे बघत नव्हते. कशा मुळे होत होत हे सगळं? शिवाजी महाराजांनी लोकांच्या मनामनात स्वाभिमान जागा केला होता. प्रत्येक माणसाच्या मनाचे गडकोट केले होते, छातीची तटबंदी आणि भरभक्कम खांद्यांचे बुरुज केले होते.
मराठ्यांनी अटकेपार झेंडे लावले तो याचाच परिणाम आहे, दिल्ली ची सत्ता गुढग्यावर अली तो याचाच परिणाम आहे, १८५७ ला एक फॉर्मल सत्तांतर झाल ते मोगल बादशाह काहून इंग्रजांकडे पण खरा बघायचं झाला तर जो पर्यंत मराठी सत्ता होती तो पर्यंत इंग्रज फार काही करू नव्हते शकले. मराठी माणसाला एक जहागीरदार, वतनदार, इ. गोष्टीं पेक्षा किती तरी पटीने मोठे के ते शिवाजी महाराजांनी.
आपल्या आजच्या जगण्या वागण्यात शिवाजी महाराजांनी जे तेव्हा केल त्याचे परिणाम आहेत, त्याची फळं आपण आजपण उपभोगतो. ते राजकारण असो का समाजकारण किंवा नुसता माझ्या सारखा सामान्य माणसाचं अस्तित्व असो. या सगळ्या गोष्टींवर शिवाजी महाराजांच्या करायचा परिणाम झालेला दिसतो.
शिवाजी महाराजांनी जे केल ते आपण फक्त अनुभवू शकतो, त्याचे वर्णन करणे महा कठीण.
Vasco da Gama rounded Cape of Good hope and arrived Calicut (Kozhikode) at around 1497.
Portuguese drove Arabs out and overthrown the rule of Zamorin or Samoothiri (Lord of the sea).
They also established their colonies at several places on the shore of Indian ocean.
The Portuguese colonies stretching from Cape of Good Hope to Macau constituted their Indian empire popularly known as Estado da India.
Portuguese had an absolute control over the vessels which could sail in the Indian ocean.
They strictly enforced the rule that all the ships belonging to oriental states had to buy cartazes or permits if they had to sail in the ocean. Even the members of royal families like Mughal Empire, Adilshahi and Kutubshahi sultanates had to buy cartazes.
In 1759 their capital was shifted from Old Goa to Panji which was called as Nova Goa.
There was almost no naval strength of any major power of this land. Even Mughals, Adilshahi and Qutubshahi had to comply to Portuguese whims.
As we have seen in the previous part (Part I) that the administration of most of the Watandars of their respective watans was not all that good.
Few of the malpractices of Watandars are -
As the Sultan or Ruler of the jurisdiction hardly interfered in the matters of Watandars and Watandari. Watandars used to collect exorbitant taxes from the cultivator/farmers.
A fixed amount (very little of the amount collected) of the collected taxes were given to the ruler and the remaining was kept by Watandars.
They built bastion, castle with the money they extorted from the farmers and posed a serious threat to the existing ruler.
In Sabhasad Chronicle it is mentioned about watandars that - ये जातीने पुंड होऊन देश बळकाविले .
Shivaji Raja was very well aware about the business of these watandars and he was also aware how important it is to curtails their power.
There are few evident reforms which Shivaji Maharaja made in the watandari system:
As there was negligible interference of the Sultan or ruler over the watandars and their watandari. Watandars exploited this stance of the ruler and collected heavy taxes from the peasants. This was solely done for the purpose of filling their own pockets. They built huge garrisons with this money they collected from the poor peasants and kept big army.
Shivaji introduced the new policy where he forbade the watandars from directly collecting taxes from the farmers but instead he told watandars to collect their dues/remuneration from the District treasury. Thus, cutting any direct relation of watandar and a farmer. By doing so, he also established a direct link between central government and farmers and gained their confidence.
We have seen that watandars used to build bastions, castles, do fortification of the place of their residence, with the money they extorted. Because of these garrisons they became fearless and used to join the side of enemy during war times.
Shivaji started a new policy and according to his policy, he demolished all the strongholds of these watandars and imposed a new rule by which watandars can not build new garrisons or castle. They should build a house with normal fence and live therein.
As we know that watandars used to collect huge taxes and fill their own pockets. Raja Shivaji made it a point that these watandars should not get more than what they deserve.
He imposed a new tax, we can say super tax on the watandars (not on the common man or peasant) which was known as miras patti or sihansan patti. According to the available documents, the rates of this super tax was too high. In one document it is mentioned that miras patti of 1000 hons (gold coins) was collected from the watandars of Shirwal pargana.
Watandars who do not obey these orders were subjected to a severe punishment. In one such incidence, a watandar known as Khandoji Khopde betrayed Shivaji and joined the army of Afzal Khan against Shivaji. Shivaji got hold of him after the famous battle against Afzal Khan, and carried out amputation of his right hand and left leg.
Shivaji did not uproot the concept of watandar(i) but toned it up in such a manner that it will work effectively towards the well being of cultivators and development of villages/pargana under the watandar.
Before we start reading about Raja Shivaji and his feeling towards Watandars and Watandari concept, it is important to know what is Watandari and who is Watandar and before we talk about Watandar(i), it essential to briefly discuss about Manasbdar, Jagirdar and so on and that is what we are going to see in Shivaji and Watandar - Part I.
