My Own Maharaj

When I was a child maybe was not aware of intricacies of Indian society. The entire world was presented to us in form of text books. Experiences at school and around were typical for a middle class non metropolitan (that time Pune at least in core Peth areas was non metropolitan. Incidentally school where I went used to admit people who shared same values and had same background maybe with one or two exceptions.  Real understanding of society came in very late when i went to IIT in 90s.  Also habit of reading helped understand further. With the profession, travel and internet came in realities of global context completing the experience.  So I can say pre 90s time slab for me was other era. One very important thing that has changed in both eras is a conscious attempt made by voices or forces around to hijack the plain unbridled respect, awe, reverence, worship I had for the great wise king Shivaji Maharaj. Not that these efforts of these people have resulted in diluting the same emotion I have for Maharaj in fact the respect has grown comparing today’s leaders. I can guess that many people with background like mine may have similar experience. When I say background I do not want to refer my caste or group this based on region, geography or religion. I just want to refer to people who grew up like me focussing on education to help us grow into international professions, aspired to take up global challenges be it in job or knowledge based entrepreneurship.  Today is Shivajayanti (by Indian Calendar and I had been thinking on these points for long.

Let me start explaining the unbridled reverence, worship, awe, respect I have for Maharaj (I prefer to call HIM like that). Maharaj created a kingdom challenging tyrannical alien rulers who had single handed religious and heinous agenda. His life is filled will continuous struggle and fight with these tyrants. He won every single moment against enemies and created unblemished record based on valour, wisdom, justice, truth and harmony for his subjects. He created example for pan Indian natives to respect own culture, religion and self esteem. He created a kingdom based on loyalty, self respect, self rule and self expression amidst a chaos reigning for centuries.  He stood for equality, respect for women and educated, native farmers and artisans. He created system which stood ground in those hardships. He had vision. The incidences like escape from Agra and panhala, total defeat and annihilation of evil invaders like Afzalkhan, shahistekhan, and many more... show his tact, daring and very intelligent statesmanship and hold over ground realities. Thinking global and acting local: a lesson for even today’s businesses. The long term vision is exemplified by the fact that moment he realized that Mirza Raje campaign was something most sinister threat for Hindavi swaraj that he decided to have treaty of Purandar to deflect direct suffering for subjects.  Going by facts for all the size of army and campaign, Mirza raje was not even able to conquer one fort of Purandar (thanks to bravery of unnamed occupants led by Murarbaji ). On the other hand he took on Afzalkhans and shahistekhans when they had captured much more territory than Mirza Raje. He created loyal supporters like Tanaji, Bajiprabhu, Shiva Kashid, Madari Mehtar, Hiroji, and many more who had believed in his just mission of creating self rule. He had many followers even in Muslims proving his broad vision. He respected enemies and was beyond any parochial outlook. He understood threats of British and other colonists who were mere traders then. No other so called emperors of India (even though they themselves came from central Asia) found these traders as threats. Of course what can you expect from another outside occupier?  Maharaj understood importance of Sea and Mountains for strategic defence. Attacks like 26/11 or 93 bombings would never have happed if his vigilant navy was guarding us today. We don’t learn from History. But what can we do as these is hidden agenda to manipulate history. For those growing up on Raja Shivchatrapati by B M Purandare, it’s something beyond words to express worship we had as a child and we now have as grownups for Maharaj.

Then let me tell you what i earlier meant when i feel my emotions are being hijacked

1.       Drawing Maharaj on caste line: This is the most disrespect we can do to once in a century leaders like Maharaj of for that matter visionaries and legends  like Tilak, Agarkar, Shahu maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Maharshi Karve, Dr Babasaheb  Ambedkar, Savarkar.  These people are so great and it’s very imperative for mere mortals like us to respect them beyond caste, religion, boundaries, and states. These are world leaders and definitely need Pan Indian respect. But today’s leaders based on narrow and selfish interest brand these leaders based on their castes and hidden agenda. I feel some people are making intentional attempt to let people like us realize that we are not needed in worshipping HIM.

