Talk:Shivaji/Archive 5

Shivaji Maharaj was not an Illiterate
Edit requested : Removal of words in Upbringing para which refer to SHIVAJI MAHARAJ as likely illiterate

The source cited against it.." emperors of Peacock Throne ", cannot

be a reliable source to tell a tale about someone like Shivaji Maharaj,an arch enemy who fought against those same Emperors of Peacock throne(mughals)

Kindly refer to this book...''The life of Shivaji Maharaj, founder of the Maratha empire by Krshnarava Arjuna Kelusakara, published by : Manoranjan press, contributor being: University of California Libraries ''.

Also, words like FORMAL EDUCATION should be avoided, nothing like FORMAL EDUCATION, the classroom Education we receive nowadays existed back in the days of Shivaji Maharaj

Use of such vague words should be avoided, Definitely there used to be a Teacher/guru back in those days,,and education was imparted but even calling that Formal, would seem like reading a blog, where a blogger types whatever pops in his enlightened mind first.. my point being simple,,, considering the timeline in which the education is referred to,,, such words are a complete misfit.

Another edit : In para " Attack on Shaista Khan " He had lost 3 of his fingers and not just one Ref book The life of Shivaji Maharaj, founder of the Maratha empire by Krshnarava Arjuna Kelusakara, published by : Manoranjan press, contributor being- : University of California Libraries

the same book has this reference too...

this wiki article's author states just one thumb  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rbs21 (talk • contribs) 01:14, 19 March 2015 (UTC)

They say Akbar was illiterate as well. Do you need to be able to personally read or write anything when you can have any army of servants doing it for you ? . Whether Shivaji was illiterate or not is therefore not something to be ashamed abouiJonathansammy (talk) 18:37, 22 March 2015 (UTC)

the question is exactly about what SOME say, the ones who have written this article, arent someone who know much to reproduce history , let alone be it of Shivaji Maharaj,,, another thing, how can someone tell that such reference is not to be ashamed about ?? WIKIPEDIA is no place to post articles based on ones opinions and judgements, i am objecting to a sentence which is completely Wrong ( use the reference links provided in same article)

this article which talks about Shivaji Maharaj as being illiterate has reference links which point to the fact that he WASNT (illiterate) but had knowledge to read and write, obviously if you say he didnt know to read and write Foreign languages, that doesnt make him ILLITERATE

also, ponder upon this, if there are multiple references to Shivaji Maharaj, and say you get a 50-50 opinion on his literacy, you cant write in a negative tone .."likely illiterate"   one should write that "its debatable"   this being if the sources contradict each other

also my point is very clear...  the author/editor of this article has stated Shivaji Maharaj as being illiterate and REFRENCE link is that  of "emperors of peacock throne"   forget the point of any WIKI article being unbaised, one cannot base an opinion  on subject matter (SHIVAJI MAHARAJ) referring to a book on  MUGHALS ( emperors of peacock throne)  ,, if at all people arent aware - EMPERORS OF PEACOCK THRONE were MUGHALS , and SHIVAJI MAHARAJ was their fierce and arch enemy.

when you live in a land where such great ruler once lived, and years later someone on a platform as big as WIKIPEDIA puts forward a very WRONG image of such a person , you dont feel ashamed, you feel angered and pity those who are terribly misinformed and who are further making millions the same

also having an army or fleet of servants/soldiers to do things for KING, i dont get this , the things or the revolution Shivaji Maharaj started, even talking about his literacy status is trivial, but this being an article and all aspects being covered , it is beneficial to add , but only if you have correct references.

use the reference links... my point will be clear Rbs21 (talk) 13:17, 23 March 2015 (UTC)

— Preceding unsigned comment added by Rbs21 (talk • contribs) 12:56, 23 March 2015 (UTC)

this is commendable,, this user Jonathansammy has added another link to support the editor regarding the ILLITERACY reference, let me ask this user Jonathansammy or any editor in wikipedia, as Jonathansammy  said AKBAR too was illiterate  i did search the wikipedia article (on AKBAR) but didnt find a SINGLE REFERENCE to Akbar being ILLITERATE

there are sources (external)which shed light on AKBAR's literacy but the WIKIPEDIA article on AKBAR should be seen, its written in a way better tone than this article on SHIVAJI MAHARAJ

also view this as reference refer pg 86 - 87

here too they talk about the literacy status

let me ask all editors... 1. Even if we say some form of education was not taken by him, it it fair to call him ILLITERATE considering the age at which SHIVAJI MAHARAJ started his fight against the MUGHALS 2. Literacy had a different meaning in those days, Shivaji Maharaj had mastered the contents of two great HINDU epics ,was a great swords-man,had learnt horse riding, archery and marksmanship, patta and other, the want of book knowledge wasnt required then , is it even required to be stated ( not so in AKBAR's article) 3. Considering the time or era when Mughal's evil rule had plagued his land, Shivaji Maharaj was not expected to become a scholar first and then start Fighting Mughals

All this seems a waste of time saying this again and again, the editor or other for that matter dont get this simple point, Literacy isnt something to be mentioned ( learn something from AKBAR article on WIKIPEDIA) when you write about Great Rulers, great men who created History

men like SHIVAJI and AKBAR werent supposed to have book knowledge, calling them illiterate is illiteracy in itself Rbs21 (talk) 05:40, 25 March 2015 (UTC)


 * Just as an update to this one point, note that in the ensuing time it appears someone wrote up some compromise verbiage which I think gets the point across while avoiding the contentious word "illiterate": Shivaji as a boy was a keen outdoorsman and, though he received little formal education and most likely could neither read nor write, he is said to have possessed considerable erudition.[13][14][15]. I submit this is a workable approach that's technically accurate without sounding derogatory. MatthewVanitas (talk) 14:16, 23 October 2015 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 25 November 2015
"Baji Rao I" should be corrected as "Bajirao I" (or) "Bajirao I" page should be corrected as "Baji Rao I". It's just a mismatch. Please correct.

Srikrosu (talk) 05:53, 25 November 2015 (UTC)

✅ &#x2011;Ugog Nizdast (talk) 08:00, 25 November 2015 (UTC)

Shivaji's letter to Aurangzeb is missing in the article
Aurangzeb' policies had created religious imbalance of power in South Asia thus leading to the demise of the Muslim community, who imitated him and created regimes of nonacceptance towards people of other faiths, until they were all completely replaced by the mercantile European community. Kindly add the humble rhetoric in this article - VaJai0 (talk) 10:57, 20 December 2015 (UTC)
 * The letter is a primary source. In order to cover it in the article, you would need to find reliable secondary sources for history and then summarise what they say. - Kautilya3 (talk) 18:26, 20 December 2015 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 25 January 2016
plz remove dadoji kondadeo from teacher and guru of shivaji...the shivaji was trained by intellectual people sent by his father shahajiraje and guru of shivaji was his own mother,also by the order State Goverment of maharashtra the article of dadoji kondadeo in textbook of 4th standard was removed ...so plz remove dadoji kondadeo article in shivaji main article....

Dhirajchvn7 (talk) 06:33, 25 January 2016 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: as you have not cited reliable sources to back up your request, without which no information should be added to, or changed in, any article. - Arjayay (talk) 08:40, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 19 February 2016
The spelling of surname of the Shivaji Maharaj is wrong, it should be Bhosale. Please correct it.

49.248.248.106 (talk) 09:47, 19 February 2016 (UTC)
 * Could you provide a reference for the Bhosale spelling? Please see WP:RS for what constitutes an acceptable reference. --regentspark (comment) 14:16, 19 February 2016 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 7 April 2016
Sprrow9 (talk) 05:17, 7 April 2016 (UTC) please correction it .. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bhonsle →→→ Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bhosale.
 * Please provide a reliable source for the change of name. --regentspark (comment) 23:23, 7 April 2016 (UTC)

Deliberate attempt to hide facts of shivaji' early life --Wikipedia is meant for scholars or sectarian people ?
Sorry, with due regards to all those who are contributing to shivaji article , a lot facts are missing in this article. For example, Shahaji was defeated by mughals in 1636 , and as per treaty was forced to move to south. Subsequently he got poona as jagir and deputed Dadoji Kondadev and many more to look after jagir .Jijabai and shivaji were first in Khede bare in Deshapnde's wada, after construction of lal mahal shifted in Puna. But quite interesting, here it is shown that shahji married tukabai and moved to south. Is it scholarship ? Dare to call spade a spade, thanks and sorry again for such comments .But it is unfortunate wikipedia , an open platform is almost hijacked by ill motivated administrators---my email is dbkasar@yahoo.com

Semi-protected edit request on 8 April 2016
Dadoji Kondev is not an real person.He is not a teacher of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Our Government of Maharashtra also changed that, so please we request you change that.

