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Subhash Chandra Bose used to say "Give me blood, I will give you freedom.

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Subhash Chandra Bose's birthday is on the 23rd of January 1897, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born in Cuttack. He was born to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Dutt. He was an Indian nationalist in the era of British colonialism in India whose defiant patriotism and immovable nerve and bravery made him a national hero whose praises are still sung with pride by every Indian citizen. His attempts to get rid of the British with the help of the Nazi party and Imperial Japan during the time of the second world war left him a troubled legacy. Although every Indian feels proud by hearing his name, it was not the case during the freedom struggle, especially in the INC where he often faced clashes of ideologies with Gandhiji and he did not get the recognition that he deserved. Let us take a look into the life of this extraordinary yet unsung hero. In honour of his contribution to the freedom struggle recently it was announced that his birthday is celebrated as “PARAKRAM DIWAS” as “parakram” translates to courage in English thereby recognizing his immense contribution by calling his birthday the day of courage. The day will now be commemorated each year in memory of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the unsung hero of the Indian independence struggle!Subhas Chandra Bose was the ninth out of the fourteen children of Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Dutt. He attended the Protestant European School, which is now called Stewart High School, along with his other siblings in Cuttack. He was a brilliant student and had a knack for knowing which earned him a second position in the matriculation exam. He attended the Presidency College (now University) in Calcutta and was greatly influenced by the teachings and philosophies of Swami Vivekananda and Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa Dev by reading their works when he was 16 years old.

He was later expelled by the college on grounds of assaulting a professor named Oaten even though he appealed that he was not even a participant in the act but only a mere spectator. This incident ignited a strong sense of rebellion in him and the mistreatment of Indians at the hands of the British which he observed to be happening widespread in Calcutta only added fuel to the fire. He joined the Scottish Church College under the University of Calcutta where he completed his graduation in Philosophy in the year 1918. He then left for London with his brother Satish to prepare for the Indian Civil Services exam that used to be held during that time. He took the exam and passed with flying colours on the very first attempt, such a bright student he was! But he still had mixed feelings as he would now have to work under the government set up by the British whom he had already started to despise. So, in the year 1921, he resigned from the Indian Civil Services as a symbol of boycotting the British after the incident of the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

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Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
Subhash Chandra Bose was lovingly called as Netaji. He was born on 2nd January 1887 in Cuttack. His father was Shree Janki nath Bose, a well known lawyer.Subhash had patriotic feelings right from childhood and had a great sense of self respect. He did B.A and then I.C.S from England. After education he joined the freedom struggle.. He was sent to jail many times but he never bowed down to Britishers.He had ideological differences with Gandhiji and Nehruji and didn’t agree with the peaceful programmes of the Indian National Congrss, so he formed the Azad Hind Fauj.His message was ‘Give me blood and I will give you freedom’. Finding no political support in India, Netaji escaped to Germany. He appealed to all nations of world to support him for fighting against the British regime in India. He toured Germany, Japan, Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945, meeting leaders and gaining support. Unfortunately, he lost his life in a plane crash on August 18, 1945 at the age of 48. Netaji was a freedom fighter and a patriot with a unique approach to gain freedom. Netaji left behind a legacy of nationalism and patriotism which would inspire many upcoming generations.

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Freedom is not given, It is taken - Subhash Chandra Bose

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Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was an Indian nationalist and one of the most popular freedom fighters of India.

He was born on 23 January 1897 in Cuttack, Odisha in a well-to-do family (then the Orissa Division of Bengal Province in British Raj).

His father’s name was Janakinath Bose and his mother’s name was Prabhavati Dutt Bose.

He was a freedom fighter and was deeply influenced by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

He gave the famous quote “Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom”.

Netaji was an active member of the Indian National Congress. He was elected as the President of the All India Youth Congress in 1923.

His views as a freedom fighter were very different from those of Mahatma Gandhi. Netaji was a part of the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Gandhiji.

Netaji’s Indian National Army was also known as the Azad Hind Fauj.

He was given the title of Netaji in Germany by Indian soldiers in early 1942.
Since then, he has been popularly known as Netaji among people.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose died on 18 August 1945 in a plane crash in Taiwan.

