Shivaji Bhonsle (1627/1630 – 3 April 1680)
was an Indian warrior king who showed exemplary
courage and sense of purpose to carve out an enclave from the declining Adilshahi Sultanate of Bijapur
that formed the genesis of the Maratha
Empire. In 1674, he was formally crowned as the chhatrapati
(monarch) of his realm at Raigad.
Shivaji was known for his liberal and tolerant
religious policy; while Hindus were relieved to practice their religion freely
under a Hindu ruler, Shivaji not only allowed Muslims to practice without
harassment, but supported their ministries with endowments, and had many
prominent Muslims in his military service. His mother and his guru Samarth
Ramdas had a great bearing on Shivaji who nurtured him and
inculcated in him tolerance for all religion and faith.
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| MARTIAL ART PERFORMANCE DURING THE PROCESSION |
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| PROUD MARATHA YOUTHS RAISING THE FLAG |
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| YOUNG BOYS IN PROCESSION |
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| SHIVAJI MAHARAJ IN PALANQUIN |
Though many of Shivaji's enemy states were Muslim, he
treated Muslims under his rule with tolerance for their religion. Shivaji's
sentiments of inclusivity and tolerance of other religions can be seen in an
admonishing letter to Aurangzeb, in which he wrote:
“Verily, Islam
and Hinduism are terms of contrast. They are used by the true Divine Painter
for blending the colours and filling in the outlines. If it is a mosque, the
call to prayer is chanted in remembrance of God. If it is a temple, the bells
are rung in yearning for God alone.”
Even though Shivaji was known for his religious
tolerance, he nevertheless restricted the spread of Islam in India. Noting this
contemporary, the poet Kavi Bhushan stated: "Had not there been Shivaji, Kashi would have lost its culture, Mathura
would have been turned into a mosque and all would have been circumcised".
There is less evidence of Shivaji's attitude towards
the Christians. To one side, in 1667 three Portuguese Catholic priests and a
few Christians were killed during Shivaji's raid on Bardes. However, during the
sack of Surat in 1664, Shivaji was approached by Ambrose, a Capuchin monk who
asked him to spare the city's Christians. Shivaji left the mission untouched,
saying "the Frankish Padrys are good men."
Shivaji was well known for his strong religious and
warrior code of ethics and exemplary character. He was recognized as a great
national hero during Indian Independence Movement.
While the nation celebrates the birth anniversary of
this great hero today (19th February 2019), I share some of the
pictures of this celebrations from Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
(IGNCA), New Delhi.
