Chhaava: The Real Story Of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj—The Maratha Warrior (Image-Instagram/maddockfilms)
Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna’s historical drama, Chaava, featuring the inspirational life history of the legendary king, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, will be hitting the theaters tomorrow. Directed by Laxman Utekar, the film will feature the valor, courage and prowess of the Maratha king.
So, as you all are set to witness the legend’s life on the screen, let’s go back in history and get reminded of the valorous contribution of the king to his land and the people.
We all knew the greatest emperor, Chhatrapati Shivaji.But how much do we know about the second greatest king of the Maratha Empire—Chhatrapati Sambhaji? Let us begin with the question:
Who is Sambhaji Maharaj?
Sambhaji Maharaj, aka Shambhuraje, was the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha kingdom. He was also the second ruler of the Maratha empire. He ruled the kingdom for 9 years, from 1681 to 1689 and gained recognition for his valor and patriotism.
Apart from being a great king, Sambhaji was also a talented poet who wrote Abhanga and Powada, popular devotional and heroic poetries of Marathi literature. He also wrote a Marathi epic, Budhbhushanam, which chronicled the life and achievements of Shivaji. He also learned 13 languages, including Sanskrit and Portuguese. In a span of 9 years, he fought nearly 120 battles and didn’t lose any.
Sambhaji Maharaj Accedes To The Throne
The Maratha kingdom encompassed the western section of the Deccan Plateau, joining the Eastern Ghats. After the death of Shivaji in April 1680, Sambhaji was entangled in a bitter struggle for the throne with his half brother Rajaram, who was 10 at that time. Soyrabai, Sambhaji’s stepmother and the mother of Rajaram, plotted against Sambhaji to keep him away from the throne.
But Sambhaji ultimately gained the support of the Maratha commander-in-chief Hambirrao Mohite and was officially crowned as the ruler of the Marathas in 1681. Rajaram, Soyrabai, and their associates were put under house arrest.
Sambhaji And His Fight Against Mughals
Sambhaji Maharaj is known for his rebellious fight against his rival—the Mughals. Among the major military campaigns launched by Sambhaji Maharaj, the attack on Burhanpur, an important Mughal city and trading center in present-day Madhya Pradesh, found a significant place in history.
Kakar Khan, the one in charge of the fort of Burhanpur, was taking jizya (tax) from the Hindus living in the territory of Burhanpur. The tax received from the Jizya was housed in the Burhanpur Fort. Upon hearing this, Sambhaji attacked, ravaged, and plundered the fort in 1680.
In 1687, the Battle of Wai was fought between the Maratha and the Mughal forces. The battle was fought in the dense forests of Wai and Mahabaleshwar. Even though the Mughals were defeated in the battle, the Marathas lost their commander-in-chief, Hambirao Mohite, which was a big blow to them.
Capture of Sambhaji Maharaj
In 1689, he was betrayed by his own man and handed over to the then Mughal king, Aurangazeb. Sambhaji and his loyalists faced intense torture and persecution during their captivity. The Mughals demanded three things from the emperor: first, that the young prince should surrender all the forts to the Mughals. The second was to accept Aurangzeb as his sovereign ruler. The third was that the Maratha prince should accept Islam.
On rejecting the Mughals demand, his eyes were blinded and he tortured Chhatrapati Sambhaji to his death. He was beheaded by the Mughals on March 11, 1689, at Tulapur on the banks of the Bhima River.
