Monday, 29 February 2016

Babasaheb Purandare Books (Part 2)

Title: Maharaj 


Author: Babasaheb Purandare 

This book is an extract of the novel named Raja Shivchatrapati written by the same author. Similar to the main novel, this book also contains the entire compilation of all events related to the life of Shivaji Maharaj, his rule, his fight against Mughal rule and his later years. However, this book has been written in brief as an attempt to make it easy to read for children. It only contains 152 pages as compared to the original version that had around 1000 pages in total. The book has been written in two versions - English and Marathi.

Title: Purandar 


Author: Babasaheb Purandare

The book receives its name from the fort Purandar that is around 50 kilometers southeast of Pune. The author describes various events that had taken place in this fort during the period of Shivaji Maharaj. The book narrates historical incidents of how Aurangazeb’s forces headed by Mirza Jaisingh and assisted by Diler Khan besieged this fort. The author introduces Murarbaji Deshpande, keeper of the fort, who lost his life fighting against Aurangazeb’s forces.

Title: Shelar Khind 


Author: Babasaheb Purandare

A novel that tells the story of a common villager named "Sarja," who helped the King to regain a fort from the Mughals. Apart from describing Sarja’s adventures, courage and bravery; this book also represents the village life, culture and social issues prevalent in those times very aptly. It is a book comprising of 221 pages and described as a nail bitter experience by readers. The author has also described the King’s emotions and feelings so beautifully that it has acted as an added advantage to the book’s popularity.

Title: Raigad 


Author: Babasaheb Purandare 

The book details about incidents that took place in the fort of Raigad. It was the capital of Shivaji’s kingdom. The book consists of 121 pages narrating various stories and events that took place years ago during the Shivaji rule. Similar to many other books of this eminent author, this book also aims at presenting historical facts related to the fort that appears to be interesting for children. The book has a special mention of various eminent characters such as Nawab Shahistekhan, Chakan Fort, Balahi Aawji etc.


Title: Janta Raja Book 



Author: Babasaheb Purandare 

A novel that rotates around the life of Shivaji Maharaj starting from his birth to his coronation as the Chhattrapati. The novel has been enacted as the famous Janta Raja Play for several times in and around  Maharashtra. It has also earned appreciation in foreign land. The novel also highlights the role of Jijabai in molding Shivaji as a warrior and leader that is found to be very inspiring by readers. The novel has been written in a manner that interests readers of all age group. It triggers patriotism and love for one’s own country. Thus, the book as well as the play is a must read and watch for all.

Find more books by Babasaheb Purandare Read Here >>

Sunday, 28 February 2016

Babasaheb Purandare Books (Part 1)

Title: Raja Shivchatrapati 




Author: Babasaheb Purandare

A best selling book that still continues to be the most popularly read books of its time. A great compilation of various historical events, that narrate stories about the life and work of one of the greatest Maratha Warrior – Shri Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This book has been written in two parts and contains around 1000 pages. It initiates from those years, when Shivaji Maharaj was yet to be born and then proceeds to his early life, his  fight for ‘Swarajya’ and ends with his final years and death. It has been written in a lucid language that makes it easily understandable by all. In addition, it also contains accurate date, time and place information about incidents, that took place thousands of years ago. This makes it a very good informative source from historical point of view.

Title: Agra





Author: Babasaheb Purandare 

A book that tells the story of Shivaji’s great escape from Agra Fort, where he was kept captive by Mughal king  Aurangazeb. The writer here attempts at addressing children and thereby narrates relevant instances in an appropriate manner that is found highly interesting and engrossing for children of all age groups. Although the book comprises of only 98 pages; it is sufficient to put forth the glory of rich Indian culture, prevalent then, before young minds. It also has some brief historical references of significant events along with the mention of Netaji Palkar, who happened to be the Second Sardar Senapati i.e; Commander in Chief of the Maratha Empire.

Title: Sinhagad 




Author: Babasaheb Purandare 

The book derives its name from a fort named Sinhagad, that is located 30 Kilometers south west of the city of Pune, Maharashtra. This fort stands as a natural witness of many historically significant events and the author has described a few of them in his book. It is a 155 page compilation and suitable for both children and adult reading. Battle of Sinhagad is one of the most vital incidents that took place in this fort. It was fought by Tanaji Malusare who holds a special mention in this book. Besides, the author has also described many other historical figures such as; Netaji Palkar, Narayan maharaj, Udayraj Munshi, Pilajiraje Shirke etc.