JAI HIND 🚩🙏

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Subhas Bose was born into wealth and privilege in a large Bengali family in Orissaduring the British Raj. The early recipient of an Anglocentric education, he was sent after college to England to take the Indian Civil Service examination. He succeeded with distinction in the vital first exam but demurred at taking the routine final exam, citing nationalism to be a higher calling. Returning to India in 1921 to join the nationalist movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress, Bose followed Jawaharlal Nehru to leadership in a group within the Congress which was less keen on constitutional reform and more open to socialism.[w] He became Congress president in 1938. After reelection in 1939, differences arose between him and Gandhi. The senior leadership in the Congress supported Gandhi, and Bose resigned as president and was eventually ousted from the party.[31][32][33]

In April 1941 Bose arrived in Nazi Germany, where the leadership offered unexpected but equivocal sympathy for India's independence.[34][35] German funds were employed to open a Free India Centre in Berlin. A 3,000-strong Free India Legion was recruited from among Indian POWs captured by Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps to serve under Bose.[36][x] Although peripheral to their main goals, the Germans inconclusively considered a land invasion of India throughout 1941. By the spring of 1942, the German army was mired in Russia. Bose became keen to move to southeast Asia, where Japan had just won quick victories.[38] Adolf Hitler during his only meeting with Bose in late May 1942 offered to arrange a submarine.[39] During this time, Bose also became a father; his wife,[9][y] or companion,[40][z] Emilie Schenkl, gave birth to a baby girl.[9][aa][34] Identifying strongly with the Axis powers, Bose boarded a German submarine in February 1943.[41][42] Off Madagascar, he was transferred to a Japanese submarine from which he disembarked in Japanese-held Sumatra in May 1943.[41]

With Japanese support, Bose revamped the Indian National Army (INA), which comprised Indian prisoners of war of the Indian Army who had been captured by the Japanese in the Battle of Singapore.[43][44][45] A Provisional Government of Free India was declared on the Japanese-occupied Andaman and Nicobar Islands and nominally presided by Bose.[46][2][ab] Although Bose was unusually driven and charismatic, the Japanese considered him to be militarily unskilled,[ac]and his soldierly effort was short-lived. In late 1944 and early 1945, the Indian Army reversed the Japanese attack on India. Almost half the Japanese forces and the participating INA contingent were killed.[ad][ae] The remaining INA was driven down the Malay Peninsula and surrendered with the recapture of Singapore. Bose chose to escape to Manchuria to seek a future in the Soviet Union which he believed to have turned anti-British. He died from third-degree burns received when his overloaded plane crashed in Japanese Taiwan on August 18, 1945.[af] Some Indians did not believe that the crash had occurred,[ag] expecting Bose to return to secure India's independence.[ah][ai][aj]The Indian National Congress, the main instrument of Indian nationalism, praised Bose's patriotism but distanced itself from his tactics and ideology.[ak][55] The British Raj, never seriously threatened by the INA,[al][am]charged 300 INA officers with treason in the INA trials, but eventually backtracked in the face of opposition by the Congress,[an] and a new mood in Britain for rapid decolonisation in India.[ao][55][17] Bose's legacy is mixed. Among many in India, he is the muscular hero, his saga serving as a would-be counterpoise to the many actions of regeneration, negotiation, and reconciliation through which the independence of India was achieved over a quarter-century.[ap][aq][ar] His collaborations with Japanese Fascism and Nazisim pose serious ethical dilemmas.[as] His reluctance to publicly criticize the worst excesses of German anti-Semitism from 1938 onwards or to offer refuge in India to its victims, cannot be said to have arisen from a lack of awareness of the excesses.[at][au][av]

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Sardar Udham Singh

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Story of Rani Laxmi Bai

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Rani Lakshmi Bai - The Indian Freedom Struggle [Modern Indian History For UPSC]

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Rani Lakshmi Bai was born on November 19, 1828 in Varanasi to a Marathi family as Manikarnika. Read to know more about her bravery, role in the freedom struggle. This topic is a part of Modern Indian History Notes for UPSC 2021.

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One and Only Rani Laxmi Bai

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Subhas Chandra Bose (also called Netaji) is known for his role in India's independence movement. A participant of the noncooperation movement and a leader of the Indian National Congress, he was part of the more militant wing and known for his advocacy of socialist policies.

Born: c.January 23, 1897 Odisha India

Notable Works: “The Indian Struggle

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Mahatma Gandhi, byname of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, (born October 2, 1869, Porbandar, India—died January 30, 1948, Delhi), Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India. As such, he came to be considered the father of his country. Gandhi is internationally esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest (satyagraha) to achieve political and social progress.

