The land of Maharashtra is adorned with the rich heritage of great Maratha warrior Shivaji Maharaj. Chhatrapati Shivaji, who started the Maratha Empire, was the man who stood out as a great fright to the mighty Mughal dynasty in the Deccan Plateau. The stories and folklores associated with the famous battles he fought and tricks he applied from time to time have now turned into legends. For the people of India, Shivaji is the epitome of extra ordinary courage and perspicaciousness, who is still remembered with due honour and dignity.

History Behind The Legend

Born in the Bhosale clan of the Maratha caste, Shivaji's father was a chief of the kingdom of Bijapur. Shivaji was brought up in Pune city and in the early days of his youth, he inspired the local peasant youth to follow his ideas, which can be claimed as the origination of guerrilla warfare in India. Soon he took control of various forts of Bijapur and eventually arose as a big threat to Ali Adil Shah, who sent his general Afzal Khan with a troop to catch Shivaji. The most celebrated act of Shivaji's life is his killing of Afzal Khan, when Shivaji killed him with a small dagger and a tiger's claw. Shivaji's next encounter was even bigger and it was with the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. His escape from Agra hiding in the sweet-box is a well cherished story of Indian history.

The tiny kingdom set up by Chhatarpati Shivaji known as Hindavi Swaraja (Sovereign Hindu State) flourished hugely in Shivaji's reign, eventually becoming the strongest power in India. After the death of Shivaji Maharaj, his son Sambhaji took the control but it is the Peshwas who later ruled the Deccan Plateau.

Shivaji Heritage Spread in Maharashtra Forts

Sky kissing forts along the coastline of Maharashtra still narrate the immense grandeur of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that had shaken the Indian soil at that era. Standing proudly on the coastline and crumbling the huge sea waves, the forts of Maharashtra are synonymous with the brave and courageous heritage of Shivaji. Whether it is Pratapgarh, immortalized by his encounter with Afzal Khan or Raigad, where he was coronated or even Sindhudurg, which still houses the hand and foot prints of Shivaji, the forts in Maharashtra flaunt the true flavour of Shivaji. The fact that Shivaji actually used to take part in the fort construction himself makes these even more precious.