Title: Lal Mahal 






Author: Babasaheb Purandare 

This book is a descriptive summary of incidents that took place in Lal Mahal or the famous Red Palace of Pune. It is said that the Palace was established by Shahaji Bhosle for his wife Jijabai and son Shivaji. The book describes incidents related to Shivaji’s childhood and his growing years. The author has also given timely references of Shahaji Maharaj, Jijabai and Dadoji Kondeo in his collection short stories comprising of 133 pages. The book has been written so beautifully that it is still a great attraction for children belonging to different age groups.

Title: Panhalgad 




Author: Babasaheb Purandare 

The book is a compilation of short stories that narrate incidents related to Panhala Fort or Panhalgad that stands 20 kilometers northwest of Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The book comprises of 92 pages that describes number of events and battles that took place in relation to this fort. One of the most significant battles in this regard is the Battle of Pavankhind that holds a significant mention in this book. Historical character such as Baji Prabhu Deshpande – trusted commander of Shivaji also finds a special mention in this book.

 Find more books by Babasaheb Purandare Read Here >>

Friday, 26 February 2016

Shivaji Maharaj’s Management Skills

Just a few days back, the Maharashtra Educational Minister, Vinod Tawde had taken some substantial decisions towards developing a promising and firm Young India. On the occasion of ‘Shivaji Jayanti’ that was commemorated on 19th February 2016, he had announced that children right from their tender age should know Shivaji Maharaj not only as a great warrior but also as a Management Guru. Thereby, a separate chapter on Shivaji Maharaj Management skills would be included in class four history syllabuses of all State board schools.

Well, it’s never too late and it is always better than never. Therefore, hope that this inclusion can bless India with young leaders who can walk on same lines of such an eminent and glorious leader that Indian history can boast off.  The following discussion recollects Shivaji’s excellent Management skills and Leadership traits:

Shivaji - An Unmatched Manager: 

Foresight is perhaps one of the core qualities every leader, who is responsible for managing millions of task and people, is ought to possess. And Shivaji Maharaj stands as an epitome with this regard. Historians claim that Shivaji Maharaj is by far one of those rarest leaders who are born with this quality of efficient vigilance.


Shivaji Maharaj Management ideas and leadership qualities are studied by many aspiring leaders across the globe. And this makes it evident that his forethought and planning has loads to teach us and generations to come.

Shivaji’s ideas of welcoming traders or businessmen had introduced and strengthen inter territory marketing concepts then. To put it in his own words – “Sahukar he to rajyache bhushan;” (Business people are jewels of a nation) is sufficient to inspire and motivate young or aspiring entrepreneurs in today’s world. He entertained productive and lucrative businesses of all types and provided tax concessions, choice of locations and other perks to keep them connected.


Government modules that are followed today can find their origins to administrative divisions and management bodies during the Shivaji Maharaj Rule. He had a group of ministers known as ‘Ashta Pradhan’ meaning the Prime Eight. These group of ministers can be easily compared to present day council of ministers as they discharged similar duties then. Rather, it is not unlikely that the concept of ‘Ashta Pradhan’ led to the development of cabinet and council of ministers that we witness today.



Again, he maintained a separate group of ministers and trained them accurately to handle relationships with other rulers and territories who were seen to be in support of the huge Maratha empire. These groups were known as ‘Dabir’. Now don’t you think that this is very similar to what we know as Foreign affairs ministry?  And the answer is nothing but a Yes. Besides he is also said to have run an intelligence wing that forms a critical part in today’s government and security measures.

Lastly, many are of the belief that The 14 principals of management set by Henry Fayol finds intense similarity with those created and followed by Shivaji Maharaj. However, this is still debatable. No matter what, Shivaji Maharaj is definitely one of the finest and rarest of rulers who’s managerial and leadership techniques are enough to take India to greater prosperity if followed.

