Chirag D

The Stunning Rise of Shivaji Chirag D

Hindus before Shivaji were on the verge on being called a defeated race. Their self-pride, self-confidence & control over their own lives was quickly disappearing. If not for the arrival of Shivaji, they would have been wiped off the face of their own homeland. Despite being the majority even in those times, defeatism and helplessness had set in. The only way to resurrect their confidence in themselves was to demonstrate to them and their enemies that the defeat of Hindus and the victory of invaders was not a thing of destiny, but of choice. Hindus may choose not be defeated, only if they learn to develop spine. The name of that spine was Shivaji. Throughout his career as a military leader for 34 years, Shivaji did not suffer a single decisive defeat, and even when he was at his lowest point in terms of success on the battlefield, Shivaji had the uncanny knack of taking motivation from the dangers that surrounded him. The confidence Shivaji instilled into his Maratha men kept them fighting fit for the next 200 odd years, in which they conquered not just the lost Hindu territories, but also invaded and subdued lands as far away from their natural habitant as Afghanistan. Shivaji was not just a great warrior but also a sound administrator. During his rule, the Maratha Treasury overflowed with wealth, and not a single year passed by, in which there was not a surplus. In saving the Hindu society, Shivaji also paved the way for reformation in the Hindu religion itself. Although the job of reformers and preachers, evolution of the mind first requires its survival. Shivaji saved the Hindus. Everything else followed. Shivaji's place is history should therefore be viewed from a wider perspective than just his military success. The book chronicles the rise of a great warrior King whose legends are still sung in remote villages across India. He would later prove to be the most shinning icon of Indian Nationalism against the British in India's struggle for Independence.