write short notes on the following personalities 1.veer mata jijabai
Answers
Jijabai (1594-1674) was the mother of Shivaji, the legendary Maratha king and warrior who stood strong against the rivaling Mughal Empire. Jijabai was born in 1594 in the town of Sindhkhed in Maharashtra. Her father was an eminent Maratha Sardar and nobleman named Lakhuji Jadhavrao, while her mother was Malasa Bai. Her father served the NizamShahi of Ahmednagar and was proud of his high position and status.
Marriage came very early to Jijabai’s life, as customary, and she tied the knot with Shahaji Bhosle, who was a spirited warrior and a diplomatic official who also served the Nizam Shah. Shahaji Bhosle was the son of Maloji Shiledar, who later grew in ranks to become ‘Sardar Maloji Rao Bhosle’. Although the couple led a happily married life, there was an enmity that brewed amongst the family members. This led to a growing ill-feeling relationship between Shahaji and his father-in-law Jadhav that tore Jijabai apart, having to choose her loyalty between her husband and her father. Her father eventually left the kingdom to join forces with the Mughals of Delhi, against the Nizamshahi and revenge against Shahaji. Jijabai remained with her husband at the Fort of Shivneri, devotedly standing by his side; however, she was disappointed with the fact that both he and her father served under other rulers, while she longed for freedom under a kingdom founded by the Marathas themselves. Together they had eight children, of whom six were daughters and two were sons, Shivaji being one of them. Praying earnestly to the gods for a son who would become an independent ruler of the Maratha clan, her prayer was answered and Shivaji grew up to become the founder of the Maratha Empire.