Shivaji's historic WaghNakh

In a significant development, the UK authorities have agreed to return the iconic 'waghnakh,' a dagger shaped like tiger claws used by Maratha king ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj.

• The small weapon is currently part of London's Victoria and Albert Museum.

• The 'waghnakh,'(Tiger Claws) an artifact made of steel with four claws mounted on a bar and two rings for the first and fourth fingers.
• This weapon holds historical significance as it was used by ShivajiMaharaj to kill Afzal Khan, the general of the Bijapur sultanate in 1659.
• It was designed to slash through skin and muscle.
• It holds a special place in the history for the people of Maharashtra.
• Its return symbolizes a significant milestone in the state's cultural legacy and the reverence it holds for its iconic leader, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj:

• He was born on 19th February 1630 at Shivneri Fort in District Pune in the present-day state of Maharashtra.
• He was born to Shahaji Bhonsle, a Maratha general who held the jagirs of Pune and Supe under the Bijapur Sultanate, and Jijabai, a pious woman whose religious qualities had a profound influence on him.
• Shivaji was not named after Lord Shiva. His name was derived from the name of a regional deity – ‘Goddess Shivai.’
• Contributions:
• He revived ancient Hindu political traditions and court conventions and promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit, rather than Persian, in court and administration.
• India's first-ever navy in the modern era was built by Shivaji to protect the coast of Maharashtra.
• He established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of disciplined military and well-structured administrative organizations.

• He innovated military tactics, pioneering non-conventional methods (guerrilla warfare) and leveraged strategic factors like geography, speed, and surprise.
  • He focused on pinpoint attacks to defeat his larger and more powerful enemies.
  • A brave and genuinely secular ruler, he respected women and cared for the downtrodden and farmers.
• He died on 3rd April 1680.

Who was Afzal Khan?

• He was a 17th-century commander of the AdilShahi dynasty of Bijapur.
• With ChhatrapatiShivaji’s rise and increasing control of the region, Afzal Khan was seen as the man to subdue him in the Deccan.
• Khan put together a force of 10,000 cavalry and marched from Bijapur to Wai, plundering Shivaji’s territory along the way.
• Shivaji called a council of war at the fort of Pratapgarh, where most of his advisers urged him to make peace.
• During the meeting, an embrace between the two turned into an attack in which Shivaji emerged victorious. This was followed by a rout of the Adilshahi army at the hands of the Marathas.
• As per Maratha sources, Khan’s remains were buried at the fort and a tomb was constructed on Shivajij’s orders.

Important Battle: