Context:
In a striking contrast of durability and historical craftsmanship, the recently unveiled 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg district, collapsed within a year of its installation. This event sharply contrasts with the enduring Sindhudurg Fort, constructed by Shivaji Maharaj 357 years ago. Unlike the modern installation, Sindhudurg Fort has withstood the test of time, underscoring its significant role in historical military operations, including the Surat raids which also helped finance its construction. This juxtaposition highlights the lasting legacy of traditional engineering and strategic planning from centuries past.
Relevance:
GS I: History
Dimensions of the Article:
- Key Facts about the Sindhudurg Fort
- Overview of the Surat Raids by Shivaji Maharaj
- About Chhatrapati Shivaji
Key Facts about the Sindhudurg Fort
- Construction Timeline: Began on 25th November 1664, completed on 29th March 1667.
- Location: Situated on the island of Kurte in the Arabian Sea, meticulously selected by Shivaji Maharaj and Hiroji Indulkar.
- Cost: Estimated construction cost was one crore hons, a significant gold currency during Shivaji’s reign.
- Strategic Vision: Aimed to establish maritime control and bolster economic stability through a formidable navy.
- Defense Strategy: Positioned to control maritime access and protect against colonial forces such as the Siddis and Portuguese.
- Architectural Features: The fort is renowned for its serpentine wall stretching four kilometers, standing ten meters high with 45 stairways, and equipped with extensive military facilities.
- Iconic Features: Features a south-facing statue of Hanuman at the entrance, supported by additional fortifications such as Padmagad, Sarjekot, and Rajkot.
- Current Status: Sindhudurg Fort stands as a resilient symbol of Maratha naval prowess and strategic acumen, preserved as a historic landmark.
Overview of the Surat Raids by Shivaji Maharaj
- Strategic Relevance of Surat: Known as the preeminent commercial hub of the Mughal Empire, located along the Tapi river.
- Economic Significance: Central trade hub for Mughal commerce with Europeans, Iranians, Arabs, and a transit point for pilgrims heading to Mecca.
- Objective: The raids targeted Surat to disrupt Mughal economic foundations and assert Maratha dominance.
- First Raid (January 1664): Swiftly executed, catching Mughal defenses unprepared, leading to substantial plunder.
- Impact of the First Raid: Triggered a strategic shift of English trading operations from Surat to Bombay. The Portuguese transferred control of Bombay to the English shortly after.
- Second Raid (October 1670): Another lucrative raid, extracting wealth valued approximately at Rs 6.6 million, focusing primarily on the extraction of valuable resources while sparing European merchants.
- Strategic Outcomes: These raids were critical in undermining Mughal economic stability and demonstrated the strategic and military capabilities of the Marathas, with Shivaji Maharaj taking measures to minimize civilian impact and focusing on weakening Mughal authority.
About Chhatrapati Shivaji
- Born on February 19, 1630, at Shivneri Fort in Pune.
- He was born to Shahaji Bhonsle, a Maratha general who ruled the Bijapur Sultanate’s jagirs of Pune and Supe. Shivaji’s mother was Jijabai, a devout woman who had a strong religious influence on him.
- Shivaji’s name was derived from the name of a provincial deity, Goddess Shivai.
- He created the Maratha Empire by carving out an enclave from the crumbling Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur.
- He was formally crowned Chhatrapati (Monarch) of his dominion in Raigad in 1674.
- Religious tolerance and functional integration of the Brahmans, Marathas, and Prabhus ensured the kingdom’s security.
- With the support of a disciplined military and well-structured administrative organisations, he constructed a competent and progressive civil rule.
- He had a ministerial council (Asht Pradhan) to advise him on state problems, but he was not bound by it. He had the authority to appoint or fire them.
- He pioneered non-conventional methods (guerrilla warfare) and used strategic elements such as terrain, speed, and surprise to innovate military tactics.
- To defeat his larger and more powerful opponents, he concentrated on pinpoint attacks.
- Although the courageous warrior died in 1680, he is remembered for his bravery and intelligence.
Shivaji and the Mughals
- Shivaji’s meteoric rise posed challenges to the suzerainty of the Mughals.
- His first direct encounter with the Mughals was during Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaigns of the 1650s.
- As Aurangzeb went North to fight for the Mughal throne, Shivaji was able to seize further territory.
- His tactics against the Mughals were adapted to the specific nature of his force and the flabby Mughal armies. Using swift cavalry attacks, he would raid and pillage Mughal strongholds.
- While on the rare occasion he would engage in battle to actually capture and hold Mughal positions, most often, he would simply cause much menace, raid the treasury, and leave with the Mughals in terror and disarray.
- Famously, in 1664, he attacked the port of Surat (now in Gujarat) and plundered one of the richest and busiest commercial towns of Mughal India while the local governor hid in a nearby fort.
- As the legend of Shivaji and the physical sphere of his influence grew, Aurangzeb sent a 100,000-strong, well-equipped army under Raja Jai Singh I to subdue him in 1665.
- After putting up a valiant fight, Shivaji was besieged in the Purandar hill fort.
-Source: Indian Express
