Veer Shivaji’s great escape from Aurangzeb’s jail in Agra

Veer Shivaji maharaj was winning the areas after areas in Gujarat, Vindhyachal, Madhya Bharat and Rajasthan and arresting the muslim governors and the land revenue collectors one after the other, and establishing further his own sovereign rule there and appointing his own governors namely Gaikwad in Baroda and Gujarat, Holkar in Indore, Sciendia in Gwalior and Peshwas in Maharastra and central India; this had disturbed emperor Aurenzeb to the last limit. He lost all his temperaments and patience due to the growing victories and leadership of Shivaji. All his communications and the transfer of riches and treasures with the south Indian nawabs was cut off by Shivaji. He was terrorized with the idea of losing his regime in India. Ultimately he took the shelter of Mirza Raja Sawai Mansingh of Jaipur who was also his courtier, to make a move of friendship with Shivaji. He sent him to Maharashtra to bring Shivaji to Agra by any means.

Mansingh met Shivaji and offered a hand of friendship from Auranzeb’s side and also offered a big post or RUTBA in his court at Agra. Shivaji, first of all, demoralized him by pointing out his helplessness and disobedience in mughal army who used to dismantle the temples of India and killing the Indian Hindu population in villages. Man Singh had no answer and explanation to the question and kept quite. Still Shivaji respected a guest to his state and agreed to his terms of accompanying him to Agra. They proceeded towards Agra. Son of Mansingh, Raja Ram Singh was accompanying them. On the other side Shivaji also took his son. In the way, at khandwa Raja Mansingh expired and directed his son to escort Shivaji and his team to Agra and he also explain the agreed terms of Shivaji to Auranzeb.

In Agra, in the court of Auranzeb, Shivaji was presented. His minor son was also there in the court. Auranzeb was sitting on the high throne and the rest everyone were standing. Shivaji was also given the standing position in the second row of the officers. The first row was of the officers who had the status or RUTBA of more than 30 thousand horses with them. Shivaji was made to stand in the second row who had 30 thousand horse’s army under them. Shivaji objected this status, as he had the status of his own more than 30 thousand horses in his own state and that status was not promised and was not offered in the court but Raja Ram Singh pointed out to Shivaji to keep silence and wait, till the time, he is not recommended to Auranzeb. In the court Auranzeb wasted his time uselessely consulting his molwis and mullas and the others on very ordinary topics and the useless discussions with the courtiers. Much more time was wasted in such a nuisance.

Shivaji was tired of standing with his son and waiting some attention of Auranzeb. Being tired and exhausted, ultimately, he came out of the row and left the court without permission of Auranzeb and took a seat behind the court hall. Auranzeb became very furious on this disobedience and unetiquetted manner of Shivaji. He bursted into anger and lost his senses and temperament and rosed

on his feet and gave a very loud order of arresting Shivaji and putting him into jail with his son.

According to the court’s etiquette all his weapons and swords were taken away previously from him before entering into the court, so his army took over him easily and he was put under arrest. He was sent to the ‘Sadar Kotwali’ building of Agra which had a very strong walls and high gates. A very cruel ‘Kotwal’ was given the charge of keeping a watch on Shivaji. The main gate of that building was more than 25 feet high from that height a man cannot dare to jump. In the ceiling of the gate there were strong hooks on which a cot was hanging with a rope on which Shivaji was tied upon and on his finger a ring was put on the stretched hand which was hanging out of cot and which was supposed to be visible from the ground all the time. The ropes were tied up around Shivaji and the cot, Only once or twice a day that cot was loosen down in the day to do the loo activities. This continued till further order.

On the strong recommendations of Raja Ramsingh to Aurangzeb Shivaji’s son was released and dispatched to Maharastra. Shivaji’s strong gang of eight warriors remained in disguised around the Sadar Kotwali. Shivaji pretended of some disease and illness to the Kotwal and asked him to convey his wish to Auranzeb to distribute some sweets to the poor as a gesture. The request was accepted by him. The friends of Shivaji arranged for big quantity of sweets in big boxes for distribution among the poor. The Kotwal was requested that the boxes of sweets should be touched by Shivaji himself as a custom. All the incoming and outgoing boxes were strictly checked. One day, a very confidential and loyal warrior friend of Shivaji put himself in place of Shivaji and he wore the ring on his hand. The short heighted and elastic body of Shivaji was made to hide into the boxes of sweets. That particular box was taken out of the boundaries of Kotwali on the shoulders of labourers. The ropes were pulled over to lift the cot to the ceiling of the gate. For some hours the ring was in view of the soldiers who were standing on the ground and later on after some hours when the cot was brought down to the ground they found that the man who was lying on the cot was not Shivaji. They immediately executed that person into pieces.

Immediately out of the Sadar Kotwali building Shivaji came out of he box and along with his seven strong friends rushed to the Yamuna river. Which had chilling water. The air was also very cold and the strong breeze was blowing. Nobody can think of escaping through the river route in that cold season. Shivaji and his fellows swam through the furious river fastly to the other side of the river and rushed towards Mathura. Because they knew the usual tactics of search and following to Maharastra will begin, so they discarded that route which was beyond the imagination of Auranzeb’s army.

While on foot journey, they reached to Mathura, they knocked a door which was the in- laws house of one of his friends. He explained them their intentions and asked for some very simple clothes of Sadhues and got themselves bald and without loss of time this gang (team) of Sadhus proceeded towards Banaras. Later on, this gang of brave soldiers but humble Sadhus reached Chennai and from South India to pune in 1 year.

One day when Mata Jijaji was sitting in balcony of her palace in a very sad mood she saw a sadhu begging for some alms from her. Blessing her with the long life of his son Shivaji. She was extremely amazed to hear the voice of Shiva but she din’t recognized the sadhu. But later on she got an instinct of calling that sadhu inside the palace, it was her surprise he was Shiva.

This was a great act of bravery, planning, loyalty and the sacrifice. This was a great blow to the security of Mughals and this was the high time for Mata Jijabai to arrange for the coronation of the great warrior son Veer Shivaji.

Since then Shivaji climbed on the throne which had a chhatra. Therefore, we recognize him as Cshhatrapati Shivaji.

Narrated by Shri.Khandekar ji- my rev. teacher in D.A.V.High School,Ajmer in 1945 and

Compiled by: Shivraj Goyal,

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