In the eyes of millions of his fellow Indians, Gandhi was the Mahatma (“Great Soul”). The unthinking adoration of the huge crowds that gathered to see him all along the route of his tours made them a severe ordeal; he could hardly work during the day or rest at night. “The woes of the Mahatmas,” he wrote, “are known only to the Mahatmas.” His fame spread worldwide during his lifetime and only increased after his death. The name Mahatma Gandhi is now one of the most universally recognized on earth.

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Subhas Chandra Bose was an Indian nationalist whose defiance of British authority in India made him a hero among Indians
THANK YOU

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Subash Chandra Bose was an Indian freedom fighter and one of the causes to Indian freedom. He was known as Netaj. Subhash Chandra Bose was a participant of the non-cooperation movement and a leader of the Indian National Congress. ... He was also called Netaji and is well known for his role in India's independence movement.The Indian government has decided to celebrate January 23rd as 'Parakram Diwas' to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This year is the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose He was an Indian freedom fighter. He was also the President of the Indian National Congress from 1938 to 1939.This great person netaji subhash Bose died on 18 August 1945.

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Born: January 23, 1897

Place of Birth: Cuttack, Orissa

Parents: Janakinath Bose (father) and Prabhavati Devi (mother)

Spouse: Emily Schenkl

Children: Anita Bose Pfaff

Education: Ravenshaw Collegiate School, Cuttack; Presidency College, Calcutta; University of Cambridge, England

Associations: Indian National Congress; Forward Bloc; Indian National Army

Movements: Indian Freedom Movement

Political Ideology: Nationalism; Communism; Fascism-inclined;

Religious Beliefs: Hinduism

Publications: The Indian Struggle (1920-1942)

Death: August 18, 1945

Memorial: Renk?ji Temple, Tokyo, Japan; Netaji Bhawan, Kolkata, India

Image Credit: http://www.mourningtheancient.com/truth-bose1i.jpg

Subhash Chandra Bose was one of the most celebrated freedom fighters of India. He was a charismatic influencer of the youth and earned the epithet 'Netaji' by establishing and leading the Indian National Army (INA) during India's struggle for independence. Although initially aligned with the Indian National Congress, he was ousted from the party due to his difference in ideology. He sought assistance from Nazi leadership in Germany and Imperial forces in Japan during the World War II, to overthrow the British from India. His sudden disappearance post 1945, led to surfacing of various theories, concerning the possibilities of his survival.
Childhood & Early Life
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born on 23 January, 1897 in Cuttack (Orissa) to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi. Subhash was the ninth child among eight brothers and six sisters. His father, Janakinath Bose, was an affluent and successful lawyer in Cuttack and received the title of "Rai Bahadur". He later became a member of the Bengal Legislative Council.

Subhash Chandra Bose was a brilliant student. He passed his B.A. in Philosophy from the Presidency College in Calcutta. He was deeply influenced by Swami Vivekananda's teachings and was known for his patriotic zeal as a student. In an incident where Bose beat up his professor (E.F. Otten) for his racist remarks, brought him notoriety as a rebel-Indian in eyes of the government. His father wanted Netaji to become a civil servant and therefore, sent him to England to appear for the Indian Civil Service Examination. Bose was placed fourth with highest marks in English. But his urge for participating in the freedom movement was intense and in April 1921, he resigned from the coveted Indian Civil Service and came back to India. In December 1921, Bose was arrested and imprisoned for organizing a boycott of the celebrations to mark the Prince of Wales' visit to India.

During his stay in Berlin, he met and fell in love with Emily Schenkl, who was of Austrian origin. Bose and Emily were married in 1937 in a secret Hindu ceremony and Emily gave birth to a daughter Anita in 1942. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, Bose left Germany in 1943 to come back to India.

Image Credit: http://images.jagran.com/SubhashB_2201.jpg
Political Career Association with Indian National Congress
Initially, Subhash Chandra Bose worked under the leadership of Chittaranjan Das, an active member of the Congress in Calcutta. It was Chittaranjan Das, who along with Motilal Nehru, left Congress and founded the Swaraj Party in 1922. Bose regarded Chittaranjan Das as his political guru. He himself started the newspaper 'Swaraj', edited Das' newspaper 'Forward' and worked as the CEO of Calcutta Municipal Corporation under Das' stint as Mayor. Subhash Chandra Bose played an important role in enlightening the students, youths and labourers of Calcutta. In his fervent wait to see India as an independent, federal and republic nation, he emerged as a charismatic and firebrand youth icon. He was admired within the congress for his great ability in organization development. He served several stints in prison for his nationalist activities during this time.
Dispute with the Congress
In 1928, during the Guwahati Session of the Congress, a difference of opinion surfaced between the old and new members of the Congress. The young leaders wanted a "complete self-rule and without any compromise' while the senior leaders were in favour of the "dominion status for India within the British rule".