182.70.20.172 (talk) 10:54, 8 April 2016 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. clpo13(talk) 00:03, 10 April 2016 (UTC)

The battle cry of Maratha Light Infantry is, "Bol Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai (Say Victory To King Shivaji) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bbjoshi95 (talk • contribs) 22:09, 19 April 2016 (UTC)

Stamp gallery
Gallery sections are discouraged, see WP:IG, though there are exceptions. I do not think this is one of those though, moreover, two of the three images fail the WP:NFCC. Multiple fair use images aren't allowed unless: their omission will be detrimental in the reader's understanding of the subject or discussed in the article text...Non-free_content. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 20:02, 10 March 2016 (UTC)


 * Further WP:IG states that "Fair-use images should almost never be included as part of a general image gallery...". The edit in which the commentary was added seems inadequate according to me and is laden with flowery language (" memory of this great son of India...''). Without that gallery of FU files, and the peacock language, it should be fine.
 * pinging, let's keep the discussion here. I've nominated those two files for deletion, I'm waiting for the outcome. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 11:18, 11 March 2016 (UTC)


 * pinging, The flowery language was the citation text as mentioned by the Indian Government body of India Post. If needed, I can edit it out. The stamps from the years 1960 to till date are required, as there is less information about these stamps. Shivaji Bhosale was a national leader. If suggested by you, I can remove the gallery & place the stamps in specific section like coronation section etc. Need advice here. Kindly support.Vivo78 (talk) 06:20, 12 March 2016 (UTC)


 * The images got deleted for failing the criteria. I don't think indiapost.com is an reilable source. I have thus removed the paras and gallery related to it and mentioned just the stamp issue dates. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 16:22, 25 April 2016 (UTC)

Islam section error
It states that Ibrahim Khan and Daulat Khan were Africans that is not true Ibrahim was a 'gardi' native of Deccan, Siddi Ibrahim must have been African as the siddis were of African descent. 82.41.103.107 (talk) 21:33, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

Regards Singular Name
Dear Wikipedia, Please it's my Earnest request to you that Don't even use Singular Name for our India's Legendary King Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. They were also a Father of Indian Navy. At Michal era no king was as Good as our Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. So,please keep attention on this Topic. For His Highness we the Marathi people used to say "Aisa Raja Hone Nahi,Na Bhuto Na Bhavishyati". This means "The king Never Born in Past or Future". So Please change Singular Name of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. Thanking you. Sanket Erande (talk) 12:24, 17 September 2016 (UTC)

Don't write as "shivaji"
Please mention Chatrapati Maharajah before the word shivaji for everytime Vignesh Karupothula (talk) 13:03, 14 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Please see WP:HONORIFICS. Thanks. --regentspark (comment) 13:12, 14 September 2016 (UTC)

It's my Earnest request to Wikipedia that wright Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj instead of Singular Name as Shivaji.Sanket Erande (talk) 12:17, 17 September 2016 (UTC)

please change the page name "shivaji" to "chahatrapati shivajiraje bhosale" Dnyaneshwarpawar2611w (talk) 06:23, 4 December 2016 (UTC)

to change the name..
sir please it is humble request to you change the name as chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Amol G (talk) 18:04, 11 December 2016 (UTC)

about Shivaji -Ramdas meeting
According to A.G. Pawar :Shivaji University journal 1969-70 vol 2 & 3 page no. 83

All this should make clear that Ramdas was not the political guru of Shivaji. For that matter Shivaji had no political guru at all. He received no inspiration, no guidance from any one in creating a new Maharashtra. He was, indeed, his own guru Govardhannj (talk) 07:05, 20 December 2016 (UTC)

Guerrilla warfare, Ganimi Kava, Har Har Mahadev
I've removing mentions of this from the article. The reference cited in fact totally contradicts and debunks this. As usual done by someone so keen to add this, that they shoved whatever reference they found which mentioned the keywords--not bothering to read what the source actually said. To quote:
 * "The linkage of Maratha warfare to the emotive phrase guerrilla war was firmly established during the Indian Nationalist fervour of the 1920s and 1930s when a number of Maratha histories, both South Asian and Western in origin, repeatedly referred to Shivaji's traditional Maratha way of war as being that of the guerrilla."
 * "S. N. Sen, were not primarily trained as military historians and apparently used the term 'guerrilla warfare' because they assumed that all 'hit-and-run' tactics constituted guerrilla warfare"
 * "Yet the guerrilla epithet is a generalization that does not sit comfortably with the historic evidence...." (then goes on to mention the criteria)

From what I've removed, here's are part sourced to a ref I didn't check. That's still in question though, since my main ref has casted doubt on this very idea. I acknowledge that the ref mentions there's still a little room left for this idea, but yet more research needs to be done as to how to present that.

"He was one of the pioneers of commando actions, then known as ganimi kava"

I'm removing this too: "His Mavala army's war cry was Har Har Mahadev (Har and Mahadev being common names of Hindu God Shiva)" given that my ref says they weren't indoctrinated and is tagged unsourced. Whether true or not, needs a good source to present it more carefully. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 06:41, 24 December 2016 (UTC)
 * The only thing sourced mentioning this was a citation to Bernard Montgomery, while I don't know about reliability as a history source, can still be a primary source? I've moved it to the legacy rather than the using it for serious analysis and attributed his quotes. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 06:53, 24 December 2016 (UTC)

Kashibai was not the wife of shivaji maharaj, please change the reference
Hi, kashibai was wife of bajiro peshwa, and not chhatrapati shivaji maharaj. Please make the correction Pavan jibhau shinde (talk) 11:06, 2 January 2017 (UTC)
 * The content seems to be sourced; see the reference provided here. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 12:55, 2 January 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 10 January 2017
In the "Legacy" subsection, the term "mastery of guerilla tactics" is spelled incorrectly. It should be "Mastery of Guerrilla tactics" and also needs to be linked to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_warfare. Avi28june (talk) 18:44, 10 January 2017 (UTC)
 * ❌ - "guerilla" is an acceptable alternative spelling of "guerrilla" as seen here - Arjayay (talk) 19:25, 10 January 2017 (UTC)

Brother
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj also had elder brother, named Sambhaji. Please scrutinize at your end and add. NayanAditya (talk) 13:07, 15 January 2017 (UTC)

Ramdas Swami was not a Chatrpati Shivaji Maharaj Guru
Rahul Mahalle (talk)Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj learn under guidance of Jijamata and Dadoji Konddev,There is no such evidence that explain Ramdas swami is guru,there is mystery in Shivaji Maharaj Guru so, please remove the name Ramdas swami from Shivaji Maharaj information, Ramdas was a ran-chod-das like character who lives his own marriage ceremony by heard savdhan word of marriage mantra,which man afraid of taking responsibility on shoulder that man will not be a good guru or guide of anyoneRahul Mahalle (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 09:05, 7 October 2016 (UTC)
 * The content about Samarth Ramdas is referenced. Explain if you have issues with the citation given or provide reliable sources which support your claims. Moreover, it doesn't explicitly say that he was the guru, only says Shivaji had respect for him. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 13:07, 7 October 2016 (UTC)
 * @ Rahul Mahalle: This is what James Grant Duff, the author of history of Marathas nearly two hundred years ago says "Ramdass Swamy, the friend and spiritual director of Sivajee, whose life and conduct seem to have merited the universal encomiums of his countrymen, a few days previous to his death, wrote Sumbhajee an excellent and judicious letter, advising him for the future rather than upbraiding him for the past, and pointing out the example of his father, yet carefully abstaining from personal comparison" — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jonathansammy (talk • contribs) 20:06, 7 October 2016 (UTC)
 * Turns out, op was referring probably to that low quality image which had a caption saying that, inserted randomly in the article above. Removed. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 13:21, 27 January 2017 (UTC)

