SHIVCHATRAPATI

SHIVAJI MAHARAJ EDUCATION Shahaji Raje himself was a scholar of Sanskrit. In the Bangalore court, he had under his patronage, artists and scholars of various languages. He appointed intelligent teachers for Shivaji maharaj. Shivaji maharaj education began when he became seven years old. Soon, Shivaji maharaj became skilled in the art of reading and writing. He began to read the stories from ‘Ramayan’, ‘Mahabharat’ and ‘Bhagwat’, on his own. To teach him warfare, Shahaji Raje had appointed some teachers. They began to teach Shivaji maharaj to ride a horse, to wrestle, to use swords and Dandpatta. Thus, at the age of twelve, Shivaji maharaj became acquainted with different branches of learning and arts. Soon, Adilshah sent Shahaji Raje on an expedition to conquer the States of the Nayakas (local chiefs) in Karnatak. Before setting out upon the expedition, Shahaji Raje sent Shivaji maharaj and Jijabai to Pune. With them, he sent elephants, horses, an infantry, a treasury, a flag,

SHIVAJI MAHARAJ CHILDHOOD Shivaji maharaj passed the first six years of his life in highly unsettled conditions. Even so, Jijabai did not neglect his education. Every evening she would light the household lamps and then call Shivaji to her. She would shower all her affection on him and tell him stories of Rama and Krishna, of Bhim and Abhimanyu. On other occasions she would recite to him the devotional songs of Namdeo, Dnyaneshwar or Eknath. Shivaji maharaj liked to listen to the exploits of brave men. Shivaji maharaj felt that on growing up, he should also display valour like them. Jijabai used to tell him stories of many pious persons and saints. That instilled in him, a respect and honour for all saints and great men. Children from poor families came to play with Shivaji maharaj. Sometimes he visited them in their huts and shared their simple meal of onion and bhakri with great relish. They invented interesting games to pass the time. T

SHIVAJI MAHARAJ BIRTH. Those were very unsettled days. Shahjahan from the North had despatched a big army to conquer the Deccan. Pune, the principal town of Shahaji Raje’s Jagir was burned to the ground by Adilshah of Bijapur. Shahaji Raje was in real trouble. He found himself between the devil and the deep sea, and was constantly on the run. Jijabai was pregnant and the great question which worried Shahaji Raje was some place where she could remain in safety and peace. Then he remembered the Shivneri fort and decided to send Jijabai there. Shivneri was a strong fort near Junnar in Pune district. It had steep cliffs on four sides, strong fortifications and massive doors. This strong fort was then in charge of Vijayraj, a relative of the Bhonsales. He agreed to give protection to Jijabai. So Shahaji Raje left her there and marched against the Moghuls And then the golden day dawned. On the auspicious day of Phalgun Vadya Tritiya, in the year 1551 of the Shaka era,