The differences between moderate Gandhi and aggressive Subhash Chandra Bose swelled to irreconcilable proportions and Bose decided to resign from the party in 1939. He went on to form the Forward Bloc the same year.

Although he voiced his dislike for the British often in his correspondences, he also expressed his admiration for their structured way of life. He met with the leaders of the British Labor Party and political thinkers including Clement Attlee, Harold Laski, J.B.S. Haldane, Arthur Greenwood, G.D.H. Cole, and Sir Stafford Cripps and discussed the possibilities that an independent India might hold.

Image Credit: http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00routesdata/1800_1899/congress/netaji/troopreview.jpg
Formation of the INA
Bose vehemently opposed the Congress decision to support the British during the Second World War. With the aim to initiate a mass movement, Bose called out to Indians for their whole-hearted participation. There was tremendous response to his call "Give me blood and I will give you freedom" and the British promptly imprisoned him. In jail, he declared a hunger-srtike. When his health deteriorated, the authorities, fearing violent reactions, released him but put him under house-arrest.

In January, 1941, Subhash made a planned escape and reached Berlin, Germany via a detour through Peshawar. Germans assured him their full support in his endeavours and he gained allegiance of Japan as well. He took a perilous journey back east and reached Japan where he assumed command over 40,000 soldiers recruited from Singapore and other south East Asian regions. He called his army the 'Indian National Army' (INA) and led the same to capture the Andaman and Nicobar islands from the British and rechristened it as Shaheed and Swaraj Islands. A provisional "Azad Hind Government" started functioning in the captured territories. The INA or the Azad Hind Fauj stared for India and crossed Burma Border, and stood on Indian soil on March 18, 1944. Unfortunately, the tide of the World War turned and the Japanese and German forces surrendered which forced him to call off further advancement.

Image Credit: http://onlinemirrors.blogspot.in/2014/06/netaji-subhash-chandra-bose.html
Death
Netaji disappeared mysteriously soon after the retreat. It is said that he went back to Singapore and met Field Marshal Hisaichi Terauchi, head of all military operations in South East Asia who arranged for him a flight to Tokyo. He boarded a Mitsubishi Ki-21 heavy bomber from Saigon Airport on August 17, 1945. The following day the bomber crashed shortly after take-off after a night halt in Taiwan. Witnesses report that Bose sustained intense third degree burns in the process. He succumbed to his injuries on Aug 18, 1945. He was cremated on August 20 in Taihoku Crematorium and his ashes were laid to rest at the Renk?ji Temple of Nichiren Buddhism in Tokyo.

Bose's comrades who were stranded in Saigon waiting to be transported never saw his body. Nor did they see any photographs of his injuries. They refused to believe that their hero was dead and hoped that he evaded detection by the British-American forces. They believed whole heartedly that it was just a matter of time that Netaji will gather up his army and conduct a march towards Delhi. Soon people began to report sighting of the hero and even Gandhi expressed his scepticism about death of Bose. Post-independence, people started to believe that Netaji had adopted an acetic life and became a Sadhu. The mysteries surrounding Bose's death took upon mythic proportions and perhaps symbolized the hope of the nation.

The government of India set up a number of committees to investigate the case. First the Figgess Report in 1946 and then the Shah Nawaz Committee in 1956, concluded that Bose had indeed died in the crash in Taiwan.

Later, the Khosla Commission (1970) concurred with the earlier reports, the reports of Justice Mukherjee Commission (2006) said, "Bose did not die in the plane crash and the ashes at Renkoji temple are not his". However, the findings were rejected by the Government of India.

In 2016, following the declassification of a report handed over by the Japanese government to the Indian Embassy in Tokyo in 1956, titled "Investigation on the cause of death and other matters of the late Subhash Chandra Bose" confirmed the Indian National Hero's death in Taiwan on August 18, 1945.
Ideology
Bose's correspondences prove his faith in democracy in Independent India. Bose's primary ideology was always the freedom of his motherland even if meant taking help from fascists like Mussolini or Hitler.

