Shivaji is a great icon in Maharashtra. Different sections of society have given him very high status, though for diverse reasons. Folklores about him abound in the state. His statues, popular songs on him are very prevalent. These folk songs (Powadas) praise his multifarious actions. So it was no surprise that when Jayabhagwan Goyal, released his book, ‘Aaj ka Shivaji: Narendra Modi’, at religious-cultural meet organized by Delhi BJP, there was a strong resentment in Maharashtra. Various leaders from Maharashtra were furious. The Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut challenged the Shivaji’s descendent, Sambhaji Raje who is in BJP and is member of Rajya Sabha, to resign on the issue. Sambhaji Raje in turn stated that "We respect Narendra Modi, who was elected as the prime minister of the country for the second time. But neither (Narendra) Modi nor anybody else in the world can be compared with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,"
Not to be left behind Jitendra Awhad of NCP felt Modi-BJP are insulting the pride of Maharashtra. It is not the first time that controversy is erupting around the Maharashtra warrior of medieval period. Earlier we had seen Sambhaji Brigrade demanding the ban on James Laine book, Shivaji: ‘A Hindu King in an Islamic Kingdom’, for its objectionable content. Bhandarkar Institute in Pune, which had helped James Laine in his research, was also vandalized. At another level there was a talk that Babasaheb Purandare, a Brahmin, who has written some popular material on Shivaji will be made as the Chairman of the committee for statue of Shivaji. Maratha Mahasangh and Shiv Dharm officials objected to a Brahmin heading the committee for a statue for the Maratha warrior. The caste angel in Shivaji’s case is coming to the fore from quite some time.
While there is no dearth of controversies around Shivaji, it is also true that each political tendency has created Shivaji’s image from their political point of view. Who was the real Shivaji, is the question. One can see two clear streams of projection in this matter. On one hand there is an attempt to present Shivaji as the anti Muslim King, a king who was respecting Cows and Brahmins (Go Brahman pratipalak). This view was brought forward from the times of Lokmanya Tilak and picked up by Hindu nationalists, who have been looking for icons in history to suit their political agenda. Nathram Godse, while criticizing Gandhi says that Gandhi’s nationalism was dwarf in front of the one of Shivaji or Rana Pratap.
In tune with this the Hindu nationalists are promoting both these as icons of Hindu nationalism and giving anti-Muslim slant to the whole discourse. This discourse also hides in this the Brahmanical agenda of Hindu nationalism as Cows and Brahmins are presented as the central object of veneration by Shivaji. This image of Shivaji fits well into the current agenda of Hindu nationalists, being spearheaded by RSS Combine.
It is because of this that for seeking votes in Mumbai Narendra Modi on the eve of 2014 elections stated that Shivaji attacked Surat to plunder the treasury of Aurangzeb. This also presents Shivaji-Aurangzeb, Shivaji-Afzal Khan interactions as battle between Hindus and Muslims. The truth is that Surat was plundered for its wealth as it was a rich port city and Bal Samant’s book on the topic gives in depth description of the same. It is noteworthy that Shivaji began his real career of conquest in 1656 when he conquered Javli from the Maratha Chief Chandra Rao More. He took over the treasures of this kingdom. That it was not a Hindu Muslim battle becomes clear when we know that in confrontation with Aurangzeb it was Mirza Raja Jaisingh who was negotiating and engaging with Shivaji on behalf of Aurangzeb. And Shivaji had Muslim officers like Kazi Haider as confidential secretary and many Muslim Generals in his army.
Darya Sarang was chief of armor division, Daulat Khan was in-charge of his naval division; Ibrahim Khan was another general of significance in his army. This mixed up administration just shows that the kings were not having Hindu or Muslim administration depending on their religion. In the confrontation between Shivaji and Afzal Khan, Rustam-e-Jaman was Shivaji’s side and Afzal Khan had Krisnaji Bhaskar Kulkarni on his side.
As far as Shivaji’s popularity is concerned it was due to his being a King with welfare of his subjects in his mind. He lightened the burden of taxation on the average peasants, and reduced the domination of landlords over the serfs. This picture of Shivaji is well documents in the booklets by Com. Govind Pansare (Who was Shivaji) and Jayant Gadkari (Shivaji: Ek Lok Kalyankari Raja- Shivaji: King doing People’s Welfare). He did not belong to the warrior caste so Brahmins had refused to coronate him, for which purpose Gaga Bhatt a Brahmin from Kashi was brought in with heavy fees. Teesta Setalvad’s hand book on History for teachers underlined this fact.
Today while BJP-Brahmanical forces want to present Shivaji as worshipper of Brahmins and cows, the non upper caste have seen through the game. As such it was Jotirao Phule who brought forward the caste angel of Shivaji as he wrote Powada (Poem) in his honor and today dalit Bahujan are not toeing Hindu Nationalist projection on the issue.
The likes of Jayabhagwan Goyal of BJP as such are trying to give two messages through such attempts. One hand they want to paint Shivaji in anti Muslim and Brahmanical color, they also want to give the subtle message of similarity of this presentation of Shivaji with what Modi is doing. Non BJP forces have seen this game and want to present the other picture of Shivaji, which was highlighted by the likes of Jotirao Phule and which today many of those standing for rights of dalit-Bahujan are trying to articulate. The criticism of the said, book, since withdrawn is on these twin aspects. One about the picture of Shivaji who was concerned about welfare of the farmers, and two his respect for people of all religions.