Mansabdar - Any leader or officer in the Empire (Mughal, Adilshahi, Qutubshahi even Maratheshai for that matter etc.) is called as a Mansabdar. Mansabdars usually had cavalry and Infantry with them. How much Cavalry and Infantry they could keep was decided by Emperor. Emperor used to decide the other privileges, a mansabdar can have, like permission to attend, 'court or audience hall of the select' (diwan-i-khas), court or audience hall of the common (diwan-i-aam) etc.
Any person entitled to above mentioned services (and there are many more) was called as holding a Mansabdari.
There were two ways to make payments (their remuneration we can say) to a Masabdar, (1) By Cash and (2) Payment in the form of Jagir or Mukasa.
Jagir/Mukasa - is a piece of land may be as small as few hectors or a village or a group of villages bestowed upon a Mansabdar by an Emperor of that region.
A Mansabdar to whom a Jagir has been officially assigned (could be on top of the salary) used to collect the different taxes (taxes on crop, import/export etc) from the farmers, merchants etc. to feed his troops, run his household and make some more money of course. Such a Mansabdar is called as Jagirdar.
Watan - if literally translated mean Hometown or Homeland in general. It is again a piece of land but with some special authorities given to its owner.
And owners of such a Watan is called as Watandar. They "belonged" to that piece of land. A Watandar could be owner of more than one Watan.
Watandar's role was to collect taxes as said above from the peasant and give a portion of it to the Emporer/Ruler under whom that Watan is geographically located.
Watandari was a hereditary concept and it was passed on to the eldest son, or it could be divided among the children. But it was strictly contained in the family.
The most important salient feature of the Watandari is that, even if the Ruler of the area under which the Watan is situated changes, may be as a result of war and victory of the other person or as a result of treaty, "Watandar" remains the same and his/her Watandari remained intact.
So, Watandars were least bothered about the outcome of war or change in the rule and because of this they became less patriotic, as their Watan was already carved out of the territory under war. Most of the Watandar's only motive was to join the side of that ruler, who is more powerful and the one who will be providing more favors (may be more monitory favors or favors in the form of additional Watan).
That said, they remained the most unreliable element of the society, especially during war times.
And because of their growing power and in turn whims, they used to carry many atrocities on the common man under his territory, like imposing huge taxes, looting them for their own greed and even raping and molesting the young girls of the town.
They mostly behaved like king of their region. But most of the time their behavior was like a goon or a gangster who became serious threat to the existing ruler of that region.
Original Letter of Raja Shivaji
with Shikka and Mortab
Mudra (मुद्रा) - Seal or the very brief introduction of the person and his designation. Usually it is seen that the text on the seal is little poetic, mostly in Sanskrit or in Arabic.
Shikka (शिक्का) - Principal or opening seal -
Raja's or King's seal is found at the top-center of the (start) letter.
Minister's (Prime?) or Peshwa's seal is usually found in the left margin, in the middle of the letter.
Mortab (मोर्तब) - Closing Seal -
Found at the end of last line of the letter -
Closing seal indicates that nothing can be written after the closing seal is marked. The only thing which is valid, is between the opening and the closing seal.
Anything written after the closing is seal is considered as forgery and invalid.
Opening and closing seals can be considered as the virtual boundaries of the letter.
Few examples of seals -
Mudra of Shivaji Maharaja -
प्रतिपचंद्रलेखेव वर्धीष्णुर्विश्ववंदिता । शाहसूनोः शिवस्येषा मुद्रा भद्राय राजते ।।
Like the crescent of the new moon which grows day by day, the one which has great respect towards the life and the people, this seal of Shivaji, Shahaji's son, live, in the heart of the masses.
Mudra of Shamraj (Nilkantha?) -
श्री शिवनरपती हर्षनिदान, सामराज मतिमत प्रधान.
Mudra of Moreshwar (Moropant pehwa?) -
श्री शिवराजेंद्र हर्षनिदान ।। त्र्यंबकसुत मोरेश्वर मुख्यप्रधान ।।
श्री शिवचरणी तत्पर त्र्यंबकसुत मोरेश्वर.
Closing Seal -
मर्यादेयं विराजते - This is the end (of the letter)
लेखन सीमा - Letter ends here.
Similarly, the Mudras (Seal) of Sambhaji Maharaja and Rajaram Maharaja, elder and younger son of Shivaji Maharaj respectively, are available. Both are in Sanskrit.
This scene is reported by an Indian peon of Dutch East India Company. And it is one of my favorite for its liveliness.
There were talk in the Surat town, that Shivaji and his troop has finally left. But fear has so much engrossed the city that no one was ready to step out and have a look around. But one of the Indian peon of Dutch EIC volunteered to actually roam around and verify the news. The peon in disguise went out and came back in the evening and reported,
"I have been to all parts of the town and have seen houses of all the chief merchants burnt down to ashes. I took a walk in Maratha camp and no one suspected me. However there were no tents. I saw Shivaji, and he himself was sitting on the ground and there was no tent pitched in for him too, but only a cloth tied from the trees for the purpose of protection from sun, the booty laden on oxen and horses had been brought in and laid before him"
Sketch of Dutch East India Company ~unknown source~ (my thanks to the 'unknown' who provided it)
