Rise of
Shivaji
With
the emergence of Shivaji the history of Maratha became the history of Shivaji.
The rise of Shivaji is a fascinating chapter as he rose to the highest glory
from being a small Jagirdar of Pune. In the rise of Shivaji we find both the
circumstance and his amazing personality helping him to realize the ambitions
of Marathas, Swaraj.
The
factors responsible for the rise of Shivaji are:
1.
The great Maratha bhakti
movement provided ideological basis for the rise of Shivaji even before his
birth. Started with Gnaneswar the Maratha bhakthi reformers like Eknath,
Namdev, Bhakth Tukaram and Samartha Ramdas strobe for cultural unity amongst
the Marathas. They created a sense of pride and responsibility in protecting
the Maratha culture with the idea Maratha Dharma.
2.
The geographical
location of the Maratha state also benefitted Shivaji in his rise. The hill
tracks of Deccan enabled Shivaji in organizing guerilla warfare against the
enemies. The less fertile tracks and ruggered soil naturally man made Marathas
quite hardship. Moreover the hill tribes called Muwalis helped Shivaji helped
Shivaji in all his expeditions. Thus the geographical setup did benefit Shivaji
in his rise.
3.
The sense of insecurity
the Marathas were facing with the advent of Islam into the south benefitted
Shivaji in projecting himself as the champion of the Marathas.
4.
The Marathas acquired
rich experience by joining as civil servants in the courts of Bahmani Sultans
and the Mughals. This benefitted Shivaji in the wars against Sultan of Bijapur
and the Mughals.
5.
The time and condition
also favoured Shivaji. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was preoccupied with his
own problems in suppressing the revolts in the north. It gave enough time for
Shivaji to consolidate his position in Deccan.
6.
Apart from the
conditions favouring his amazing personality and leadership qualities also
helped in establishing himself as leader. Highly sagacious and tactful Shivaji
utilized every opportunity that came in his way. Even though defeated by Raja
Jai Singh sent by Aurangzeb in 1665. Shivaji turned the Purandhar treaty into
his advantage and acquired the right to collect “Chouth” in the Mughal
territories in Deccan. With the same tact he got his father released from the
Ahmadnagar Jail and revived his conquest later.
7.
As a Genious he
entrusted the responsibility of defending the forts to the people instead of
Armies and succeeded in making the Maratha movement as people’s movement.
8.
As a Statesman and great
visionary Shivaji followed the principles of Secularism and granted freedom of
faith to all religions and communities in his Swaraj.
9.
As a benevolent king he
banned bonded labour and took measures for protecting the peasantry from the
exploitation of money lenders.
Thus the rise of Shivaji was the result of his great personality
and administrative reforms.
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