Shivaji and His Times c8.s28: §7. Shivaji's escape from Agra
Shivaji and His Times c8.s28
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§7. Shivaji's escape from Agra
c8.s28.1
He, therefore, turned to his own inner resources to effect his liberation.* After a few days of captivity, he made a loud profession of submission and fear and entreated courtier after courtier to intercede with the Emperor for his pardon, but with no success. (*Akhbarat*, 9-32.) He, however, succeeded in getting permission for his Maratha escort to return to the Deccan. The Emperor felt that he would then have fewer enemies to watch and Shiva would be utterly friendless at Agra.
c8.s28.2
The Maratha civil officers, too, at a hint from their chief, returned home in small parties. Being thus freed from anxiety about his followers, Shivaji set about devising plans for his own escape. He feigned illness and began to send out of his house every evening sweetmeats for Brahmans, religious mendicants and courtiers. These were carried in huge baskets slung from a pole which was borne by two men on their shoulders. The guards searched the baskets for some days and then began to let them pass out unchallenged. This was the opportunity for which Shivaji had been waiting. In the afternoon of 19th August, he sent word to his guards that he was very ill and had taken to his bed and that they should not disturb him. His half-brother Hiraji Farzand, who looked somewhat like him, lay down on his cot, with a quilt covering all his body except the outstretched right arm adorned with Shiva's gold wristlet,—while Shiva and his son crouched down in two baskets, which were safely sent out shortly after sunset through the lines of unsuspecting guards, being preceded and followed by baskets of real sweets.
c8.s28.3
∗ Shivaji's escape from Agra: *A. N.* 971 (one sentence only!); Bernier, 190, (same); *Storia*, ii. 139-140; Sabh. 52-55 and K. K., ii. 198-201, 217-220, (most detailed); *Dil.* 59-61; Malkaré, 52-56; *T. S.* 23*a*-25*a*; Fryer, ii. 65.
c8.s28.4
The baskets were deposited at a lonely spot outside the city; the porters were dismissed; and then Shiva and his son issued forth and made their way to a village six miles from Agra, where the trusty Niraji Raoji (his Chief Justice) was waiting for them with horses. After a hurried consultation in a jungle the party divided; Shiva with his son and three officers, Niraji Raoji, Datta Trimbak and Raghumitra, smeared themselves with ashes like Hindu ascetics, and hastened towards Mathura, while the others took their own way homewards.