Image Credit: http://www.mourningtheancient.com/truth-bose16.jpg
Legacy
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has left deep impact on the psyche of his countrymen. His slogan, 'Jai Hind' is still used in reverence to the country. The International airport in Kolkata has been named Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport to commemorate the charismatic leader.
In Popular Media
Many documentaries, TV series and films have been made on the life of netaji. In 2004, revered director Shyam Benegal made a biopic 'Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero' that received immense critical acclaim in India as well as in international film festivals.

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netaji subhash chandra bose biography – facts

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A biographical sketch of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose!

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Born: January 23, 1897 Place of Birth: Cuttack, Orissa Parents: Janakinath Bose (father) and Prabhavati Devi (mother) Spouse: Emily Schenkl Children: Anita Bose Pfaff Education: Ravenshaw Collegiate School, Cuttack; Presidency College, Calcutta; University of Cambridge, England Associations: Indian National Congress; Forward Bloc; Indian National Army Movements: Indian Freedom Movement Political Ideology: Nationalism; Communism; Fascism-inclined; Religious Beliefs: Hinduism Publications: The Indian Struggle (1920-1942) Death: August 18, 1945 Memorial: Renk?ji Temple, Tokyo, Japan; Netaji Bhawan, Kolkata, India Image Credit: http://www.mourningtheancient.com/truth-bose1i.jpg Subhash Chandra Bose was one of the most celebrated freedom fighters of India.

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Subhas Chandra Bose was an Indian nationalist whose defiance of British authority in India made him a hero among Indians, but his wartime alliances with Nazi Germany and Fascist Japan left a legacy vexed by authoritarianism and anti-Semitism. Wikipedia

Born: 23 January 1897, Cuttack

Nickname: Netaji

Height: 1.74 m

Education: University of Cambridge (1919–1921), Scottish Church College (1919), Presidency University, Fitzwilliam College, Stewart School, University of Calcutta, Ravenshaw Collegiate School

Children: Anita Bose Pfaff

Parents: Janakinath Bose, Prabhabati Bose

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Subhash chandra bhose

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Subhash Chandra Bose the best Freedom fighter of India

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sambhaji maharaj

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Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was a true Dharmaveer, who just like his father Shivaji, did not bow before Aurangzeb although Aurangzeb brutally tortured Sambhaji Maharaj for more than 40 days. Hindus must learn how to sacrifice for Dharma from Sambhaji Maharaj. He was a scholar of Sanskrit language. He single handedly fought with the massive army of Aurangzeb for 9 years. He and Maratha rulers after him kept Aurangzeb in Maharashtra for 27 years, which finally resulted in the establishment of Hindu rule in North India. Sambhaji Maharaj also fought with the Portuguese in Goa, as they were orchestrating the mass conversions of Hindus and had demolished Hindu Temples in Goa. The detailed information about Sambhaji Maharaj is as follows :

Sambhaji lost his mother Sai bai at the age of 2. After her death, his paternal grandmother Jijabai looked after him. Initially his stepmother, Soyarabai, also doted on him a lot. Sambhaji was a tiger cub in the true sense. He was extremely handsome and possessed immense bravery. He was a scholar of Sanskrit and eight other languages. In 1666, he was married to Yesu bai, and later the couple had a son - Shahu. On June 6th, 1674 at the time of the coronation of Shivaji Maharaj, he was declared the prince of the Sovereign Maratha Kingdom. Many visiting dignitaries at the coronation ceremony have written about his acumen, intelligence, personality and most important of all, his modesty. As a prince, Sambhaji proved his bravery and military brilliance on more than one occasion. He led and won his first war at Ramnagar at the age of 16. During 1675-76 he led successful campaigns in Goa and Karnataka.

Estrangement and reconciliation with his father

The politics fuelled by the wife Soyarabai, of Shivaji Maharaj, with some other courtiers led to Sambhaji's estrangement. For almost one year, Sambhaji left Shivaji's kingdom and joined Aurangzeb's commander, Diler Khan as part of politics. This came as a rude and extremely sad shock to Shivaji. This process caused further widening of the rift between Sambhaji on one side, and Soyarabai on the other. As a result, Sambhaji was not invited for Rajaram's wedding and moreover he was not even informed of the sudden death of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj a few days thereafter. Rajaram was the child of Shivaji Maharaj & Soyarabai.