Comments
RIKAZ,
Already done, i have done my computer course.
And what do you think, how i am replying to you, its through computer.
Satyameva jayate.
You have a sick mind. Just read what you have written.
I dont think you will understand anything if i reply.
If you are so concerned about kashmir or china, pls go ahead and do it yourself dont give advise to others.
PONDER, have u read properly, now here it is,
Rigveda 10/85/13- cows are slaughterd.. is misconception. The actual meaning is The word used for sun-rays is \GO\" which also means cow and hence a mantra can also be translated by making 'COW\" and not sun-rays as subject.the word WEAKENED is \"Hanyate\" which can also mean killing. The mantra states the rays get weakened in winter and get strong again in spring. How can cow that get killed in winter gain strength in spring. This proves that the reader of the vedas should have good intelligence and wisdom to understand. Otherwise people will misunderstand just like you did. Same for all other points you mentioned."
SURESH U need to do some homework, not to reply but to UNDERSTAND... please go thru below verses from your scriptures specially the last one.
Maharishi Yagyavalkya says in Shapath Brahmin (3/1/2/21) that : I EAT BEEF cos it is very soft and delicious.
Apastamb Grihsutram (1/3/10) says : The COW should be slaughtered on the arrival of Guest, on the occasion of Shraddha of ancestors and on the occasion of Marriage.
RIGVEDA (10/85/13) declares On the occasion of a girl's marriage Oxen and COWS are Slaughtered
RIGVED (6/17/1) STATES the INDRA used to EAT the meat of COW, calf, horse and buffalo.
Vashista Dharmasutra (11/34) writes, If a BRAHMIN refuses to EAT a meat offered to him on the occasion of SHRADDHA or worship HE GOES to HELL>
Suresh, you need to learn some logic.....I suggest you to join some computer programming course....
Suresh........how many cows you have at home...as per your comments also send some cows to borders of Kashmir and China...some to clean gangas and others RSS bhakta to bring go moorhra to wash their sick minds......
Which century are you living in......and where did you get your GO history from...
Rikaz,
What i have mentioned one full paragraph is fact.
what you are saying is called illusion (maya)
You will never understand that.
Just like a blind cannot see the world around him, same way you cannot understand Maya (illusion) ignorance. You have to rise high from Kg class teaching.
Mr. Suresh, its a fact man, you like it or not....I know very well that you know it...but you don't want to admit it.....right....
Rikaz,
Your are a really a funny man and your comments are so immatured.
I dont understand, Whats is wrong and what is supersition.
I am not supporting the beating of people, its wrong,
I was just giving the importance of cow for Hindus.
Suresh, you are still believing in superstition in this 21st century, so sad!
Tell us how many houses have been ruined because of your theory...none...
All rivers were flowing in same place....no body done anything for it....its natures creation.....totally rubbish....
cow is a kind of animals....its not a god...it cannot save itself from any disaster....you and your own people don't care them at all, you will find a lot of them in the road sides like orphans...no one put any grass on it....instead it eats plastic and sometime later dies....reason you don't care them and don't put any food for it....common its your god man treat it nicely....
Once Gautam Maharishi was meditating and a holy cow maya denu entered his abode and started spoiling the rice in his farm. Knowing cow shall not be treated harshly he put the Darba grass on the cow and to his surprise the cow fell dead. The other rishis present said that Gautam maharishi has done a Gau hatya a grave sin. To atone the sin of Go hatya, (killing a sacred cow), he went to Nasik & did severe Tapas to lord Shiva at Trimbakeshwar on advise of other rishis. When lord shiva was pleased with his Tapas, Gautam rishi requested lord shiva to release him from the sin by making the river Ganga flow over the dead cow. Thus Lord shiva diverted the river Ganga to flow over the cow. Thus River Go-davari was born in Nashik and merge with bay of bengal.
Cow is so holy that, if you build your house on the plot of land where cows put their holy feet for grazing, or where there was a cow shed, building a house in such a plot is very very auspicious.
After a house in built the first day of house warming cermony a holy cow is first made to enter the house in this way all the evil and negative energy in the newly built house is cleared off.
If a person is suffering badly in health or work front they are advised to feed cows, by doing this the creator is satisfied and he relieves the person from his sufferings.
Cow- urine or Go-mutra is so auspicious that if you sprinkle it on the possessed people, or inauspicious places where there is negative energies accumulated, the place becomes pure and positive again.
1857 first war of Independence broke out - cow was the reason.
This cow story made citizens sick and tired....there is no god in cow or any animal kind....what the hell these vigilantes doing around....if dalits want to live peacefully they should convert to Islam....that is where they get their due respect from society....In Islam there wont be any upper caste and lower caste....they will be treated properly with respect in the society....
Its a BIG INSULT to the PM ...
Cheddi gangs ignored .... him badly.
The PM should show his power to stop it rather than saying killing me before killing the dalits...
He said, Fake Gau Rakshaks are dividing the nation,
Then what the real Gau Rakshaks are doing??????
He further says, \Hit me and do not hit Dalits\", means he can not control those who want to HIT????
Why is he concerned about Dalits when other communities also have been terrorized by so called Gau Rakshaks? Others are not humans or Indians? Or he is only concerned about \"Vote Bank\"???"
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