Change page name as Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj 2405:204:9488:69D4:FD4F:A085:1C28:DA5F (talk) 04:54, 4 December 2016 (UTC)

Ramdas swami Is Not Guru Of Chatrapati shivaji Maharaj...He Is Only Advice One Two Time...Sant Tukaram And One Sufi Sant Was the Guru Of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj....So please Change The Name Of Ramdas Swami... — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ranjeet Bobade (talk • contribs) 06:48, 25 January 2017 (UTC)

Dadoji Konddeo
(header titled by me. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 08:54, 31 January 2017 (UTC))

the following information which have displayed on wikipedia about king shivaji is wrong and controversial "In the care of his administrator, Dadoji Konddeo, Shivaji learnt basic fighting techniques from him such as horse riding, archery and marksmanship, patta and others." where in actual practice, the dadoji konddeo was "Munim" means accountant and supervisor of pune area appointed by Raja Shahaji.dadoji konddeo has gave information about administration information only.while raje shivaji taught fighting techniques from sardar Baji pasalkar. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sandeep.7823 (talk • contribs) 15:59, 22 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Removed. I took a look at the reference and it doesn't support the statement. --regentspark (comment) 15:27, 25 January 2017 (UTC)
 * regentspark, You have removed all references to Dadaji Kondeo in this article. Here is what James Grant Duff, the early historian of Marathas writes:
 * "The family of Shahjee continued to live under the care of Dadajee. Their residence was fixed at Poona, where Dadajee built a large house for Jeejee Bye’s accommodation, and gave the son of his master such an education as was proper for a person of his birth. Mahrattas seldom can write or read; they consider all such learning the business of a carcoon, and if not degrading, at least undignified. Sivajee could never write his name, but he was a good archer and marksman, skilled in the use of the spear, and of the various swords and daggers common in the Deccan. His countrymen have always been celebrated for horsemanship; and, in this accomplishment, Sivajee excelled. By the care of his guardian, he was fully instructed in all the ceremonies and observances enjoined by the rules of his cast; and such parts of the sacred histories as are generally known, were explained to him. The fabulous exploits detailed in the Mahabharat, the Ramayan, and the Bhagwut were the delight of Sivajee’s youth; and such was his partiality for Kutha, that many years after he became famous in the country, he incurred great danger in his anxiety to be present during an entertainment of that description.
 * Also, Sir Jadunath Sarkar explicitly says that Dadaji trained Shivaji and appointed an excellent teacher for him
 * I agree that Dadaji did not teach Shivaji martial arts but the references cited above do allude to Dadaji being responsible for his education.
 * Over the last ten years, there has been a concerted plan to erase all mention of Dadaji from Shivaji's biography after the publication of James Laine's controversial book.
 * To cut a long story short, unless,there are new sources that refute Dadaji's part in Shivaji's upbringing, I believe his role should be mentioned. thanks.Jonathansammy (talk) 21:07, 27 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Ok. I guess the incorrect part was the "from him" in the "learnt basic fighting techniques from him such as". We can get rid of those two words and we should be good. --regentspark (comment) 22:30, 27 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Very interesting. Could this be elaborated more? The Early life section, in addition to your edits, currently says versus the source quote above:
 * he read the Ramayana etc on his own...
 * "Dadoji has been credited with overseeing education" while later saying "he received little formal education", make it clear what was taught to him.
 * Could you also add the part about military skills (marksmanship, weapons like spear, dagger and horsemanship) and how he learnt them (self-taught or another teacher?) Ugog Nizdast (talk) 08:52, 31 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Ugog Nizdast, Unfortunately Grant Duff is vague on what kind of education apart from saying and I quote"By the care of his guardian, he was fully instructed in all the ceremonies and observances enjoined by the rules of his cast(sic)". Sarkar also just mentions that Dadoji was responsible for education of Shivaji. Charles Augustus Kincaid, and Dattātraya Baḷavanta Pārasanīs in History of Maratha speak effusively of Dadoji and his role as the guardian. They do mention that Dadoji  had Shivaji and his companions instructed in  warlike exercises of the time. They also mention that dadoji used to read young Shivaji about Marathi saints and also stories from Mahabharat ( See pages 129 and 130 of the reference) . That's all I have. To cut a long story short, all old historians seem to find a big role for Dadoji in Shivaji's upbringing. If there are new sources that totally discredit 200 years of writing then let us look at them. ThanksJonathansammy (talk) 16:19, 31 January 2017 (UTC)

thanks for the great work delving into the sources. I share your concerns that an over-reaction to (an incredibly tiny portion of) Laine's work is making POV editors reluctant to mention Dadoji. MatthewVanitas (talk) 18:54, 31 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Indeed. I echo this.
 * , then can we, by the sources and quotes you've mentioned, rectify the above issues by saying something like "Dadoji taught him about the ceremonies, rules etc, besides this he had no formal education. Dadoji also used to read to him about Marathi saints and stories from Mahabharat." Thus clarifying the part about ... he carefully studied the two great Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata; these were to influence his lifelong defence of Hindu values.[13] which we could combine and reword the part which implies he read it himself. Also state that Shivaji was good in those specific fighting skills above separately since it's not given how did he learn them, this a temporary fix till more is found about it. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 12:29, 2 February 2017 (UTC)
 * , Please go ahead and make the changes.Thanks. Jonathansammy (talk) 14:35, 2 February 2017 (UTC)

Wrong fort name for Sinhagad
In forts section, old fortname for Sinhagad should be Kondhana instead of Konkana Abhinigade (talk) 11:37, 19 February 2017 (UTC)
 * Didn't look intentional or couldn't verify if that was an alternative spelling so fixed. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 06:58, 20 February 2017 (UTC)

Wrong fact about shivaji's parents and education
Hey you have protected this document, then please own the responsibility and please furnish facts .Here a few facts 1 Shahaji was defeated by mughals and under their pressure was moved to south 2 Shahaji married tuka bai quite early and for your kind knowledge he was having one more wife as narsabai 3 Shivaji was taken to banglore and got formal education under his father 4 from 1642 to 1649 he was instructed by dadoji kondadev in revenue matter and also many brahmin like sonopant and marathas like baji pasalkar 5 Is it not a joke to say that dadoji supervised his education on one hand and then shivaji was not able to read or write ---then can I ask a question ---what then dadoji meant for ?

i am open for debate my e mail is dbkasar@yahoo.com

it is unfortunate that wikpedia is becoming protectionist and loosing its openness --I fear it may not get lost in that -may we all keep t open and free from a malafide campaign regards dbkasar@yahoo.com — Preceding unsigned comment added by 112.133.245.38 (talk) 14:56, 18 March 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 17 April 2017
Shivaji was born in the Kaushik gotra. Apurvagururani0106 (talk) 10:08, 17 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Please provide a reliable source. --regentspark (comment) 11:34, 17 April 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 23 April 2017
In this article, in the Films section new movie should be added. Movie name "Baghtos Kay Mujra Kar" (Marathi).[1]

Kadam.virajkadam (talk) 10:53, 23 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Yes check.svg Done DRAGON BOOSTER   ★  12:00, 23 April 2017 (UTC)

Change Name Shivaji To Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Sir, Can You Change Name From Shivaji To Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Regard' Amar S Vidhate Amarsv (talk) 07:12, 24 August 2016 (UTC)

Wikipedia policy does not allow honorifics to go before the name. ThanksJonathansammy (talk) 17:52, 24 August 2016 (UTC)

Sir, Thanks For Reply, But There Are Many Honorofics Name Given On Wikipedia E.g.Mahatma Gandhi (Our Respectable Rashtrapita Mohandas Karmchand Gandhi)I am not saying That change Name of Mahatma Gandhi. He Is also My Ideal Personality.