Saturday, 6 February 2016

Shivaji Maharaj and Peshwa Connection

Peshwas - The uncrowned Rulers of Maratha Empire

The Peshwas were a team of Maratha Chieftains who served as Prime Ministers to the Chatrapati or the Maratha King. They were invincible in their own way and earned laurels and battles for the mighty Maratha dynasty. The esteemed Shivaji maharaj  was a great warrior and leader. And the Peshwas were like a daunting feather to the glorious crown of this Maratha ruler.



The Era of the Peshwas

The era of the Peshwas started from 1713 and continued till 1818. However, this span is debatable. In this article we shall take a closer look at the golden time period when the Marathas owing to the Peshwas gave a befitting reply to the Mughal stronghold. Before delving deeper into the Peshwas it must be known that the word ‘Peshwa’ is of Persian origin meaning, the prime or the foremost.



Shivaji was not merely a great ruler, but he was also a visionary per se. He soon realised after assuming the helmthat the Mughals were a tough opponent to beat. Might can never be the sole weapon to put them down, rather it is important to have a strong base that could protect the Maratha Empire from all possible ends. This needed impeccable administration, and here came the need of the Peshwas.

Shivaji’s Golden Years



Shivaji assumed to power and gained several forts and places in Maharashtra back under the domain of the Marathas from the Mughal capture. During the rule of Shivaji most of Deccan was under the Marathas and he left the kingdom at the hands of the son before dying as a martyr. Under him Shivaji appointed Moropant Trimbak Pingle as the first ever Peshwa. And in the later years there was an elaborate rule of the Peshwa Dynasty. This has been discussed elaborately in the succeeding paragraphs.

The Peshwa Timeline - a brief

Moropant Trimbak Pingale (served from 1657-1683)

This noted Peshwa was the first officially appointed Peshwa who served Shivaji as a member of the Ashtapradhan Mandal. He was an able man of Shivaji’s troop and helped him win several battles. His role in defeating Bijapu’s Adil Shah is the most celebrated achievement. Apart from this he also aided in constructing and reconstructing several forts in Maharashtra. Trimbakeshwar Fort at Nashik was heroically captured by him. He also was one of the first persons to help Shivaji in establishing Maratha rule in Surat.

Note: Sonpant Dabir and Shyampant Kulkarni Ranzekar preceded Pingale as Peshwas. However, their roles and achievement as Peshwas were short stints. 

Moreshwar Pingale was the successor of Trimbak Pingale and served Sambhaji from 1683-89. Like his father he too achieved great feat. He built Shukravarpeth and Ravivarpeth in Pune which have great significance even to this day.

Ramchandrapant Bawdekar (1689-1708)

This skilled man was the next in line of the Peshwas. His time saw tough times including that of famine and scarcity of other valuable resources. However, with great administration he could improve situations. He was the man who helped Tarabai in setting her foothold at Kolhapur.

Bahirojipant Pingale (1708-11)

Younger son of Morepant Pingale, Bahirojipant Pingale served as a Peshwa under Shahuji I.

Parshuram Trimbak Kulkarni (1711-13)

He served as the Pratinidhi during the ruke of Chhatrapati Rajaram and Tarabai. His contribution as a warrior is considered vital.

Balaji Vishwanath Bhatt (1713-19)

He was the appointed Peshwa of Shahu. He belonged to Bhatt family of Chitpawan Brahmins. He strengthened the foothold of the Marathas not just by winning battles for the dynasty but also by starting many reforms and signing several treaties. He started the tradition of Peshwas for the Bhatt family and the legacy continued thereafter.

Note: It is said that from Vishwanath Bhatt’s tenure the control shifted from the Chhatrapati to the Peshwas, though they were never the officially declared kings. 

The successors of Vishwanath Bhatt were the Peshwas till the very end of the Maratha dynasty. Let’s go through the course of events during the Peshwas.

Peshwa Bajirao (1700-1740)

A born leader, Bajirao I put his feet into his father’s shoes (Balaji Vishwanath Rao) and sworn in as the next Peshwa of the Maratha dynasty. His life is a perfect example of valour, chivalry, skills. Not just this, he is known to be a big time strategist who sailed against the tide and attained victory.



