Sahyadri IAS

The Hindu : Page 02

Syllabus : : GS 1 : History

The historic wagh nakh, a tiger claw-shaped weapon, used by Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to kill Bijapur Sultanate general Afzal Khan, is now on display at the Satara Museum.

It was brought from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum to celebrate the 350th anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj’s ascension, with a grand event attended by state leaders and royalty.
The weapon was brought to India from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on July 17.
The display marks the 350th anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj’s ascension to the throne.
The wagh nakh will be on display at the Satara Museum for the next seven months.
A grand welcome was organized in Satara for the weapon.

The Battle of Pratapgarh:

The Battle of Pratapgarh took place on November 10, 1659, near the Pratapgarh Fort in Maharashtra.
It was a significant conflict between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Bijapur Sultanate general Afzal Khan.Afzal Khan, a powerful commander, sought to crush Shivaji Maharaj’s rising power.
Shivaji Maharaj, known for his military strategy, used guerrilla tactics to counter Khan’s forces.
The battle is famed for Shivaji Maharaj’s innovative use of the wagh nakh, a tiger claw-shaped weapon, which he used to kill Afzal Khan.
The defeat of Afzal Khan marked a major victory for Shivaji Maharaj, enhancing his reputation and consolidating his power in the region.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

He was born on 19th February 1630 at Shivneri Fort in District Pune in the present-day state of Maharashtra.
He was born to Shahaji Bhonsle, a Maratha general who held the jagirs of Pune and Supe under the Bijapur Sultanate, and Jijabai, a pious woman whose religious qualities had a profound influence on him.
Shivaji was not named after Lord Shiva. His name was derived from the name of a regional deity – ‘Goddess Shivai.’

Contributions

He revived ancient Hindu political traditions, and court conventions and promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit, rather than Persian, in court and administration.
India's first-ever navy in the modern era was built by Shivaji to protect the coast of Maharashtra.
He established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of disciplined military and well-structured administrative organizations.
He innovated military tactics, pioneering non-conventional methods (guerrilla warfare) and leveraged strategic factors like geography, speed, and surprise.
He focused on pinpoint attacks to defeat his larger and more powerful enemies.
A brave and genuinely secular ruler, he respected women and cared for the downtrodden and farmers.
He died on 3rd April 1680.

Who was Afzal Khan?

He was a 17th-century commander of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur.
With Chhatrapati Shivaji’s rise and increasing control of the region, Afzal Khan was seen as the man to subdue him in the Deccan.
Khan put together a force of 10,000 cavalry and marched from Bijapur to Wai, plundering Shivaji’s territory along the way.
Shivaji called a council of war at the fort of Pratapgarh, where most of his advisers urged him to make peace.
During the meeting, an embrace between the two turned into an attack in which Shivaji emerged victorious. This was followed by a rout of the Adilshahi army at the hands of the Marathas.
As per Maratha sources, Khan’s remains were buried at the fort and a tomb was constructed on Shivajij’s orders.

Important Battle:

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