Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj: 5 Lesser Known Facts About The Maratha Ruler

Shivaji Jayanti or Shiv Jayanti is being celebrated with much enthusiasm in parts of Maharashtra today. This day commemorates the birth anniversary of the Maratha ruler Shivaji Bhonsale, also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Born on February 19, 1630, at the Shivneri Fort to a valiant Maratha regent Shahaji Raje, he was also known as ‘Chief of the Kshatriyas’. In 1674, he was formally crowned as the chhatrapati (monarch) of his realm at Raigad. The celebrations of Shiv Jayanti were first started by Lokmanya Tilak in Pune, which gradually spread to other parts of Maharashtra. Earlier, the Hyderabad traffic police have issued a traffic advisory for Tuesday to facilitate a procession to mark the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The procession is being organised by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Marata Navyuvak Mandal.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Birth Anniversary: 5 Lesser Known Facts

1. Chhatrapati Shivaji was married to Saibai, Soyarabai, Kashibai, Putalabai and Sagunabai and had two sons and three daughters. His father was Shahaji Bhonsale who served as a general to Deccan Sultanates.
2. Shivaji was devoted to his mother Jijabai, who was deeply religious. His studies of the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, also influenced his lifelong defence of Hindu values. Shivaji was deeply interested in religious teachings, and regularly sought the company of Hindu and Sufi saints.
3. Chhatrapati Shivaji is most famous for challenging the mighty Mughal Empire, at the time ruled by Aurangzeb. Although Emperor Aurangzeb tried to capture all the forts and territories under Shivaji he could not achieve much success due to Shivaji’s able leadership.
4. Shivaji was a very secular leader and let his people follow the religion of their choice. His own army had a cavalry of about 1,50,000 Muslims. When he was just 16-year-old he negotiated with Bijapuri commander Inayat Khan to hand over the Torna fort to him.  Soon after the victory of Battle of Sinhagad, he was coroneted on 6th June 1674, as the King of the Marathas. Under his dedicated rule, the small independent land ‘Hindavi Swaraj’ went on to become a large kingdom ranging from Northwest India to the East.
5. Shivaji succumbed to fatal illness spanning many weeks in 1680 and his empire was taken over by his son Sambhaji.