History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c59.s9: §11. Shivaji invades Konkan.
History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c59.s9
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§11. Shivaji invades Konkan.
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In the second half of the year 1657, the northward retreat of Prince Aurangzib, the likelihood of a civil war for the throne of Delhi, and the wrangles among the Bijapuri nobles about responsibility for their ill-success in the recent war with the Mughals (which culminated in the murder of the wazir Khan Muhammad),—all combined to remove the only checks on Shivaji's ambition, and he now launched forth on a fresh career of conquest and plunder unhampered by any fear or caution.
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Crossing the Western Ghats he burst into Konkan. The northern part of this coast-strip formed the Kalian (modern, Thana) district and was then held by an Arab named Mulla Ahmad of the Nawaiyat (emigrant) clan, one of the leading nobles of Bijapur. The protracted illness of Muhammad Adil Shah had detained this governor at Bijapur for a long time, and during his absence the defence of his jagir had grown slack and inefficient. (*A. N.* 576). A considerable amount of disaffection and disorder seems to have prevailed among the petty chieftains of the district, which was a recent acquisition from the Nizam-Shahi State and where the authority of the new Government sat loose.
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He easily seized the rich towns of Kalian* and Bhivandi (24 Oct. 1657), which were then without walls, and there took much wealth and costly merchandise. The fort of Mahuli, which had once been the last refuge of Shahji, was next captured (8 Jan. 1658.) The Kalian sub-division with some other parts of the Thana district, thus passed into Shivaji's possession, and he got a firm footing in Northern Konkan, which he rapidly improved in the course of the year. His progress southwards into the Kolaba district seems to have been assisted by the petty local chiefs who were eager to throw off Muslim yoke and wrote inviting him to come. (T. S. 13a.) Kalian and Bhivandi were immediately turned into naval bases and dockyards by Shivaji.
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By the year 1659 he had extended his dominions in the uplands or Desh to the southern limit of the Satara district, and in Konkan from Mahuli to near Mahad. Thus he now became master of the whole of North Konkan except the ports and adjacent lands on the west coast (which belonged to Bijapur, the Siddis, and the Portuguese) and the extreme north of the Thana district, while the country from Mahad southwards was yet to be won.
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∗ Shivaji's chivalry to a Muhammadan girl (the daughter-in-law of Mulla Ahmad) captured in the Kalian campaign, T. S. 14a. Tavernier (ii 205) reports the rumour that Shiva discovered buried treasure at Kalian. Jedhe S.; T. S. 13a—14a.
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The greatly expanded Maratha kingdom was now organized on a stronger and more elaborate plan: Moro Trimbak Pinglé was appointed Chancellor (Peshwa) in the place of the incompetent Shyamraj Nilkanth Ranjhekar, Nilo Sondev Accountant-General (majmuadar) vice Balkrishna Pant, and Netaji Palkar as Master of the Horse (sar-i-naubat.) Two new posts, those of Surnis (Superintendent of Correspondence) and Waqnis (Newswriter) were created and given to Abaji Sondev and Gangaji Mangaji respectively. The cavalry now mustered 10,000, out of whom 7,000 were mounted on Government horses and the rest on their own; the Mavlé infantry numbered 10,000 and their commander was Yesaji Kank. (Sabh. 11.) The forts, old and newly acquired, held by Shivaji in 1659 numbered forty. (A. N. 576.) On 14 May, 1657 the newly-founded kingdom was blessed with the birth of an heir to the throne, the ill-fated Shambhuji.
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§12. Afzal Khan's expedition against Shivaji.
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After the Mughal invasion of 1657 had rolled back and Aurangzib had marched away to Northern India, the Bijapur Government gained respite and some accession of vigour. Freed for the time being from the constant menace of the Mughals on the frontier, the Bijapur Government now began to call its refractory vassals to account. The command of the expedition against Shivaji, however, went abegging at the Bijapur Court, till Afzal Khan accepted it in a spirit of bravado.
