SynopsisLAND OF THE MARATHAS, 1661 – 1674
Epic Story of Shivaji Maharaj, India’s Greatest Warrior-King, And Birth of the Maratha Empire
Shivaji Bhosale’s struggle against imperial powers continues as massive Mughal armies repeatedly descend upon his tiny fiefdom. Emperor Aurangzeb recognizes the dangerous threat of the Mountain Rat and resolves to finish him off, once and for all. He sends Shaista Khan, his maternal uncle, with a large army, but Shivaji, in a daring night raid, attacks the much decorated Mughal General, cutting off his fingers. Turning his attention once again to Sultan Adilshah, Shivji systematically expands his holdings in the Konkan. Along the coast, the British, Portuguese and Abyssinian also find him a serious obstacle to their coastal interests.
Infuriated, the Mughal Emperor sends Jai Singh and Diler Khan to the Deccan with another large army. Jai Singh proves to be the toughest challenge Shivaji has faced. After winning almost every battle for two decades, Shivaji is finally subdued by Jai Singh and faces the humiliation of receiving Aurangzeb’s firmaan to surrender a large part of his fiefdom and serve in the Mughal army. In a final insult, Shivaji is compelled to visit Agra and bow before Aurangzeb at court. By royal order, he and his son are detained in Agra, under heavy guard. The ingenious Maratha, however, foiling all attempts to assassinate them, escapes, leaving the Emperor seething in impotent fury.
Safely home again, Shivaji embarks on the re-conquest of his lost forts and territories. Finally, in 1674, in defiance of imperial rule, he crowns himself King of the Marathas. After more than three and a half centuries of enslavement, the Marathi people have their own King. Shivaji Raje Bhosale thus becomes Chhatrapati, Lord of the Royal Umbrella…
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Binding: PaperBack
About the author
"GAUTAM PRADHAN is a Radiologist by profession. Educated in Mumbai, he has been in private medical practice for nearly two
decades. He lives in Thane, Maharashtra, with his wife Dipali, son Aditya and daughter Aryaa. Passionate about history, Gautam reads voraciously on the subjectand enjoys visiting places of historical interest. Possessed of an imaginitive mind, he felt caged within the restrictive confines of the medical profession and took to writing as a hobby. It seemed a natural choice to base his first book on historical events and the life and times of a man he has always revered. He devoted eight years to the research and writing of this book, receiving valuable inputs through extensive discussions with eminent historians. The project on Shivaji’s life, in three dramatized volumes, has been an emotional but intensely fulfilling journey. 300 Brave Men (Book I), was published in 2017, to critical acclaim. His other interests include
wildlife photography, music and movies."