Coronation

Soyarabai and her supporters plotted to arrest Sambhaji at the fort of Panhala, where he was staying at the time of Shivaji's death. They wanted to crown Rajaram and not allow Sambhaji to become the Maratha emperor. However Sarnobat (the Supreme Commander of the Maratha forces) and Soyarabai's brother, Hambirrao Mohite supported Sambhaji since he was the rightful heir to the throne. At the time of Shivaji's death, there was news of an impending attack of Aurangzeb's army on Maharashtra and at such a crucial juncture, a strong leader like Sambhaji was the need of the hour. Therefore Hambirrao did not support his own sister and sided instead with Sambhaji.

Annaji Datto Sabnis and other courtiers namely Hiroji Bhosale (Farjad), Balaji Aavji and Rupaji Mane were arrested for supporting Soyarabai and were punished in a rather cruel way, by being killed when trampled upon by War-elephants. It was chiefly because of Hambirrao's support that Sambhaji was able to ascend to his rightful place on the Maratha throne in 1681.

Sambhaji Maharaj kept Aurangzeb away from North India for 27 years

The remarkable things that Sambhaji Maharaj achieved in his short life had far-reaching effects on the whole of India. Every Hindu should be grateful to him for that. He valiantly faced the 8 lakh strong army of Aurangzeb and defeated several Mughal chieftains in the battlefield forcing them to retreat. Because of this, Aurangzeb remained engaged in battles in Maharashtra, thus keeping the rest of India free from Aurangzeb's tyranny for a long time. This can be considered as the greatest achievement of Sambhaji Maharaj. If Sambhaji Maharaj would have arrived at a settlement with Aurangzeb and accepted his proposal of being a tributary prince, then within the next 2 or 3 years Aurangzeb would have captured North India again. However, because of Sambhaji Maharaj and other Maratha ruler's (Rajaram and Mahraani Tarabai) struggle, Aurangzeb was stuck in battles in South India for 27 years. This helped in the establishment of new Hindu kingdoms in the provinces of Bundelkhand, Punjab and Rajasthan in North India; thus providing safety to the Hindu society there.

War with the Mughals

It would be appropriate to examine the facile charge that Sambhaji lost his father's kingdom to Aurangazeb. Let us see what was retained in Maratha hands and how much was lost to the enemy at the time of his cruel death.

The details of the conflict as a whole, during Sambhaji's reign, the progress, if any, of the Mughal armies and the gallant defense offered by the Marathas and their aggressive and retaliatory tactics help us to evaluate the efforts of Sambhaji and the Marathas to protect the gains of Shivaji. It also refutes the charge that Sambhaji had lost everything.

The Mughals started their aggression in 1681 in Nasik-Baglan in the northern region of South Maharashtra. Till the year 1686, the Mughal forces had not succeeded in capturing any forts. Though the Mughal forces captured some forts during the last 2 years of Sambhaji's reign, Aurangazeb was forced to resort to encouraging treachery. At the end of 1686, Salher fort was taken by the Mughals after bribing the Killedar Asoji with a mansab. Ramsej was also won by treachery in 1687. At the end of 1688 and the beginning of 1689, Mughals got Harishgad, Tringalwadi, Madangad, Mordant, Aundha and Karani by treachery. At the beginning of 1689, Matabarkhan captured Trimabkgad by offering cash and mansab to Shyamraj and Telangrao. Pattagad is an exception to this pattern. It was captured after a straight fight. In short it can be said that the Marathas were in command of almost all their territory till 1686 and in the end only the weapons of treachery and not arms proved effective against them.

The Mughals turned to the central part of southern Maharashtra i.e. Talkonkan, Kalyan-Bhiwandi, Kothalagad, Pune and Satara region from 1681. Matabarkhan who had informed Aurangazeb about the difficulties in these regions, captured Kalyan-Bhiwandi, Purgadi and other other forts in Talkonkan only after the death of King Sambhaji.

The Mughals however succeeded in capturing Kothalagad at the end of 1684. Fort Mahuli was captured by Matabarkhan on 21st Aug'1688 by giving a bribe of 2500 Ashrafis to Killedar Dwarkoji.