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Abdullah Bhatari, surnamed Afzal Khan, was a noble of the first rank, who had risen to power and honour under the late Sultan of Bijapur. As a general he was of the highest standing in the kingdom, being the peer of Bahlol Khan and Randaula Khan, and he had fought with conspicuous bravery and skill in the Karnatak expeditions and the more recent war with the Mughals. But the resources of Bijapur had been crippled by that war and the disorder and impoverishment natural in a regency under a veiled woman. Only 10,000 cavalry could be spared to accompany Afzal, while popular report had raised the strength of Shivaji's Mavle infantry to 60,000 men as the result of his conquest of Javli, and he had also enlisted a regiment of valuable Pathan mercenaries from the disbanded soldiery of Bijapur. (T. S. 13b.) Afzal Khan, therefore, did not prefer an open contest of force with Shivaji. Indeed, he was instructed by the Dowager Queen to effect the capture or murder of Shivaji by “pretending friendship” with him and offering to secure his pardon from Adil Shah.*
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From Bijapur the expedition marched due north to Tuljapur, one of the holiest shrines in Maharashtra and the seat of Bhavani, the guardian goddess of the house of Bhonslé. Here, according to the story current among the Marathas, he ordered the stone image of Bhavani to be broken and pounded into dust in a hand-mill, and committed similar outrages at other Hindu shrines on his way.
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In a short time (probably in April), the Khan reached Wai (20 miles north of Satara), of which town and district he had been jagirdar and governor for the last ten or twelve years. At Wai he halted for several months, hatching plots for getting Shivaji seized. That chief had taken up his residence at Pratapgarh, some time before. Afzal sent his land-steward Krishnaji Bhaskar to Shivaji with a very alluring message, saying, “Your father has long been a great friend of mine, and you are, therefore, no stranger to me. Come and see me, and I shall use my influence to make Adil Shah confirm your possession of Konkan and the forts you now hold. I shall secure for you further distinctions and military equipment from our Government. If you wish to attend the Court, you will be welcomed. Or, if you want to be excused personal attendance there, you will be exempted." (Sabh. 13-14.)
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∗ “Against Shivaji the Queen this year sent Abdullah Khan with an army of 10 000 horse and foot and because she knew with that strength he was not able to resist Shivaji, she counselled him to pretend friendship with his enemy, which he did And the other [i e, Shivaji], whether through intelligence or suspicion it is not known, dissembled his love toward him &c ” (Revington at Rajapur to Company, 10 Dec 1659, F R Rajapur)
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Meantime, the news of Afzal's coming had caused great terror and perplexity among Shivaji's followers, and they naturally shrank from the idea of resistance. At the first council of war which he held, they urged him to make peace, as the enemy was strong and hostilities would only cause a great loss of life to their side.
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Shivaji himself was in a terrible dilemma. For a night he pondered on his life's choice and then chose the manlier part. A legend, dating from his lifetime, tells us that the care-worn chieftain's sleep was broken by a vision of the goddess Bhavani who urged him to confront Afzal boldly and promised him victory and her full protection.
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Then came Afzal's envoy, Krishnaji Bhaskar, with the invitation to a parley. Shivaji treated him with respect, and at night met him in secrecy and solemnly appealed to him as a Hindu and a priest to tell him of the Khan's real intentions. It was well known that when Afzal was besieging the fort of Sera, he had put to death Kasturi Ranga, the Rajah of the place, who had come to the Khan to make his submission. Krishnaji yielded so far as to hint that the Khan seemed to harbour some plan of mischief. Shivaji then sent the envoy back with Pantaji Gopinath, his own agent, agreeing to Afzal's proposal of an interview, provided that the Khan gave him a solemn assurance of safety. Pantaji learnt by a liberal use of bribes that Afzal's officers were convinced that "he had so arranged matters that Shivaji would be arrested at the interview, as he was too cunning to be caught by open fight." On his return, Pantaji told it all to Shivaji and urged him to anticipate the treacherous attack on himself by murdering Afzal at a lonely meeting and then surprising his army.
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The place chosen for the interview was the crest of an eminence, below the fort of Pratapgarh, and overlooking the valley of the Koyna. On both sides of the forest path leading up the hill-side to the pavilion picked soldiers were posted in ambush at intervals by Shivaji. Here he erected tents and set up a richly decorated canopy with gorgeous carpets and cushions worthy of a royal guest.
