The Svarājya of Chhatrapati Shivaji: the wise king’s just rule

Shivaji’s Religious Faith and Practices
• Shivaji was a religious figure, valuing his faith and ensuring respect for temples and priests.
• He imposed strict rules against harming mosques, the Quran, or women, and ensuring that helpless Hindu or Muslim individuals were taken care of.
• Shivaji’s chief justice, Ragunath Pandit Rao, wrote that everyone was free to follow his religion.

Shivaji’s Response to Aurangzeb’s Tax Imposition
• Shivaji defended Hinduism and Islam as equal creations of God, stating that bigotry for any man’s own creed and practices is equivalent to altering the words of the Holy Book.
• He reminded Aurangzeb of his duty towards his subjects, stating that many forts and provinces had been taken out of his possession.
• Shivaji’s conciliatory attitude towards Catholic clergymen was noted, including respecting the habitation of a reverend father Ambrose and a deceased Gentile broker.

Shivaji’s Legacy and Influence
• Despite his death in 1680, Shivaji’s legacy continues to inspire politics in Maharashtra and India.
• His opposition to the orthodoxy of savarna Hindus and Islamic fundamentalism was reflected in various works, including the ballad Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale Yancha Powada by Mahatma Phule.
• Shivaji’s ideals inspired other revolutionary figures, including Dadabhai Naoroji, Mahatma Gandhi, and Subramanya Bharati.

Shivaji’s Legacy and Politics
• Shivaji’s legacy is now a plaything for politicians, with a cottage industry of sorts making budget movies and pulpy novels on him.
• Despite his feudal rule, Shivaji’s magnetic figure lies in his human will, empowering the destitute and liberating the enslaved.