In the middle of the year 1684, even though Aurangazeb succeeded in taking Surapur, Shirval and Supe, Sambhaji continued to hold all the important forts like Rohida, Purandar, Shrivardhan, Rajmachi, Sinhagad, Rajgad and Raigad. At the end of 1687, the Mughals were able to establish their hold on Satara, Parali,Nimb, Chandan, Vandan, Karad, Majgaon and Masar by Sept'1689. From 1689 , the Mughal posted their thanedar at Wai.

In south Konkan, the Marathas held Sangameshwar, Rajapur, Panhala, Malkapur, Khelna, Pargad, Kopal, Bahaddurbanda, Shirole and Phonda till the end of Sambhaji's reign.

In Goa, the Mughals established their rule in Antraj Mahal only from Feb'1689.

In North Konkan, the Marathas had retained their hold on Kulaba, Khanderi, Rajkot, Sagargad, Padmadurga and Cheul and the region around these places.

In Karnataka, The Marathas lost Bengalore, Doddabalapur, Tumkur, Chikanhalli in the year 1687-1688 while they succeeded in retaining their hold on Jingee, Tanjore and territories surrounding these places.

One thing can be said for certain that Aurangazeb who was not wholly successful, won a large part of the Maratha Kingdom immediately and only after Sambhaji's death. The collective leadership under Chhatrapati Rajaram and Tarabai fought very gallantly so that the Mughal emperor could not achieve what he had vowed to do even after a long struggle of quarter of a century. He could never secure full control over the Maratha state. His resolve and ambition to become the master of the south soon after Shivaji's death was foiled by Sambhaji and his successor Rajaram.

Well known historian Sir Jadunath Sarkar and Vincent Smith have very aptly opined "If Napolean could say that it was the Spanish ulcer which ruined me, Aurangazeb could also say that the Deccan wars not only undid his own work, but also those of his predecessors". No wonder Vincent Smith remarks that "the Deccan was not only the grave of his (Aurangazeb's) body but also his empire".

It is well said that along with Aurangazeb's person, his ambition to annihilate the Marathas was also buried deep in the Deccan. One may also add that the generation of brave patriots created by Shivaji held against the forces of Aurangazeb for Twenty Five years of agonising privations and against a vast and well equipped force. It can be said that world's history records few, if any, struggles of such heroic grandeur and inspiring resistance, led by a young king, his still younger brother and a women. Herein lies the real success of the genius of Shivaji.

Reference : Short Resume - page 234 CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJI by DR.KAMAL GOKHALE,Navakamal Pub.,Pune

War with the Portuguese

Sambhaji Maharaj fought against the Portuguese in Goa who were very active in the forceful conversions of Hindus through various means like the 'Inquisition'. He was very angry with them due to these conversions & the demolition of Hindu Temples in Goa. The Portuguese were very frightened of being assaulted by Sambhaji Maharaj, and this reflects in their letter to the British in which they wrote, 'Now-a-days Sambhaji is the most powerful person and we have experienced it'.

Efforts for Reconversion to Hinduism

We all know that Shivaji Maharaj reconverted Netaji Palkar to Hinduism. However, it is important to note that Sambhaji Maharaj had established a separate department in his province for the 'reconversion ceremony' of the Hindus who had earlier converted into other religions. There is a story of a Brahmin named 'Kulkarni' of Harsul village in the history of Sambhaji Maharaj. Kulkarni had been forcibly converted to Islam by the Mughals. He tried to reconvert into Hinduism, but local Brahmins in his village did not pay any heed to him. In the end, Kulkarni met Sambhaji Maharaj and told him about his misery. Sambhaji Maharaj immediately arranged for his reconversion ceremony and reconverted him into a Hindu.This noble initiative of Sambhaji Maharaj helped many converted Hindus to reconvert back into Hinduism.

Capture and Execution

In early 1689, Sambhaji called his commanders for a strategic meeting at Sangameshwar in Konkan. In a meticulously planned operation, Ganoji Shirke (brother of Sambhaji's wife Yesubai) and Aurangzeb's commander, Mukarrab Khan attacked Sangameshwar when Sambhaji was about to leave the town. A small ambush followed and Sambhaji was captured by Mughal troops on 1 Feb, 1689. He and his advisor, Kavi Kalash were taken to Bahadurgad. Aurangzeb humiliated them by parading them wearing clown's clothes. Later, Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash were tied upside down to camels with Mughal soldiers throwing stones, mud, and cow dung at them.