But Considering The Example, I Requesting Herewith Please Put "Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj" Instead Of Only Shivaji. Waiting For Reply,

Regard's Amar S.Vidhate --Amarsv (talk) 14:40, 17 September 2016 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Amarsv (talk • contribs) 13:30, 29 August 2016 (UTC)

Ya sir. I too agree with Amar Vidhate. Because Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a Great warrior and indian believe him as a GOD. If you put his name like this. It is abasement of things he had done. So i kindly request you to change the name as "Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale" or "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj". Plz sir waiting for your positive reply soon .. Thank you Manojdada (talk) 03:59, 4 December 2016 (UTC)

Change Name From Shivaji To Chattapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayesh Jadhav (talk) 04:47, 4 December 2016 (UTC)

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is famous for his fighting strategies in world wide. He is ideal for many of us in world. So plz do not mention his name in singular. Plz change it as "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj" Thank you Kuldeep2425 (talk) 05:04, 4 December 2016 (UTC)

He is not only a king. But something greater than that he is God of India. So plz change name as "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj" Kalesuhas (talk) 05:07, 4 December 2016 (UTC)

Change page name shivaji as Chhatrapati shivaji raje bhosle Rohit jadhav. 2696 (talk) 05:53, 4 December 2016 (UTC) Please Change The Name O shivaji As Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.. Because Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Is Greatest King And Greatest Human Being Ever.. He Is Never Killed A Women Whenever She is Opposition.. He Respect All Womens... Please Change the Name... — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ranjeet Bobade (talk • contribs) 06:45, 25 January 2017 (UTC) wiki wrote Guru Govind sigh so why you write sivaji please change name As Chatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale.. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ranjeet Bobade (talk • contribs) 07:12, 25 January 2017 (UTC)

Shivaji Maharaj is the most popular king in India and Chattrapati is their (his) title name and if it is regretted it will be a dishonour for the king of India Ashay Ingale (talk) 18:00, 11 March 2017 (UTC)

Please change the name and make it chhatrapati shivaji maharaj Ceoadesh (talk) 04:19, 28 April 2017 (UTC)


 * - This REM thread might throw some light in the discussion here. Best regards,  Tyler Durden  (talk)  11:39, 25 May 2017 (UTC)

Sir plz the name of shivaji toto chhatrapati shivaji maharaj. Tgank u sir Vishalsonawane7494 (talk) 10:10, 23 September 2017 (UTC)

Spelling of surname is wrong
It's Bhosale so edit it please Max chavan (talk) 09:21, 18 October 2017 (UTC)

Shivaji Maharaja's surname
Shivaji Maharaja's proper surname is Bhosale Ashay Ingale (talk) 17:56, 11 March 2017 (UTC) Shivaji Maharaj's surname was 'Bhosle' and not 'Bhonsle'. Remove that extra alphabet 'n'.
 * Am agree with Ashay Ingale.
 * In this article surname is mention wrong. so i would like to request writer please change the surname from 'Bhonsle' to 'Bhosale'. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Shrinivas bhosale (talk • contribs) 16:25, 23 April 2017 (UTC)
 * ❌ Bhonsle/Bhosle/Bhosale all seem to be accepted spelling variations per a quick Google books search and from the Bhonsle page. For consistency, usually the one used more by reliable sources is preferred and stuck to for the remaining article. Ugog Nizdast (talk) 05:40, 24 April 2017 (UTC)

Sir please take a surname from books ...the surname is BHOSALE Vishalsonawane7494 (talk) 10:11, 23 September 2017 (UTC)


 * A quick Google scholar showed the following:

Even if you modify the period to restrict entries Bhosle / Bhosale has an edge over Bhonsle. In Marathi the surname is usually not spelled with the n-sound. This clearly shows that the preferred spelling is Bhosale. Please comment.ThanksJonathansammy (talk) 13:06, 23 September 2017 (UTC)
 * Bhonsle = 7,000 hits
 * Bhosle -= 13,000 hits
 * Bhosale = 30,000 hits

Google don't know Marathi language that u r keeping the spelling Bhonsle. We are requesting u change. Bhosale is Bhosale and not Bhonsle. Max chavan (talk) 09:24, 18 October 2017 (UTC)


 * I have seen it spelled Bhosale more often than Bhonsle. Unfortunately,Udayanraje, the claimant to the Satara gadi and MP, has his name spelt Bhonsle under his entry in the Lok sabha members register.If the heir to Chhatrapati Shivaji does not object to it than it is difficult to get others to agree to Bhosale.Jonathansammy (talk) 15:18, 18 October 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 24 October 2017
hi,

Surname of Shivaji maharaj seems incorrectly spelled as Bhonsle instead of Bhosale.

Please check and make required changes. Renjer.ranjeet (talk) 12:19, 24 October 2017 (UTC)
 * Not done. Please see Talk:Shivaji above. --regentspark (comment) 12:58, 24 October 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 1 December 2017
SUNIL SINGH BIDAWAT (talk) 22:30, 1 December 2017 (UTC) Not a single brahmin was ready to do the coronation ceremonial function of the shudra shivaji. To this end, he enlisted the services of Gagga Bhatta, a famous Brahmin from Benaras, who did the Brahminical thing in falsely certifying that Shivaji’s ancestors were kshatriyas descended from the solar dynasty of Mewar and that too the coronation was made by the thumb of the leg only of shivaji belonging to shudra. This coronation ceremony took on June 6,1974.
 * Please provide a reliable source (and give good reasons for including this in the article). --regentspark (comment) 22:35, 1 December 2017 (UTC)=

plunder
Can u please explained if shivaji is accused of plundering of surat, then alladuin khilji's looting of devgiri was a noble act? At least you have semi protected the article, have some impartial view of history. otherwise what is the difference between wikipedia and pettty article? best wishes dbkasar — Preceding unsigned comment added by 112.133.245.34 (talk • contribs) 16:54, 11 December 2017 (UTC)
 * It did seemed undue, I have moved relevant part to other sections because other sections already mentioned it. Also removed a bit of content that was misrepresented on a different section. D4iNa4 (talk) 17:52, 11 December 2017 (UTC)

Philip MacDougal
Re my removal of the statement attributed to him and the revert by Jonathan Sammy. MacDougal may be a naval historian though I don't see any evidence of that either, but he definitely is not a historian of the Indian subcontinent. Could you provide some evidence of his academic credentials - all I can see is this? Thanks. --regentspark (comment) 22:48, 11 December 2017 (UTC)


 * Here is his linkedin profile and here is Google search on him and the keyward "Navy"

Semi-protected edit request on 24 December 2017
"change name=Shivaji to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj" AnandMalwade (talk) 01:29, 24 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format. Upsidedown Keyboard (talk) 02:21, 24 December 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 28 December 2017
Amirkumar (talk) 07:19, 28 December 2017 (UTC)
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format. shiv am ''(t) 07:57, 28 December 2017 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 13 January 2018
On the Wikipedia page of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, update the name of the railway station from " Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus(CST)" to " Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus(CSMT) 42.106.193.112 (talk) 21:26, 13 January 2018 (UTC)
 * Per sources, for instance here, the station is called Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. If that has changed, please provide reliable sources. Thank you. --bonadea contributions talk 23:57, 13 January 2018 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 18 January 2018
This is a humble request to change the title name of the page "Shivaji" to "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj" or simply "Shivaji Maharaj" in respect and honour to the King we proudly look up to. For if Alexander was great, then no less was Shivaji Maharaj. Thankyou. (No comparison intended) Akshay Kulkarni 1995 (talk) 17:34, 18 January 2018 (UTC)

❌ this has been discussed numerous times before, please see the archives, and such a change would be contrary to consensus. It is also explained in the box at the top of this page after the symbol - Arjayay (talk) 18:17, 18 January 2018 (UTC)

Cause of death
The cause of death of Shivaji Maharaj was not dysentry this is defaming our great King. Please make changes. The real cause of death is poisioning. Because just before his death, On 15 march Shivaji Maharaj was fit and fine at Prince Rajaram's wedding. So what happened to him. Its poison nothing else. Aviraj.m (talk) 22:01, 10 January 2018 (UTC)

Please give some reliable references that back this claim, otherwise the cause of death will not be changed. --Hagoromo&#39;s Susanoo (talk) 08:21, 3 February 2018 (UTC)

Correct The Name
Please Correct The Name From Shivaji To Shivaji Maharaj.Its An Request.Thank You. R31997 (talk) 01:23, 26 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Hello . Nope, this has been discussed dozens and dozens of times, please see Archives on this Talk page. MatthewVanitas (talk) 06:00, 2 March 2018 (UTC)

Lack of mention of the Portuguese and French?
I noticed at Sambhaji that it lacked any mention of the Portuguese, so I fixed it there. Similarly at this article, until I fixed it in 2012 there was little to mention of the British, and still no mention of the Portuguese and French. Shivaji's interactions with these colonial powers, though not as frequent as with the Mughals, are still significant and of interest. I won't speculate as to why they were left out, but I'll aim to add them in later.

