Shivaji - Founder of Indian Navy

1 SHIVAJI - FOUNDER OF INDIAN NAVY Jai Hind, this is CDT. Atharva Ghag 01 Maha Naval Unit Jai Hind Detachment, Regimental No: 1MAH/SD/20/N/714032. ANCIENT HISTORY OF INDIA’S NAVAL WARFARE: India’s maritime activities traces back to Vedic ages where we could find ancient trade routes connecting middle-east as well as Europe. Later during Chola period mid-9th centaury C.E, where we could find Naval warfare used to rule the east and south seas. Raja Rajendra Chola is even mentioned as “त्रिसमुद्रे�वर” Due to his Naval dominance over three seas. But after the invasion of Mlechchhas we can see the decline of Maritime participation of India in later 13th centaury. Until the Rise of Maratha Empire in later 1600s, under the Great and foresight leadership of Shri. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. His visionary thinking led Bharat to what today’s Indian Navy; strong, silent and swift. SWARAJYA AND IMPORTANCE OF NAVY: With the vison of Independence from foreign invaders and establishing “वरा煍य” ، he started dominating Kokan coast and with his novel idea of वरा煍य might naturally have a thought of navy when his expanding kingdom came in contact with power bordering the sea. He quoted 2 “煍याचा दयाा 配याचे वैभव, 煍याचे आरमार 配याचा समुद्र” (wealth lies within oceans, one with strong navy rules the seas). The incentive to the Navy was political rather than economic. In the beginning the Kokan coast was infested with the English, Portuguese and the Dutchs, also the Siddhi of Janjira was very powerful and a sworn enemy of Maratha. To prevent this foreign enemies and overthrow them out of our mother land, a navy was essential. This was the direct cause of the formation of Maratha Navy. The navy has been considered as an independent limb of Marathas by Amatya in his ‘Rajniti’, work on Maratha polity. BUILDING OF SHIPS AND ORAGANIZATION: After the town of Kalyan fell into Maharaj’s hands and Bhiwandi followed suit. The fort of Mahuli was taken. Thus, the Kalyan sub-division with some parts of Thane district came under his power. Immediately after 1657 and in between 1659 Shivaji Maharaj has set afloat the keel of his first ship in creek of Kalyan and this was the early beginning of Maratha Navy. At beginning Maharaj took help of European technology to build his warships, these traces can be found in a letter of Vasai’s Portuguese Capt. Ruy Leitao de Viegas dated back to 9th June 1659. Maharaj had issued strict orders about use of wood for ship building, that only ‘साग ’ (Saag) wood should be used and not wood of mango or jackfruit, because it takes time to grow these trees and would cause a great loss to the locals. With other small vessels Maharaj started building गुराब ् and गलबत ् class vessels which had capacity of 10-12 cannons and occupied with the crew of 50. मचवा, बाथोर,् class vessels were used to provide supplies. Later during Sarkel Kanhoji Angre’s regime Maratha navy was equipped with पाल class ships which were a modified version of ‘गुराब ् ’ Class. At beginning anchored ships were covered with coconut branches to hide them or to prevent it during rains. At beginning Shivaji Maharaj's crew were locals close to shore and which were courageous, namely Kolis, Agris, Sonkathis, Bhandaris and from Karnataka region Ambis , from Kokan Kharves and Dalvis. Maharaj’s fleet was called as ‘सुभा ’ One सुभा included five गुराब ् and one गलबत ् and every सुभा (province)has one सुभेदार (Provisional officer), दयाा Sarang, Mainak Bhandari, st Daulat Khan were the prominent सुभेदार of that time. Within six months of 1 Surat raid 3 I.e., 16th June 1664, in the letter of Britishers of Surat to Britishers of Karwar, states that “Shivaji has sixty frigates and he’s soon going to attack for the second time using them and capture vessels coming from Persia”. EARLY RAIDS: The first successful achievement in Shivaji Maharaj’s life after having built a small state navy, was the raid of Basrur, a place near Kondapur in south