It's been a real long time since I last wrote for this blog. Even though, for all this time I was not sure of when I would visit the next Shrine of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, I was almost certain that it is definitely going to be one place and one place only - Fort Pratapgad: The Valor Fort.
So, it was that during my holidays this December, I finally managed to visit that one place which has been an epicenter of Maratha Valor, Courage, Patriotism, Bravery, Devotion, Pride, Inspiration and above all a stage to the greatest battle in history of an equally great empire!! This place is of course Fort Pratapgad.
Call it a destiny or a mere coincidence, although I visited Pratapgad in last week of December, by the time I could manage to gather enough references and facts about this place and start with this series of posts, it is already January 12 and this date of today is of immense historical significance.
It is the Birthday of Raajmata Shrimant Chhatrapati Jijabai - mother of Chh. Shivaji Maharaj and the conceiver of Hindavi Swarajya - the great Maratha empire which Chh. Shivaji Maharaj built.
So, what better way to start this Chronicle than to dedicate it to Raajmata Jijabai and seek her blessings for this endeavor.
To start with, I have always wanted to share my awe about the battle of Pratapgad to as many people as possible. Hence, I am going to write information about Pratapgad, and I am also going to write about the great battle of Pratapgad.
To make both the writing and reading simple and convenient, I will narrate this chronicle of Pratapgad war in form of a series. This is the prologue to the series which will be followed by various chapters about Pratapgad, about Chh. Shivaji Maharaj, about Sardar Afzalkhan, about the Pratapgad war and about various aspects of this war.
I know what you are thinking - It's enough stuff to write and read over next few weeks.
Another obvious question - Why write in English when I can use google transliteration feature and write this in Marathi - with many more words to use in my vocabulary for all those emotions, all those narrations and all those salutations. I mean posting a blog on Chh. Shivaji Maharaj in Marathi would have after all always invoked a greater sense of patriotism in all the Marathi readers!!
Well, the simple reason for this is - I want the accounts of Chh. Shivaji Maharaj and his valor to be available for all my blog readers around the world and I don't want a language to be barrier for this.
Having Satara as the hometown [district in which Pratapgad is located] has it's own privileges and I have managed to get some fine pictures at the fort [and have borrowed some from the Internet as well]. I am hopeful that these pictures will help to make the write-up more lively and illustrative.
Finally the biggest disclaimer of all - I am writing this chronicle in a good spirit and will ensure that I present all the correct facts; But this is the history that I have read, that I remember, that I have imagined, that I have heard, that I have understood. So, if I have got something wrong, and if anything I write does not check out with the facts you know; then always know one thing - all of my blogs offer the readers a complete liberty to write comments on it. Post me your feedback and I will correct the write-up.
I myself will also continue my striving to know more about this war and it's various aspects and would be updating the content accordingly.
So, let's all get geared up and get going with sharing of a chronicle which has inspired billions for so many generations!!
Keep watching this space for further chapters :-)
So, it was that during my holidays this December, I finally managed to visit that one place which has been an epicenter of Maratha Valor, Courage, Patriotism, Bravery, Devotion, Pride, Inspiration and above all a stage to the greatest battle in history of an equally great empire!! This place is of course Fort Pratapgad.
Call it a destiny or a mere coincidence, although I visited Pratapgad in last week of December, by the time I could manage to gather enough references and facts about this place and start with this series of posts, it is already January 12 and this date of today is of immense historical significance.
It is the Birthday of Raajmata Shrimant Chhatrapati Jijabai - mother of Chh. Shivaji Maharaj and the conceiver of Hindavi Swarajya - the great Maratha empire which Chh. Shivaji Maharaj built.
So, what better way to start this Chronicle than to dedicate it to Raajmata Jijabai and seek her blessings for this endeavor.
To start with, I have always wanted to share my awe about the battle of Pratapgad to as many people as possible. Hence, I am going to write information about Pratapgad, and I am also going to write about the great battle of Pratapgad.
To make both the writing and reading simple and convenient, I will narrate this chronicle of Pratapgad war in form of a series. This is the prologue to the series which will be followed by various chapters about Pratapgad, about Chh. Shivaji Maharaj, about Sardar Afzalkhan, about the Pratapgad war and about various aspects of this war.
I know what you are thinking - It's enough stuff to write and read over next few weeks.
Another obvious question - Why write in English when I can use google transliteration feature and write this in Marathi - with many more words to use in my vocabulary for all those emotions, all those narrations and all those salutations. I mean posting a blog on Chh. Shivaji Maharaj in Marathi would have after all always invoked a greater sense of patriotism in all the Marathi readers!!
Well, the simple reason for this is - I want the accounts of Chh. Shivaji Maharaj and his valor to be available for all my blog readers around the world and I don't want a language to be barrier for this.
Having Satara as the hometown [district in which Pratapgad is located] has it's own privileges and I have managed to get some fine pictures at the fort [and have borrowed some from the Internet as well]. I am hopeful that these pictures will help to make the write-up more lively and illustrative.
Finally the biggest disclaimer of all - I am writing this chronicle in a good spirit and will ensure that I present all the correct facts; But this is the history that I have read, that I remember, that I have imagined, that I have heard, that I have understood. So, if I have got something wrong, and if anything I write does not check out with the facts you know; then always know one thing - all of my blogs offer the readers a complete liberty to write comments on it. Post me your feedback and I will correct the write-up.
I myself will also continue my striving to know more about this war and it's various aspects and would be updating the content accordingly.
So, let's all get geared up and get going with sharing of a chronicle which has inspired billions for so many generations!!
Keep watching this space for further chapters :-)
Arre yaar start writing about the fort and the battle now. Very eager to read,feel proud and refresh. Also bit nostalgic about our school history classes......
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