As a side-note, the Military section is poorly- and under-sourced, so that is also a cleanup goal of mine. MatthewVanitas (talk) 06:02, 2 March 2018 (UTC)

Removed content: Battle of Umberkhind
I simply cannot find any sources in English (or in Latin alphabet at all) for the facts of the Battle of Umberkhind. I note we have a whole article on it, but it seems to be cruft and blog-stuff, and of the alleged sources, the only English-language one doesn't appear to mention the battle at all. I'm removing this content until it can be properly cited: "An Uzbek general, Kartalab Khan, was sent by Shaista Khan to attack and reduce the number of forts under Shivaji's control in the Konkan region on 3 February 1661. The 30,000 Mughal troops left Pune, marching through the back-country in an attempt to surprise the Marathas. In the Battle of Umberkhind, Shivaji's forces ambushed and enveloped them with infantry and light cavalry in the dense forests of Umberkhind pass near present-day Pen."

MatthewVanitas (talk) 06:28, 2 March 2018 (UTC)

Removed content: Military accomplishments
None of this was cited, preserving here in case anyone wants to source it: "* A standing army belonging to the state, called paga.
 * All war horses belonged to the state; responsibility for their upkeep rested on the Sovereign.
 * Creation of part-time soldiers from peasants who worked for eight months in their fields and supported four months in war for which they were paid.
 * Highly mobile and light infantry and cavalry excelling in commando tactics.
 * The introduction of a centralised intelligence department; Bahirjee Naik was the foremost spy who provided Shivaji with enemy information in all of Shivaji's campaigns.
 * A potent and effective navy.
 * Introduction of field craft like commando actions, and swift flanking attacks.
 * Innovation of weapons and firepower, innovative use of traditional weapons like the tiger claw (vaghnakh) and vita.

MatthewVanitas (talk) 06:34, 2 March 2018 (UTC)
 * Minor sidenote, the article cited Kanhoji Angre as one of Shivaji's naval commanders; the man was 11yrs old when Shivaji died, so while he certainly belongs at Maratha Navy he does not belong in this article. MatthewVanitas (talk) 07:31, 2 March 2018 (UTC)

Deccan Campaigns section to rewrite
Most of this is uncited, so I'm looking at Sarkar and seeing some of this sourced, though with a very different take on the issue (one that portrays Shivaji as more raiding for profit, and taking some losses as well). I'll rewrite the section with sources, but leaving the content here in case it can be sourced later. MatthewVanitas (talk) 17:54, 2 March 2018 (UTC) "Beginning in 1674, the Marathas undertook an aggressive campaign, raiding Khandesh (October), capturing Bijapuri Ponda (April 1675), Karwar (mid-year), and Kolhapur (July). In November the Maratha navy skirmished with the Siddis of Janjira, and in early 1676 Peshwa Pingale, en route to Surat, engaged the Raja of Ramnagar in battle. Shivaji raided Athani in March 1676, and by year's end besieged Belgaum and Vayem Rayim in modern-day northern Karnataka. At the end of 1676, Shivaji launched a wave of conquests in southern India, with a massive force of 30,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry. He captured the Adilshahi forts at Vellore and Gingee, in modern-day Tamil Nadu. In the run-up to this expedition Shivaji appealed to a sense of Deccani patriotism, that the "Deccan" or Southern India was a homeland that should be protected from outsiders., His appeal was somewhat successful and he entered into a treaty with the Qutubshah of the Golconda sultanate that covered the eastern Deccan. Shivají's conquests in the south proved quite crucial during future wars; Gingee served as Maratha capital for nine years during the Maratha War of Independence.

Shivaji intended to reconcile with his half-brother Venkoji (Ekoji I), Shahaji's son by his second wife, Tukabai (née Mohite), who ruled Thanjavur (Tanjore) after Shahaji. The initially promising negotiations were unsuccessful, so whilst returning to Raigad Shivaji defeated his half-brother's army on 26 November 1677 and seized most of his possessions in the Mysore plateau."

Expand lede by one paragraph?
Since the bulk of the article is about his military endeavors, should we not add a paragraph in the middle of the lede that concisely summarizes his military career? Honestly, he both allied with and fought against the Mughals, neighboring states, and the colonial powers. We don't necessarily have to go into individual conflicts, but giving some idea of who he fought would make sense. Or if nothing else, to give the accurate impression that he was operating in a complicated area full of ever-changing alliances. MatthewVanitas (talk) 07:24, 4 March 2018 (UTC)

Title of Chhatrapati
I agree that the name of the infobox should be Shivaji, but the titles, below the name should have Chhatrapati, like the infobox of Suleyman I has Kayser-i-Rum, as well as other Ottoman Sultans, see List of Ottoman Sultans for more information. --Hagoromo&#39;s Susanoo (talk) 08:20, 3 February 2018 (UTC)


 * The infobox clearly states 1st Sovereign (Chhatrapati) of the Maratha Realm. MatthewVanitas (talk) 00:26, 4 February 2018 (UTC)

Thats the succession, I am talking about (|title =), which comes below the name, like for Kam Bakhsh, there is the title, Shahzada of the Mughal Empire, that i how there should be the title of Chhatrapati below Shivaji's name. Hagoromo&#39;s Susanoo (talk) 14:41, 4 February 2018 (UTC)

I waited for 5 days for a reply on the talk page but as I didn't get one, I added the Chhatrapati title but it was reverted. Please tell the reason for which it was reverted. Hagoromo&#39;s Susanoo (talk) 15:22, 9 February 2018 (UTC)
 * Just going by the note in the article. That tells me that you need broader consensus if you want to add it. --regentspark (comment) 15:27, 9 February 2018 (UTC)


 * With British monarchs such as Victoria or George V, the title is below the image rather than above it.We should keep to that sequence with Indian notables too.So with Shivaji,there is no need to add Chhatrapati between his name and his photo.Thanks.Jonathansammy (talk) 16:40, 9 February 2018 (UTC)

Please don't use only "Shivaji" word, bcz it's singular mention of our respected and greatest Hindu king whom fought for our religion our freedom and our rights. As they are inspiration for us and whole world too, so I request to you that please modify title of Shivaji and mention as "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj". Because of your singular mentioned name give future generations bad or negative message, some people nowdays used to say that it's Only mentioned Shivaji on Wikipedia so why we called them Chhatrapati they don't give any respect to our Greatest King Chhatrapati Shivaji. He is not only king people used to believe that he is god for them. My humble request towards you please change the title, Waiting for your revert. Hiteshmadhavi (talk) 21:02, 4 March 2018 (UTC)


 * For (literally) the hundredth time: no. Please look at how many, many, many times this has been discussed in the archives of this Talk page. MatthewVanitas (talk) 21:38, 4 March 2018 (UTC)

Missing content
I'm compiling possible missing content that has previously been discussed on this Talk page. Feel free to add any missing issues which the article fails to address below. MatthewVanitas (talk) 21:37, 4 March 2018 (UTC)
 * I'm not necessarily endorsing any of the below issues; they're just the result of going back through every Talk page (2006!) and noting everything anybody claimed that doesn't appear in the article now. MatthewVanitas (talk) 23:52, 4 March 2018 (UTC)