Kannada. In 1665 Shivaji Maharaj attacked Basrur with 85 ships big and small and brought back immense wealth. No naval engagement took place in this raid. However, this expedition stands as a landmark in the history of Shivaji Maharaj’s Naval Carrer as it proves the strength of Maratha Navy in the seventh year of its early inceptions. Now Shivaji Maharaj’s Navy was dominating from Basrur to Gujrat single handedly. Maharaj used his small vessels to export salts to middle east and Europe. Britishers mentions these vessels as “SHIVAJI’S SALT FLEET”. FORESIGHT OF FOUNDER: Shivaji Maharaj was well aware with intentions of The ‘Topikars’ and in his ADNYAPATRA it is clearly mentioned that “These Topikars are not ordinary traders, their European bosses are Rulers indeed and their thirst for grabbing foreign land is clearly seen, these foreign invaders are too stubborn to give our land back so to avoid further conflicts they should not be allowed to stay near creek or coastal area” Maratha Navy used to issue warrants for these foreign traders. Shivaji Maharaj spotted strategical locations along the coast of Sindhu Sagar (Arabian sea) and started building sea forts namely, Sindhudurg, Vijay Durga, Suvarna Durga, Padma Durga and later during last moments of Chhatrapati, Khanderi and Colaba were built and became important strategical Naval bases. To Counter Janjirekar Siddhi’s Rajapuri, Maharaj built Padma Durga. AFTER SHIVAJI MAHARAJ: As previously mentioned, Shivaji Maharaj was foresight leader and his disciplined legacy was thereafter continued by his successor Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, his elder son. Sambhaji Maharaj made some progressive changes in basic organization of सुभा by manning three गलबत ् with one गुराब,् earlier there were only two सुभाs,he expanded it to five and they were headed by one सर-सुभेदार. 4 LEGACY OF दयााराज KANHOJI ANGRE AND THE RISE OF MARITIME WARFARE: दयााराज itself means ‘King of Seas’. After tragic death of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the capital of Swarajya, Fort Raigad fell into hands of Mughals but Kanhoji’s faith was with Swarajya and therefore he imprisoned other traitors and recaptured Suvarna Durga and was appointed as ‘Killedar’. Later when Chhatrapati Tarabai took charge of Swarajya after death of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj, she appointed Kanhoji as Sarkhel of Vijay Durga. He recaptured the coast of Kokan from Vijay Durga to Colaba. Later in 1699 Portuguese, Siddhi of Janjira and Mughals were single handedly defeated by Maratha Navy under leadership of Kanhoji Angre. Thereafter, his legacy continued for long lasting 50 years and by time-to-time defeating English, Dutchs, Portugese and Mughals. • 1710: He recaptured Khanderi fort and seized ten seaforts from Britishers. • 1717: Confiscated dutch vessel HSC SUCCESS. • 1720: When Vijay Durga was attacked by Britishers, he defeated them and recovered the loss during battle. • 1721: Defended Alibaug fort. • 1722: In the battle of Chaul he captured 24 English vessels. • 1723: He won frigates like Eagle & Hunter from Britishers. • 1724: Defeated Dutch Navy. • 1725: Defeated Janjirekar Siddhi. • 1729: Victorious battle of Palgad, was the last battle of Kanhoji! 4th of July 1729, Kanhoji took his last breath, The golden era of Kanhoji Angre came to end. Later his six sons carreid his legacy further by coping up with internal disputes. After Kanhoji Angre there were no such prominent Sardars left and hence many other Sardars like Rudraji Dhulup, helped Peshwa Madhavrao In his raid on Hunnur. Later Yesaji Shinde defeated portuguese in 1763 by defending Sindhudurga fort. Later in 1783 Anandrao Dhulup with the help of पाल class ships, Sank English Ships carrying arms and ammunitions. Here we can see Shivaji Maharaj’s relatively modern fleet finds scope of better documentation in early modern history, making him the Father of Indian navy. 5 6 .

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