Who was Shivaji? Part -3

Part - 2
Who was Shivaji? Questions the hindu communal appropriation of Shivaji as an anti-muslim Hindu Raja not by portraying Shivaji as a modern secular ruler but by underlining the fact that Shivaji was a Hindu Raja but being a Hindu Raja in the 17^th century did not necessarily mean being a Hindu communical ruler dedicated to destruction of Islam.

Who was Shivaji? Part - 2

To Read Part - 1 Click here

By the time Justice Ranade’s nationalist submission on Maratha history was published posthumously (after death) in 1900, 3 distinct perspectives on Shivaji has risen to prominence.

1. The colonial official narrative portrayed him as an opportunist Hindu warrior who flourished in the 17th century more because of the weakness of his enemies than anything else.

महात्मा फुले - शिवाजी राजांचा पोवाडा

In 1869, Jotirao Phule inserted a discordant note in Brahmanical interpretation of Shivaji achievements by writing a powada (Marathi Ballad) on Shivaji which celebrated his achievements as a Kshitriya Raja in the tradition of a Marathi Shahir.

Who Was Shivaji? Part -1

Summarising Who was Shivaji? book in couple of parts keep watch on this blog to read more about King Shivaji.

In time, and due to generations of collected memories fashioned by vested interests and ideology, fact and fiction become inseparable in out love for our heroes and our hatred for our villains.

In the haste to identify with the heroes of our history and alienate the villains from this process of identification we forget that love and hatred both can be, and ofter are, irrational.