Missing issues

 * Shivaji's relations with the Portuguese and French
 * Summarize his military career with one paragraph in the lede
 * Battle of Umberkhind? I'm simply not finding good sources for it.
 * Shivaji's letter to Aurangzeb?
 * Shahaji's defeat in 1636 and forced move south?
 * Check on validity of "Guerrilla warfare, Ganimi Kava"?
 * Shivaji elder brother also named Sambhaji?
 * Role of Dadoji Kandeho (apparently a contested issue, some say he was a munim administrator only and Duff got it wrong)?
 * Shivaji born to Kaushik gotra?
 * Shivaji's dog Waghya?
 * Rewrite sections on post-coronation Deccan campaign?
 * Mention of Mahar/Mang/Chamar troops?
 * Role of Maval group?
 * Shivaji's activities 1649-1653?
 * Treaties where the Marathas were at a disadvantage?
 * Coverage of Shivaji's "revolutionary taxes", which some saw as extortion
 * Coverage of Shahaji's political accommodations and abandoning of Shivaji's mother, both causing resentment
 * Accusations of atrocities at Surat? Rajapur factory looting?
 * Here's the huge one: tons of RSs mention that Shivaji had trouble getting coronated because some Brahmins didn't believe he was Kshatriya. Complex and sensitive issue, and likely to provoke outburst from drive-by editors, so when we address this one we'll have to come "loaded for bear" with a substantial number of ironclad references, and prepare for edit warring.
 * Summarise early British perceptions
 * Historiography section: changes in how Shivaji has been perceived over time, from local leader to dacoit to communal icon to proto-nationalist, etc. JS mentioned Lokmanya Tilak as playing a key role.
 * M. G. Ranade was apparently a key figure in countering the British (and other) narratives portraying Shivaji as a brigand, setting the state for a new portrayal of Shivaji as a "founding father" type instead. This seems to be a key historiographical issue.
 * Following a treaty between the Mughals and the Bijapur Sultanate, Shahaji was posted to a Bangalore-based jagir, while Jijabai and Shivaji remained in Pune.[citation needed]
 * At age of 14, he returned to Pune with a rajmudra (sovereign seal) and a ministerial council.[citation needed]
 * [Pavan Khind/Ghod Khind] The battle resulted in the death of 300 Marathas and 3,000 Adilshahi troops.[citation needed]
 * Per the accord, Panhala Fort was awarded to Siddi Jauhar.[citation needed]
 * Thereafter a truce was made between Shivaji and Adilshah through Shahaji.[citation needed] [after Pavan Khind]
 * Shivaji used the guerrilla warfare in Deccan which was pioneered by Malik Ambar
 * Shivaji was Satara/Ellora?
 * Shivaji was Kurmi?
 * Battle of Assaye?
 * Clarify the point at which Maratha territory became a kingdom or confederacy?
 * some mention at least of the current use of Shivaji as a hero by Hindu supremacist groups;
 * Ashtapradhan ministry?
 * Shiv Sena perspective?
 * 1/3 of Shivaji army Muslim?
 * Was Shivaji a truly independent leader during his post-coronation tenure?
 * Shvaji was a Gujar, or Kannada?
 * Also the Marathas ransacking of Hindu temples, like the one at Sringeri?
 * Meaning at that time of Hindavi Swarajya?
 * Baji Rao and his troop of 50 blocking a pass to their death, while Shivaji and the main guard escaped to safety.
 * relations with East India Company?
 * A few accounts state that it was Syed Banda who attacked Shivaji (rather than Kulkarni), who was then attacked by Jiva Mahal (Mahalya).
 * In January of 1664 Shivaji sacked Surat, with the exception of the British factory, a fortified warehouse-counting house-hostel, which was successfully defended by Sir George Oxenden. Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb is supposed to have honoured him for this incident, and increased the trading priviledges of the British. (He is likely Henry Oxinden, who was the acting President of the Bombay Presidency during 30 June 1677 and 27 October 1681 )
 * Bhagwa Jhenda
 * Krishnaji, Afzal Khan's envoy (Krushnaji Bhaskar)
 * Foreign Biographies of Shivaji by Sen
 * Donations to Brahmins for coronation
 * Bal Gangadhar Tilak's contribution to the study of Shivaji's History
 * calendar started by Shivaji called ‘Rajyabhishak Shak’
 * Shahaji abandonment of Jijabai
 * Shivaji's aim to make "Hindavi Swaraj" was a "Nation Ruled By Indigenious People". Note the difference between "Hindu" and "Hindavi".
 * Moropant Pingle, Brahmin opposed to coronation
 * 300th anniversary of his coronation in 1974 was marked by major celebrations by the state government of Maharashtra
 * Shivaji as a Krishna-like figure?
 * Prof. A. R. Kulkarni tells us that "the people of the Konkan never associated themselves with the Maratha movement launched by ShivajL.Shivaji did succeed in capturing some parts of the Konkan, but the core of Konkan which was under the Dessais and the Portuguese ...
 * Shivaji's activities while his father was in jail
 * Gap 1671–1674
 * Shivaji's initial hill forts were taken from other Marathas
 * Depictions by Phule, Tularam
 * King Shivaji made clear his policy towards the various castes in his Royal Order issued on January 28, 1677 AD that : "The practices of each caste as handed down by tradition should be scrupulously observed" (See Bhavare's art. in Ramble: 1982; 187-88).
 * However, it 'is only those who must see Shivaji as the perfect Hindu king who will not allow that he learned and absorbed from the Muslim states around him, slowly formulating an idea of freedom and kingship that differed from the surrounding Muslim states'.
 * Illustrated Weekly taken to court in 1993
 * keywords "Shivaji reimagined"
 * 1674 Dilir Khan invasion
 * Pre-1648 expansion into the Konkan
 * Seizure of Javli from Chandra Rao
 * Paying officers in cash vice jagirs
 * Left Jijabai in charge when he went to Delhi/Agra
 * Issues with Diler Khan
 * Shri Prakash criticism 1960
 * Hansen coverage of Shivaji mythos
 * Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Shivaji
 * bakhars written about Shivaji
 * Role of Ramdas?
 * Use of ganimi kava tactics
 * Ashta Pradhan

Removed material about claimed Battle of Kolhapur
I'm having a really hard time finding anything about a claimed Battle of Kolhapur, and more just passing mentions that Shivaji defeated Rustam Zaman who was sent against him. Here's some material I'm removing. MatthewVanitas (talk) 03:52, 6 March 2018 (UTC)

"To counter the loss at Pratapgad and to defeat the newly emerging Maratha power, another army, this time numbering over 10,000, was sent against Shivaji, commanded by Bijapur's Abyssinian general Rustam Zaman. With a cavalry force of 5,000 Marathas, Shivaji attacked them near Kolhapur on 28 December 1659. In a swift movement, Shivaji led a full frontal attack at the centre of the enemy forces while two other portions of his cavalry attacked the flanks. This battle lasted for several hours and at the end Bijapuri forces were soundly defeated and Rustam Zaman fled the battlefield. Bijapuri forces lost about 2,000 horses and 12 elephants to the Marathas. This victory alarmed Aurangzeb, who now derisively referred to Shivaji as the "mountain rat", and prepared to address this rising Maratha threat."

