New History of the Marathas v1.c13.21

v1.c13.21

Many distinguished guests were invited and brought to Raigad in special Palkis. An immense concourse of Pandits, diplomats, commanders, nobles, friends and relatives gathered at the capital. The coronation meant the performance of all the prescribed ceremonies of a twice born (*Dwija*) which in the case of Shivaji had been neglected and which required grand preparations, water brought in sacred jars from holy rivers, horses and elephants of healthy auspicious signs, skins of deer and tigers, fly-whisks and umbrellas of particular makes, gold jars of varied shapes, and last of all a gorgeous throne of such shape and size as are enjoined in the scriptures. The construction of the various edifices and requirements, such as palaces, temples, tanks, gates, fortifications, guest-houses, offices, magazines and stores,⁵ was carefully attended to.