2.       Dividing society by his name

Some people are creating needless controversies to divide the society already so divided on caste lines. Certain saints and historical characters are purposefully deleted from history and mention. I don’t care if these characters played role in history as believed and historical research is something which should be left to academics. But what I request is not to divide society creating needless controversies. Maharaj spent his life uniting society (Maratha Tituka Melavava). Aren’t we doing disrespect to his legacy?

3.       Undermining very important aspects of his life, teachings and legacy

a)      Creating false notions about insiders/outsiders and diluting main cause and philosophy his life story is based on.

Now i see secular media, politicians and thought leaders deflecting most important teachings like respect of self, religion, culture and self governance. They just see Maharaj as someone who created justice based kingdom out of subjects. The whole life of Maharaj is based on fighting evil outside tyrants. Please note these existing tyrannical rulers were not people of land but outsiders who had an agenda to rule. They were not any other ordinary ‘unjust’ rulers from native dynasties or local dacoits or misguided villains. Yes and he was secular in true sense as he had many followers from other religion and castes as well. He was champion of creating that self respect and belief needed to carte self rule, justice and benevolent, socially developmental regime.

b)      Highlighting only few  greatness points out of complete 360% projection of his greatness

These days as you see any article describing his greatness revolves around only some points of his greatness. These days’ historical facts like defeat of Afzalkhan or Shahistekhan are no more highlighted.  His vision and valour defeating enemies is not highlighted as it was highlighted when I was child. Only the points like how his kingdom was secular or how he was king of farmers, how he created efficient systems as rulers are the only topics discussed publically. Yes he was a great king, he was king of farmers and he created very deep and detailed governance system. His love for farmers and subjects is incomparable in history. And we used to know these points of HIS greatness even when we were child. And its good that these points are highlighted but his main teachings are diluted while doing that for some obvious ‘secular’ agenda.  But I am not sure our next generation know nuances of all epic battles like that of Purandar, Javali, Panhala, surat will be known with details like what we used to do. That’s why i love the song from film Me shivajiraje bhosale boltoy on battle of pratapgad.

4.       Continuing  with erstwhile prejudices

The leaders in Maharashtra after Tilak in congress mainstream (Please note that Savarkar was never in congress mainstream), have history of genuflecting towards high command.  Right from Nehru, the so called Pan Indian leaders and ill informed and uninterested public outside Maharashtra continue to have jaundiced outlook towards life and legacy of Maharaj. We have seen in past all and sundry and so called ‘mass leaders’ quoting on Maharaj wrongly then apologizing when issues backfired. Even today our leaders fail to highlight Pan Indian cause of Maharaj outside Maharashtra.  Maharaj had pan Indian impact of undermining unjust outside dynasties and which resulted in modern India based on his vision (though in between there was British rule which took up vacuum created by Maharaj’s successful challenge to so called Pan Indian outside dynasties). He did not have time span in life to spread his pan Indian vision (except few kingdoms) to the other parts of India or maybe successive Maharashtrian rulers failed to take on from where he had left resulting in British rule.  Sambhaji raje was an exception wherein he took on four strong enemies and kept them at bay for 8 years with sheer vision and tact. Sadly he was a victim of treachery.  It’s very high time that our leaders of today end these pan Indian prejudices.

Now who are these forces /voices who try to hijack my own emotions for Maharaj from me?  I do not want to pin point neither have any interest in doing so as there are some public faces subscribing to this process or there may be very obvious hidden bigwigs behind these forces.  No idea.  

And I might be wrong as well that anyone apart from me feels like above. But one thing is sure that personality like HIM will not be born again. That’s why he was gugpurush (man of the era), yugkarta (creator of an era).  And these great people are born once in millennium...

Salute to my own Maharaj.......