Covering the controversy of Shivaji's coronation
Let us begin to address the elephant in the room, and I'll begin by listing and quoting sources that at least prove that there is a controversy. Some of these sources are strong sources that should be in the article, and some are weaker but presented here to help illustrate the general trend of scholarship, both Indian and foreign, on the topic of Shivaji's coronation. MatthewVanitas (talk) 06:17, 6 March 2018 (UTC)


 * By extension, the question of Shivaji's status in varna terms raised the issue concerning all groups and families in rural society who claimed to be true Marathas of Rajput descent. Shivaji's investiture with the sacred thread at his coronation could thus form a focus for all Maratha aspirations towards Kshatriya status. His martial exploits and his de facto position as a ruler could be seen more generally as backing for the claims that later formed so prominent a part of non-Brahman and
 * Let us turn for a moment to the details of Shivaji's coronation, for this act perhaps more than any other has colored the common view of his identity as being anchored in Hinduism. The coronation was an elaborate nine day ceremony, replete with Brahmins and Sanskrit ritual. At its core was the ancient Indian rite ... The solution to the problem of Shivaji's status was a new genealogy created for the occasion that traced Shivaji's ancestry backto Rajput roots, for Rajputs were widely accepted ...
 * In fact, Stewart Gordon points out that Shivaji may have been thought of as a Rajput, both by himself as well as Rajputs.139 However, being snubbed by Aurangzeb as a bhomiya, Shivaji proceeded to 'recover' his genealogical origins in Rajputs of Rajputana, as well as go through a ritual Vedic coronation.140 A verse composed at the time of his coronation in 1674 CE by Paramananda portrays Shivaji as a protector of gods, Brahmins and cows, an avatara of Visnu.141 This kind of .
 * There were big, controversial problems, which delayed the coronation for almost a year. First there was Shivaji's ancestry. If he was a Maratha, or worse, a Kunbi-cultivator, he was not suitable material to be a king. He had to be a Kshatriya. Everyone, however, knew Shivaji's immediate ancestors – Shahaji, his father, who had been in Bijapuri service, and his grandfather, Maloji, who had been a cultivating village headman in northern Maharashtra – and they were all Marathas, not Kshatriyas. If Shivaji was, indeed, a Kshatriya, why had he never had the sacred-thread ceremony, and why did he not wear the sacred thread? Why had his marriages been in accordance with the Maratha tradition, not the Kshatriya tradition? No one in the Brahmin communities in Maharashtra came forward with answers which would allow the coronation to proceed. ... The initial problem of Shivaji's Maratha past was solved by the "finding" of a genealogy which connected his family to Rajput origins in Rajasthan, the family having migrated south to Maharashtra following Muslim invasions of the thirteenth century.
 * Shivaji immersed himself in a period of intense prayer and worship at a number of temples and shrines. In the meantime his Brahmin advisers persuaded Gagga Bhatta of Varanasi, the foremost Hindu theologian of his day, to declare that Shivaji was not a mere Shudra of the Maratha caste, but a lapsed Kshatriya, a Rajput, whose ancestors could ... Shivaji's coronation, widely reported throughout the subcontinent, was one of the most important political acts of the seventeenth century.
 * However, Shivaji, the "self-made ruler", was stigmatised as belonging to the social group of shudra (peasants), the lowest varna (lit.: colour, i.e. ritual colour of distinction or colour of the skin, often wrongly conceptualized by Europeans as "caste"). As a result, in order for Shivaji to legitimise his kingship... Shivaji relied on recognised concepts of legitimacy to support his mandate to rule, namely that the ruler had to he heir to a heroic tradition, which in the Hindu context meant the inclusion in the ideal of the heroic warrior, the kshatriya (the second varna) whilst social and political status qualified and committed him to the maintenance of secular order and norms (rajadharma"). ''
 * In due course Shivaji was reluctantly accepted as a Kshatriya at the time of his coronation. He was then declared to be a lineal descendant of the Rajput clan of Sisodia, a Kshatriya by birth as well as by achievement. Shivaji's connection with the Rajput Kshatriya tradition seems to suggest the weakness of the Kshatriya tradition in Maharashtra prior to the seventeenth century. There was even a "palpably absurd social theory," current at this time, that there was no ancient Kshatriya ...
 * Shivaji's digvijaya was only one part of a large and complex effort to assert and defend his claims to kshatriya caste, including lengthy purification rites, a coronation carefully contrived in reference to ancient Hindu texts, a thread ceremony for himself ... 
 * A Brahmin from Benares, Gaga Bhatta, supported Shivaji's claim to Kshatriya status after much persuasion and traced the Bhosle lineage to the Sisodia Rajputs of Udaipur. Though Brahmin authority sanctified temporal claims, ritual was powerful only when supported by idioms and practices of political sovereignty. The belatedness of Shivaji's coronation and its ritual recognition of Shivaji's consolidation of real power over the Deccan (and other Maratha families) are noteworthy. ...... The controversy of Shivaji's claim to Kshatriya lineage–he came from a family of patils (village headmen) near Pune who had acquired power through military service to the Nizam Shah of Ahemdnagar–arose when a section of Deccan Brahmins rejected the possibility of allowing Shivaji to be coronated with Vedic rites reserved for twice-born Kshatriyas.
 * Until Shivaji's coronation, there was nothing in Gaga's scholarly oeuvre to suggest his competence in rajadharma, or the rights and duties of kings. In order to ... It dismisses the idea that the size of the payment might reflect on the veracity of his claims as to Shivaji's being a Rajput, or being a ksatriya
 * In other words, Shivaji became a direct descendant of the Sisodia Rajputs, a clan of chieftains both actually powerful as well as universally acclaimed as being highborn Rajput, a kshatriya, who had the foremost right to be a king. Gagabhatta conducted special rituals and transformed Shivaji, a shudra Maratha warlord into a kshatriya king, and performed all rituals befitting the coronation of a kshatriya king. But surprisingly, on the persistence of other 11,000 brahmins, Shivaji was not allowed to repeat Vedic mantras (as shudras are precluded from uttering Vedic mantras)... Shivaji and Gagabhattta had managed to bypass the strict shastric code and yet achieve their objective smartly but it exposes the double standards and the archaic nature of priestly punditry which bemoans a shudra's mobility to kingship. It was an unfortunate commentary on the unchanging Hindu law positioning shudras as born slaves to the Dwijas; how it was justifiable to prevent them from access to the knowledge of sacred texts and preventing them from the exercise of any kind
 * Then in 1674, as it were to crown it all, Shivaji had himself elevated to kingship. The assumption of kingship was less for ... and the kingdom's finances reorganised. The 'coronation' itself (no crown was actually used) presented the sort of problems which dynastic aspirants of old may have had to face. Marathas not being accounted as of ksatriya status, a bogus genealogy had to be fabricated which linked Shivaji's Bhonsle predecessors with the illustrious Sesodia rajputs of Mewar.
 * The political career of Shahji has been described in the text. Sir Jadunath Sarkar discredits this story of Rajput origin of the Bhonsles, and considers the family to have become one of the local Maratha tribes or clans. The question is too controversial to be satisfactorily dealt with here. The controversy is as old at least as the coronation of Shivaji. For all practical purposes it was then settled in favour of the Rajput origin, inasmuch as authoritative Brahman opinion accepted it as true.
 * Shivaji had no current tradition of coronation ceremony to fall back upon. This necessitated that he would follow the ancient rules. Some recent manuals of ceremonies had included the coronation ceremony. But the use of Vedic hyms in a rite was permissible to a dwija alone who had gone through the ceremony of Yajnopavita, the thread ceremony. Rather surprisingly for that age, it was discovered that contrary to the current tradition in various ruling houses in Rajputana, 
 *  On the ground that Shivaji was merely a Maratha and not a Kshatriya by caste, Maharashtra's Brahmins had refused to conduct a sacred coronation. However 
 * The play is a brilliant exposé of the controversy surrounding Shivaji's coronation. In June 1674 Shivaji the Maratha warlord was crowned king. Shivaji hailed from the Sudra Yadav community (incidentally, the community that Lord Krishna hailed
 * The controversy raised at the time of Shahu was one that was repeatedly raised in the past. For instance at the time of his coronation in 1674 Chhatrapati Shivaji had also to face the challenge of this issue raised by the contemporary Brahmins. Shivaji's Coronation and Controversy over his Kshatriyaship (1674) When Shivaji thought of coronating himself as an independent Chhatrapati he encountered difficulties initially as the orthodox Brahmins opinion was not...