Unlike the other veterans in the Maratha Empire, Bajirao resolved to conquer the North and establish Maratha rule not just in the Deccan, but also in the north Indian states of that time period. He made Poona as the capital city instead of Raigadh.  There were many foes not just outside the Maratha dynasty but also within the strong walls of the Empire itself. Attock, Deccan, Malwa, Gujarat, all saw the Maratha flag hoisted under the skilled leadership of Bajirao. He assumed and sustained his reign for about two decades (1720-40). His rule was brought to an end quite unexpectedly due to a deadly fever that struck him at Raver. Overlooking the Narmada river, Peshwa Bajirao breathed his last, and thus came an end to an eventful life.

He was soon succeeded by his eldest son, Balaji Bajirao, also known as Nanasaheb. However, his was a short tenure, because of his death after the Third Battle of Panipat.

The next in line was Madhavrao Peshwa. He came to power in 1761. However, after the death of Nanasaheb, the downfall had already begun. His successors could barely sustain the already achieved glory and power of their predecessors, let alone marking newer heights.

End of the Peshwas

So, with the advent of the next century, the stronghold of the Peshwas was gradually diminishing. Bajirao II was then the surviving Peshwa. There were ample reasons for this downfall. Though the Maratha dynasty saw heights of success during the rule of the Peshwas, there was this constant tension building up owing to the rigid caste system. On Jauary 1st 1818, near river Bhima at Koregaon, in Pune, commenced a fight between the Pehwas and a troop of 500 odd untouchable Sepoys. This war is important because it marked the end of the Peshwas.

Apart from this, there was also strife between the Peshwas themselves. Needless to say, a divided rule could hardly carry on any further.

Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Shivaji and Guerrilla Warfare Tactics (गनिमी कावा)

From the land of Marathas spread the globally acclaimed style of warfare, the Guerrilla Warfare. Against the Mughals Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj waged a war such that the base of the Mughal reign in Maharashtra suffered a huge setback.


Now, what makes this war technique a talk of the town? How has this warfare typical to the Chhatrapati made such a fervour around the world. Let’s take a look.

About Guerrilla Warfare tactics

As opposed to the conventional and traditional warfare, Guerrilla Warfare promotes camouflage and deceived modes of fighting their opponents. It has to be sudden, and aggressive, targeting the areas of the opponents which are difficult to tread upon.

Hence, the idea behind it is the opponents will not be in a position to reciprocate immediately. It requires intense planning and plotting in order to take the opponents by a storm. This mode of warfare is extremely ferocious.


Whatever may be the comparison, Guerrilla Warfare has carved a niche unique to itself and has also been embraced by countries of Southeast Asia. There are some tactics that are specific to Guerrilla Warfare only. The following paragraphs aim to elaborate some of the tactics of Guerrilla Warfare.

Guerrilla Warfare is lined up with a series of objectives that lay down a unique strategy that is bound to be followed by each of the soldiers so that they can contribute to the victory. It is crucial to understand and follow these strategies.

The armament is yet another aspect that needs a mention. A thorough knowledge of using each of the armaments with dexterity helped a great deal in Guerrilla Warfare.

How Shivaji used Guerrilla Warfare tactics

The key to success in Guerrilla Warfare is to prevent the opponent’s eye. Hence, to keep oneself hidden from the opponents is mandatory. Shivaji trained each and every soldier in his troop which enabled him to stand against the grand army of the Mughals.



The Guerrilla soldiers were supposed to adapt themselves with the extreme geographical conditions and this really took a toll on the soldiers. As mentioned earlier, Guerrilla Warfare demanded that the soldiers should keep themselves under cover.

Hence, staying away from the mainstream areas was mandatory. Another tactic in this line is a Guerrilla soldier has to save himself at all times from the attacks of the opponents.

Also, it is important that the Guerrilla Warfare soldiers should undergo a continuous fighting spree such that the opponents get minimum time to recover. It is also important that the attacks must be rigorous and should occupy the opponent areas at night.

Shivaji’s night attacks using Guerrilla Warfare tactics

Attacking the opponents at night ensures that due to meagre preparation, and poor vision at night, they can hardly stand against the Guerrilla fighters. It is one of the most important tactics in Guerrilla Warfare.

Another tactic that the Guerrilla soldiers practised was that, they never let the arms and ammunition remain with the dead soldiers. They rather picked it up from them at the earliest considering the circumstances.


A Guerrilla Warfare needs that once the opponent starts believing that they have won against the Guerrilla soldiers, these rustic soldiers come back more aggressively against the enemy, thus ensuring a marvellous victory.

