How did Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Prince Sambhaji escape from Agra and how did Mughal emperor Aurangzeb react to this news?
This book is originally published in Marathi and is named as शिवछत्रपतींचा वारसा स्वराज्य ते साम्राज्य १६००- १८१८.
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Coming up: How did Aurangzeb react to Shivaji’s escape from Agra?
Namaste Friends. My name is 'Shinil Subramanian Payamal' and you are listening to the Historylogy podcast.
I came across this interesting piece of history on pages 34 and 35 of the book 'The Legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji – From Kingdom to Empire 1600 - 1818' written by Dr. Kedar Phalke which I had reviewed on 13th February, 2023.
On 18th August, 1666, Shivaji’s head was going to be chopped off in Fidai Hasan’s mansion. In spite of getting this information, Shivaji fixed 17th August as the day of escape because he did not want to alert the Mughal army. On Friday, 17th August, 1666, the court and bazaars were closed. As usual, the baskets of sweetmeats arrived and the Mughal sentries, as per their daily routine, did not pay attention to them. Shivaji gave his golden bracelet to Hiroji, and he sat in one of the baskets, Sambhaji sat in another. The porters lifted the baskets and took them outside. The bird had flown and nobody had noticed it. Later, after spreading sheets on bolsters and cushions, Hiroji Farzand also escaped.
After escaping from imprisonment, Shivaji moved forward speedily. The next day, as no movement of Shivaji was seen, Fulad Khan was informed. When Khan arrived, all he could see was bolsters and cushions!! Nobody could figure out how and from where Shivaji had escaped. The biggest predicament was how to convey this news to Aurangzeb. Finally, in the evening wazir Jafar Khan and Fulad Khan gave the emperor the news. Aurangzeb was enraged but what could he do? He issued orders to look for Shivaji but it was of no use. Shivaji and Sambhaji could not be traced. Shivaji first went to Mathura where Moropant Pingale’s brother-in-law stayed. Sambhaji was kept with three brothers, Kashirao, Visajipant and Krishnajipant. Out of these they took Krishnajipant along to show the way to the Deccan. There is no definite information in contemporaneous sources about which route Shivaji took to return to the Maratha kingdom. One thing was sure, the entire Hindustan was shaken by this incident. Shivaji became famous, not just in Hindustan but also in Iran and England. Later, in a letter to Aurangzeb, the emperor of Iran, Shah Abbas wrote, ‘You are hardly an Alamgir (one who conquers the world). At the most you can be called a Pidargir (one who holds his father). The mountain rat Siva(ji) was in your clutches but you could not even hold onto him. You are hardly an Alamgir!’
Aurangzeb was badly humiliated, he dismissed Ram Singh. Kavindra Parmanand was imprisoned at Dausa but later he was released. There is no record of any of Shivaji’s men having lost their lives, he rescued all his men. The region from Agra up to the river Bhima, was under the control of the Mughals. Almost five hundred people, including diplomats and Shivaji himself and Sambhaji, all returned safe and sound, and that too from the prison of a cruel tyrant like Aurangzeb. After escaping from Agra, Shivaji reached Rajgad on 20th November, 1666. He entered the Maratha kingdom safely in the disguise of a mendicant. To celebrate this happy occasion cannons boomed on all the forts. After some days Sambhaji too reached Rajgad. Aurangzeb, enraged by the fact that Shivaji had escaped, issued orders to arrest Netoji Palkar and send him to Delhi. Netoji Palkar was arrested along with his family and entourage. Aurangzeb was angry with Ram Singh. His mansab was taken away, his jagir was confiscated and Ram Singh was barred from entering the court. All these events had a bad effect on Jai Singh and while returning to Agra he passed away at Burhanpur on 28th August, 1667. Netoji was converted to Islam, he was circumcised on 15th February, 1667. He was given the name Muhammad Quli Khan and he had to remarry both his wives according to Islamic customs and rituals. He was appointed to Panjmeer. Later, in 1676, Netoji returned to the Maratha kingdom. He was purified and reconverted to Hinduism.
In his will Aurangzeb has written about what he felt and suffered as a result of Shivaji escaping from his imprisonment at Agra. He says ─
“Keeping of information about everything that happens in every nook and corner of the Kingdom is supposed to be the greatest pillar of a government. Negligence of even a moment spoils the entire work done for years. Shivaji escaped from Agra captivity due to my negligence. You know how I had to fight the battle of my life against the Marathas till my last day.”
The feat of Shivaji escaping from Aurangzeb’s imprisonment was considered so extraordinary that in a letter that the Portuguese wrote to the king of Portugal, they have compared Shivaji with Alexander and Julius Caesar.
As we all know, there are two incidents which Aurangzeb regretted till the end of life. First of course was the escape of Shivaji from Agra and the second was the brutal killing of Sambhaji which reignited the fire for Swaraj amongst the Marathas and led to the eventual fall of the Mughal empire. But that is a topic of discussion for another day.
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