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Shivaji was not content merely with the defeat of Afzal Khan. He was determined to carry out the mission into the enemy territory. He started with the secret plan. His recent success had showed that his army was prepared to match any other on grounds. First he thought to march straight upon Bijapur, while the city was still in panic and would earn him easy victory. On second thought he decided to march southward first and capture the crucial position there and surround Bijapur. As per the second thought Shivaji divided the force.
A force was left to guard the Pune district, another force was sent to mask any flanking movement from the Konkan on the part of the Siddi of Janjira and the Savants of Wadi. With the third, Shivaji marched southwards. He reached Kolhapur district, and, seized the great fortress of Panhala, the key to the southern Maratha country. Taking over the minor forts in the area lying between Panhala and Bijapur, the Maratha chief finally approached the gates of Bijapur.
Bijapur government had recovered from the last attack and now was prepared for any sudden attack from Maratha. Shivaji, as expected made a sudden attack and he faced the gallant army of Bijapur. A huge army, under a distinguished Abyssinian general, Siddi Johar, took the field. Shivaji was unable to meet it; he fell back on Panhala. With their morale boosted, Bijapur’s desire to avenge the attack grew stronger.
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After being besieged throughout rainy season, in 1660, Shivaji thought that he should either surrender or either resort back to treachery. He therefore started to make amends with Bijapur. It was almost decided to surrender and so the Bijapur authority relaxed the security. One can easily depict the chagrin of the following morning. The virulent worrier needed a slight opening to escape and he managed a fine escape. He and a few followers under cover of rain and darkness rode to the north.
Deceived Bijapur Sultan Fazl Mohammed Khan was furious and his cavalry started in hot pursuit. They caught up Marathas some six-miles from Rangana. Shivaji could be safe once he reached Rangana fort. He left a troop behind under the leadership of Baji Prabhu, his former foe and now his devoted officer, with strict orders not to retreat until a gun was fired to announce the arrival of the main force at Rangana. The Bijapur cavalry was twice repelled and then the long-expected gunshot was heard from the fort. |
After this, the campaign died out and Siddi Johar decided to stop the fatal chase and left Fateh Khan to keep the Marathas engaged before they reach Rangana.
Shivaji managed to retire in Pratapgad, where he spent the monsoon of 1661. The Mohammedans succeeded in recapturing some of the forts in Kolhapur district. Shivaji on the other hand gained several forts in Konkan.
In the meantime Bijapur had its own distressed position. The king suspected Siddi Johar because he had failed to defeat the Marathas. Meanwhile, Shivaji made an alliance with the Portuguese at Goa. Bijapur, seeing the vulnerability of their power, decided to come to terms with Shivaji. The details of the treaty are obscure, but it appears that Shivaji was acknowledged as the ruler of the Deccan. The territory extended as far as in Kolhapur in south and as far as Konkan and Goa – a strip some 150 miles in length and about 50 to 100 miles in width.
It was during this time that Shivaji decided to make Raigad his capital. Raigad was more convenient for various reasons. Raigad was in the center of Konkan and conveniently close to Janjira and to Surat, the places Shivaji raided constantly. |
