How did shivaji maharaj escape from panhala ?
Answers
The story is quite interesting. Let me tell in brief.
When Shivaji Maharaj defeated Afjal Khan, Bijapur Sultanate was much disturbed. Maharaj decided to picking this opportunity for expanding swarajya. He attacked Fort Panhala within a Fortnight and captured it very bravely.
Defeat at Panhala fort was a very big loss and a big Shame for Adilshahi. Hence Adilshah sent his General Siddi Jouhar to capture Shivaji Maharaj. Adilshah gave a strong army of 40000 troops along with skilled commanders Siddi Masood and Fajal Khan. This huge army marched on panhala fort and put a siege around it. There was also an English army having Long distance Canons pointing at Panhala.
Siddi Jouhar, a notable army commander of that time was a huge & strong Habshi man. It is Described as he used to control an arrogant elephant holding elephant’s teeth with his two hands. He used to eat a whole goat at a single meal.
On Panhala fort Shivaji Maharaj had an army of around 1000 troops along with his some trusted advisers. Hence it was a suicide if they attacked Jouhar in open field. Now, they had two options, first to wait for Netaji Palkar, Commander in chief of Maratha army to attack Siddi Jouhar army from outside or second to surrender to adilshah. Netaji Palkar attacked twice from outside but both the attacks failed. Siddi Jouhar was a good commander. He repelled Netaji’s forces very nicely.
Shivaji Maharaj thought that Siege will get loosened by time. But Siege was as tight as before even after 3 to 4 months. Siddi himself used to travel throughout his siege daily. His army camp was spread through 4 to 5 km of length in each direction. Not a single spot around fort was left unmanned. Only Hope of Shivaji Maharaj was Nature itself. When it will rain, all the artilleries and cannons will be wasted. But Siddi was ahead of Maharaj in this also. He builted strong shades for his canons and all his armery.
Around a month later, it was raining very heavily. Maharaj were asleep at the time of midnight. Suddenly a guard came and told that a Sadhu baba came to visit you. Maharaj woke up and met the person that came even in this heavy rain to meet him. Maharaj quickly identified the person. He was one of his very trusted servent, Mahadev. Jijamata sent Mahadev to visit Shivaji maharaj. Mahadev gave some Valuable information. He told that on North West direction from Panhala there is Vishalgad Situated on 20 miles. Maharaj can escape to Vishalgad. But the problem is Vishalgad was Sieged by Suryarao Surve one of Shivaji Maharaj’s enemy. Hence Siddi considered that Maharaj won’t dare to go in that direction. Hence he subsequently planted less men on that side of siege. Only 1 mile of army camp was on the direction of Vishalgad. But main problem was how to divert the mind of siddi while escaping.
Then in some days, a plan came forward. A fake Shivaji will go to Siddi to make a Truce and Meanwhile Maharaj will escape to Vishalgad and defeat Suryarao. Now the question was who will become fake Shivaji? Suddenly a man came to court running and asked to be a volunteer for the task. The man was no soldier but was a barber of fort named Shiva Kashi. Everyone looked at him, excepting healthy body, He almost looked like Shivaji Maharaj. Same beard, Same mustache, Same height, same colour. Shivaji Maharaj asked Shiva Kashi that does he know the outcome of this operation? Shiva replied that what would be worst possibility is death and he was ready for that. He said, “If I stepped back from this work I would die a normal death, but if I do this work then I will die a Kings death rather Chhatrapati Shivaji’s death. So please don’t stop me from this great achievement.” Shivaji Maharaj Cried in front of everyone on this sentence.
So Shivaji Maharaj sent his Lawyer to Siddi asking a Truce between both armies. Siddi agreed for truce. He thought that Shivaji was Frightened by him. In this Overconfidence he Declared a grand Party for his soldiers on the day of Truce. The day was fixed on GuruPornima of the Month.