When they were brought face to face with Aurangzeb, the latter offered to let Sambhaji live if he surrendered all the Maratha forts, turned over all his hidden treasures and disclosed the names of all the Mughal officers who had helped him. Sambhaji refused, and instead sang the praises of Mahadev (Lord Shiva). Aurangzeb ordered him and Kavi Kalash to be tortured to death. Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash were brutally tortured for over a fortnight. The torture involved plucking out their eyes and tongue and pulling out their nails. The later part involved removing their skin. On March 11, 1689, Sambhaji was finally killed, reportedly by tearing him apart from the front and back with 'Wagh Nakhe' ('Tiger claws', a kind of weapon), and was beheaded with an axe. This grievous death was given to him at Vadhu on the banks of the Bhima river, near Pune.

After every torture, Aurangzeb would ask him if he had had enough and wanted to convert - but the courageous king kept refusing. By doing so he earned the title of Dharmaveer (Protector of Dharma) by which he is known to this day. Aurangzeb ordered for Sambhaji's body to be cut into pieces and be thrown into the river. Residents of the nearby village named 'Vadhu' collected as many pieces of his body as they could find, sewed them together and performed the final rites on his body. These villagers later went on to use the surname 'Shivle' or 'Shivale', as per spelling preference, which means 'sewing' in the Marathi language.

Immediate after effects of Sambhaji's execution

With Sambhaji's death, the Maratha confederacy was thrown in disarray. He was succeeded by his younger brother Rajaram who became the leader of the Marathas. The Commander in chief of the Maratha army, Mhaloji Ghorpade, who succeeded Hambirrao Mohite, died in the ambush at Sangameshwar. A few days after Sambhaji's death, the capital Raigad fell to the Mughals and Sambhaji's wife and son were captured. However, Sambhaji's torture and heroic death unleashed an unprecedented unity and heroic spirit amongst the Marathas. Aurangzeb continued his grim war against the Marathas for another 18 years but could not subjugate the Maratha state.

Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years of his life in the Deccan, in constant warfare to vanquish the Marathas. He died in 1707, at Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. In 1737, within 50 years of the torture and death of Sambhaji, the Maratha - Jat Allied armies entered Delhi and re-established Hindu rule over all of western, central and much of northern India. It was the first time after 1192, when Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated by Mohammed Ghori, that a Hindu army was in control of Delhi except for a brief period by Hemu in 1556. The Maratha Empire would remain the foremost military power in India till they lost power to the British after 3 Anglo-Maratha wars, the last of which ended in 1818.

There is some dispute amongst historians about Sambhaji's ability as a ruler. These disputes came mainly from British & Mughal historians like Khafikhan & Grand Duff. These historians have portrayed him as ineffective and an alcoholic. Other historians, notably S.G. Shevde, portrayed Sambhaji as a capable ruler. However many historians like Babasaheb Purandare, Shivaji Savant have revealed the truth about him to society.

Powada on 'Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj' by Shahir Yogesh

देश धरम पर मिटने वाला। शेर शिवा का छावा था ।।

महापराक्रमी परम प्रतापी। एक ही शंभू राजा था ।।

तेज:पुंज तेजस्वी आँखें। निकलगयीं पर झुकी नहीं ।।

दृष्टि गयी पर राष्ट्रोन्नति का। दिव्य स्वप्न तो मिटा नहीं ।।

दोनो पैर कटे शंभू के। ध्येय मार्ग से हटा नहीं ।।

हाथ कटे तो क्या हुआ?। सत्कर्म कभी छुटा नहीं ।।

जिव्हा कटी, खून बहाया। धरम का सौदा किया नहीं ।।

शिवाजी का बेटा था वह। गलत राह पर चला नहीं ।।

वर्ष तीन सौ बीत गये अब। शंभू के बलिदान को ।।

कौन जीता, कौन हारा। पूछ लो संसार को ।।

कोटि कोटि कंठो में तेरा। आज जयजयकार है ।।

अमर शंभू तू अमर हो गया। तेरी जयजयकार है ।।

मातृभूमि के चरण कमलपर। जीवन पुष्प चढाया था ।।

है दुजा दुनिया में कोई। जैसा शंभू राजा था? ।।

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Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj - Hindu Janajagruti Samiti

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Sambhaji Maharaj was a scholar of Sanskrit language. He single handedly fought with the massive army of Aurangzeb for 9 years. He and Maratha rulers after him kept Aurangzeb in Maharashtra for 27 years, which finally resulted in the establishment of Hindu rule in North India.