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Meanwhile Afzal Khan had started from his camp at Par, a village one mile below Partapgarh, with a strong escort of more than a thousand musketeers. Pantaji objected to it, saying that such a display of force would scare away Shivaji from the interview, and that the Khan should, therefore, take with himself only two body-guards exactly as Shivaji had done. So, he left his troops some distance behind and made his way up the hill-path in a palki accompanied by two soldiers and a famous swordsman named Sayyid Banda, as well as the two Brahman envoys, Pantaji and Krishnaji.
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Messengers were sent to hurry up Shivaji, who was waiting below the fort. He advanced slowly, then halted on seeing Sayyid Banda, and sent to demand that the man should be removed from the tent. This was done, and at last Shivaji entered the pavilion. On each side four men were present,—the principal, two armed retainers and an envoy. But Shivaji was seemingly unarmed,[*] like a rebel who had come to surrender, while the Khan had his sword at his side. But concealed in Shivaji's left hand was a set of steel claws (baghnakh) fastened to the fingers by a pair of rings, and up his right sleeve lay hidden a thin sharp dagger called the scorpion (bichwa). His companions were only two, but both men of extraordinary courage and agility,—Jiv Mahala, an expert swordsman, and Shambhuji Kavji, the murderer of Hanumant Rao Moré. Each of them carried two swords.
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∗ Khafi Khan, ii. 117, states that both Afzal and Shivaji came to the interview unarmed. But kamar wa karda, 'with no sword girt on the waist,' was the customary attitude of the defeated party, so often described in Persian histories.
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The attendants stood below. Shivaji mounted the raised platform and bowed to Afzal. The Khan rose from his seat, advanced a few steps, and opened his arms to receive him in his embrace. The short slim Maratha only came up to the shoulders of his opponent. Suddenly Afzal tightened his clasp, and held Shivaji's neck in his left arm with an iron grip, while with his right hand he drew his long straight-bladed dagger and struck at the side of Shivaji. The hidden armour rendered the blow harmless. Shivaji groaned in agony as he felt himself being strangled. But in a moment he recovered from the surprise, passed his left arm round the Khan's waist and tore his bowels open with a blow of the steel claws. Then with the right hand he drove the bichwa into Afzal's side. The wounded man relaxed his hold, and Shivaji wrested himself free, jumped down from the platform, and ran towards his own men outside.
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The Khan cried out, "Treachery! Murder! Help! Help!" The attendants ran up from both sides. Sayyid Banda faced Shivaji with his long straight sword and cut his turban in twain, making a deep dint in the steel cap beneath. Shivaji quickly took a rapier from Jiv Mahala and began to parry. But Jiv Mahala came round with his other sword, hacked off the right arm of the Sayyid, and then killed him.
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Meanwhile the bearers had placed the wounded Khan in his *palki*, and started for his camp. But Shambhuji Kavji slashed at their legs, made them drop the *palki*, and then cut off Afzal's head, which he carried in triumph to Shivaji.
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Freed from danger, Shivaji and his two comrades then made their way to the summit of Pratapgarh, and fired a cannon. This was the signal for which his troops were waiting in their ambush in the valleys below. At once the armies of Moro Trimbak and Netaji Palkar and the thousands of Mavlés rushed on the Bijapuri camp from four sides. Afzal's officers and soldiers alike were panic-stricken at the news of their chief's death and this unexpected attack, in that unknown region, where every bush seemed to be alive with enemies. The carnage in the Bijapuri army was terrible. "All who begged quarters holding grass between their teeth were spared, the rest were put to the sword." 3,000 men were killed, according to the report that reached the English factory at Rajapur a few days later.
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The booty taken was immense : all the artillery, waggons, ammunition, treasure, tents and equipage, transport cattle and baggage of an entire army, fell into the victors' hands. Among them were 65 elephants, 4,000 horses, 1200 camels, 2000 bundles of clothing, and 10 lakhs of Rupees in cash and jewellery.
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Flushed with their victory over Afzal Khan (10 November, 1659) and the destruction of his army, the Marathas poured into South Konkan and the Kolhapur district, capturing the fort of Panhala, defeating another Bijapuri army, and making extensive conquests (Dec., 1659—Feb., 1660). But in the following March, Shivaji was called upon to meet a dangerous attack on his own dominions by a combination of the most powerful of his enemies.