 * This is neither the place nor the occasion to go into the disputed point of the Vedic versus the Mantric type of coronation. In Maratha social life, the controversy has raged over many years and it is known as the Vedokta Prakarana. For the purposes of our topic it is enough to note that there were two coronations : one to establish that Shivaji belonged to the Kshatriya clan and that he could be crowned a Chhatrapati and the other to 
 * There is enough evidence to show that the ruling Maratha houses of Maharashtra considered themselves to be Ksatriyas and claimed to belong to the three upper Varnas, eligible for Vedic ceremonies. Traditionally, the Brahmins of the region did not easily accept this claim. Such issues were raised in 1676 when Shivaji, after establishing a successful kingdom of his own, wanted to be coronated as a Ksatriya king according to Vedic rites of coronation. The local Brahmins refused to perform this ceremony...
 * It is supposed to have been issued in May 1664 by a conference of several learned Pandits called together by Shivaji during his visit to Rajapur. The names of a score of renowned Pandits are recorded in the paper among which Gaga Bhatt and Kavindra Parmanand are mentioned. Orthodoxy on points of caste was then too rigid and refused to acknowledge Shivaji as a Kshatriya. In view of the same controversy raging furiously at the time of Shivaji's coronation, we may reasonably...
 * Maharashtra - at present ruled by the 'secular' Congress-NCP combine, but shackled by the rabid Shiv Sena - saw an outburst of intimidation and unreasoned rhetoric over the introduction of an alternate handbook that dealt with Shivaji in a ... The story of his coronation (detailed by eminent historians Sardesai and Sarkar, see boxes) is a sorry tale of how even a man who saw such tremendous success and popularity in his lifetime had to hunt down a Brahmin priest from Benares to ..
 * History Shivaji't Coronation. Meanwhile at Rayagad the coronation festival was going on with CHAPTER 19. full vigour. SivajT started a new era which dates from the day of place8 his coronation, the 13th day of the moon's increase in Jyestha (June ... As regards the controversy regarding his Kshatriya elescent it should be noted that there were two schools of thought one led by Shesh and the other by Bhatt, the former asserting that there were no Kshatriyas in Kaliyuga, while the latter ...
 * It is unnecessary to express any opinion on this much vexed question whether Sivaji represented a fallen Kshatriya restored after penance or a good Sudra king elevated to Kshatriya rank by bribing the Brahmins, upon which historians have been at controversy, for two reasons — firstly because, assuming that Sivaji and his descendants are Kshatriyas, it does not follow that Ekoji, his half-brother, who did not go through the ceremonies of purification and coronation, as Sivaji did, ...
 * the great general's main purpose in life had been the protection of cows. Neither Ranade nor Tilak succeeded in harnessing Shivaji to the nationalist juggernaut. Other more alluring 'Shivajis' appeared. For the low-caste activist Jyotirao Phule, Shivaji was the champion of the oppressed, the lowest castes and even untouchables, and in his 1869 ballad, Shivaji the Shudra king returns as good king Bali to preside over a casteless paradise. The most successful Shivaji, however, was the
 * This was indeed the Shivaji that Bengalis celebrated during the Swadeshi movement (1905–1907).58 As the non-Brahman movement in Maharashtra gathered momentum, however, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Shivaji, a Shudra king with aspirations to Kshatriya status, was claimed as a symbol of nonBrahman pride in public life.59 Caste conflicts over interpretations of the past were endemic in Indian modernity. One important reason that V. K. Rajwade left his .
 * As part of the coronation ceremonies, despite being a shudra, Shivaji underwent the yajnopavita or thread ceremony and married his spouse according to Vedic rites. Pandit Gaga Bhatt ...
 * In 1674—before the expansion of British power in India—the Maratha warrior Shivaji organized a shāstrārth to determine whether he was entitled to be invested as king using the rites due a Kshatriya. Local Brahman authorities of Maharashtra counted him a Shudra and insisted that “there could be no grounds for investing Shivaji or any other self-made dynast with the thread and ritual devices of a Kshatriya.”24 Shivaji had earned the right to be king by military might, but Brahman ...
 * The Brahmins refused to perform it unless it was proved that Shivaji was a Kshatriya. His own Prime Minister Moro Pant Pingle was in the opponent camp. Even his Mahratta Sardars belonging to the families of Mohites, Nimbalkars, Sawants and Ghorpades refused to give him social precedence as they viewed Shivaji a Shudra. The argument of Brahmins was that inKaliyug there was no Kshatriya and moreover Shivaji had not undergone Upanayana ceremony. 
 * Phule wrote a ballad on Shivaji - Shivaji Pavada - in 1868. In it he depicted Shivaji as a shudra king and social rebel against caste tyranny whose descendants were robbed of their power by the treacherous brahman Peshwas.7 As if anticipating the brahmanical, especially Tilak's, resurrection of Shivaji in the 1890s as the orthodox anti-Muslim and saviour of the brahmanic culture - gau-brahman- pratipalak (protector of cows and brahmans) - Phule placed Shivaji within the ...
 * But there he faced a stiff adversary in the form of a Shudra Maratha brave warrior, Shivaji. Shivaji stopped the temple-breaking movement of Aurangzeb with the help of his Maratha farmer-warriors. But it was surprising that no Brahman priest came forward to perform the ceremony at the time of Shivaji's coronation. This was obvious because according to Brahmans, none other than Brahmans and Kshatriyas could become a King. A Shudra could not be coroneted regardless of his ...
 * (b) Shivaji did not dare to have his coronation performed by non-Brahmin. (c) It proved that the power of determining the status of Hindu depended entirely upon the will of the Brahmins. (d) The decisions of the Brahmins on matters of status were open to sale like the indulgences of the catholic clergy. It may be noted that the ministers of the Shivaji were greatest opponents of Shivaji in his project of coronation. They thought that he was a Shudras. He said that what Gaga Bhatta got was ...
 * There remained only Brahmins and Shudras.26 Shivaji did not like the philosophy of Shesha. As there were no Kshatriyas in Bharat, Indian people could not rule ! Consequently Indians could not be independent. They would remain slaves. Shivaji wanted to destroy this way of thinking. Gagabhat and his disciples also ruled out this philosophy. Nilkanthbhat, Kamlakarbhat, and Dinkar- bhat wrote books to eradicate this defeatist philosophy.27 Shivaji's Ksha- triyatua was self evident.
 * evolved with Shivaji as its ideological symbol. Was it due to the fact that Shivaji belonged to Marathi society, or because of the exceptionally high population of the maratha-kunbi caste cluster (31.1 9%) to which Shivaji belonged, and which is also the community that has traditionally ruled Maharashtra? Shivaji's mother Jijabai was a direct ... 
 * He was perceived to be merely a Shudra (i.e. the lowest caste order within the varna system), meaning there could be no grounds for investing him with the sacred thread and ritual devices of a Kshatriya. Instead, Shivaji had to rely upon pandit (Brahman scholar) networks from further afield, employing a Maharashtrian Brahman residing in Banaras, known as Gaga Bhatta, whose family had a long history of emphasising the social worth of the upwardly mobile and successful.
 * Shivaji's broad appeal came not only from being acknowledged as a victorious warrior-king but also from the fact that all classes and castes could lay claim to him due to his own ambiguous identity as both Kshatriya and Shudra.14 O'Hanlon has shown the way his role in Maratha history lent itself to myriad reinterpretations. In his exploits might be seen the past glories of the Kunbis and Marathas of western Maharashtra who formed the bulk of his armies, with the decline of Maratha ...
 * An incident occurred at about this time which must have prompted Shivaji to hasten his coronation. ... This hesitation to treat Shivaji as their superior on the part of the Maratha nobles convinced the Maratha hero that, unless he got himself anointed with due religious sanction, those diehards were not likely to ... The conclusion of the debate was unanimous that there could be no objection to Shivaji's coronation after the manner of the Rajput princes of Jaipur, Udepur and other places.
 * One of the earliest ballads narrating the famous story of Shivaji's assassination of the Bijapur general Afzal Khan during their meeting in 1659, emphasizes that the direct occasion for this incident was the insult inflicted on the Maratha hero: Afzal Khan was said to sneeringly called him a Kunbi (Laine 2003: 20). While Shivaji did belong to the Maratha-Kunbi group of the Maharashtrian landholding castes; by the time of his birth the elite of the Maratha and other agricultural castes had ...
 * While holding the Mughals at bay, Shivaji also sought to gain pre-eminence over other Maratha deshmukh families in the region.15 He defeated some and married into others. Finally he decided to have himself crowned king and thus assert authority over them all. Yet Shivaji's ancestry was well-known. His grandfather had been a cultivating village headman, his father a warrior serving the Bijapur Sultan. If they were Maratha, or worse, Kunbi farmers, then they were not Kshatriya.