Thanks to Chhatrapati Shivaji for manoeuvring such a form of warfare that is full proof to establish a grand win. Guerrilla warfare is thus an unbeatable tactics and therefore celebrated till date.

Sunday, 24 January 2016

Shivaji Maharaj and Vietnam Connection

An epitome of valour, chivalry, and unmatched patriotism, the legendary Maratha King has etched an indelible mark not only in the Maratha history but also in Indian history at large. But what is that one thing that has made him a hero in a far off nation like Vietnam?


Well, many of you will be thrilled to know about the exceptional fame and reverence that an Indian martyr has garnered in a foreign land. We all have heard many a times about the tricky Guerilla warfare.  Shivaji Maharaj and Guirella Warfare are almost synonymous. It is this war technique that has made Shivaji Maharaj immortal even in Vietnam.

Vietnam and Guirilla Warfare

Is the mightier always the winner? Well, the obvious answer might always be a ‘yes’. However, there is this incident in history that has rendered it sheer false. Here, we are talking about the great global power, the United States of America.


After having won several wars and having established herself as the global leader, she had to face palm in front of Vietnam.  A two decade long war between Vietnam and the United States of America finally came to a halt with the former as the winning side.

What is the memoir?

Chhatrapati Shivaji adopted the Guirilla Warfare tactics and had brought the Mughals to a grave defeat. This incident has attracted world acclaim and fame. It has also provided the world a classic blueprint of fighting battles and also winning them with grandeur. The time period between 1954 and 1975 saw the savage war between Vietnam and the USA. The count of the total human loss in these twenty years is massive. Not only this, there was also irreversible damage done to economy and the overall lifestyle. However, adopting the Guerilla tactics came as the ultimate saviour and rendered Vietnam not only successful against the Americans; but also sealed its fate as the ultimate military power in the entire Southeast Asia.

The Vietnamese Bureaucrat and her Indian Encounter

It so happened once that the Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Minister visited India. Here she was taken to pay tribute to the ‘Samadhi’ of Gandhiji in Delhi. She was also taken to the Red Fort. After a while she asked about ‘Samadhi’ of the great Maratha king Shivaji. She was then to Raigadh to visit the Maratha king’s Samadhi. After she extended her heartfelt respect to the great man, the lady picked up a handful of soil from the Samadhi and pursed it up in her handbag. When asked, she respectfully said that, her entire nation holds up Shivaji in high esteem. She also said that, on her return back to her country, she would mix this pure soil from the ‘Samadhi’with that of Vietnamese soil, so that the country would beget sons like the veteran Shivaji Maharaj. She also said that had this great man been born in Vietnam, Vietnam would have been a global leader and been at the helm of fame worldwide.
Shivaji Maharaj Samadhi at Raighad

Owing to the acute respect of Vietnam towards Shivaji, they erected a statue of this Indian warrior in Ho Chi Minh City which is the Capital of Vietnam.

Saturday, 23 January 2016

Shivaji Maharaj Family Tree

Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the founder king of the great Maratha Empire, that holds the true fame of abolishing Mughal rule from India and thus adds value to our great Indian History.

Shivaji Maharaj has been an epitome of a secular ruler that Indian history can boast of. And therefore his entire journey has been a source of inspiration and motivation for generations now.

Shahaji Bhosle, a Maratha general is the proud father of Shivaji. His mother Jijabai had been his greatest inspiration. Although, the Maharashtra State Government holds 1630 as his birth year; some say that he was born around 1627. However, his birth place - hill fort of Shivneri, located near Pune district remains unquestioned and unanimously accepted.

Ancestors of Shivaji:

Shivaji  Raje Bhosle is the progenitor of the royal Bhosle family. His earliest known ancestor is his great grandfather,  Babaji Bhosle, who was a renowned village headman of Pune District. His two sons Maloji Bhosle and Vithoji settled in Verul,  state Maharashtra and worked in the army of Lakhojirao Jadhav and excelled with every passing day. Jadhavs served the Ahmednagar Sultanate.

Maloji and his wife Umabai were blessed with Shahaji, who was then married to Jijabai - the daughter of Lakhoji Jadhav. Maloji, along with his brother, then joined the services of Ahmadnagar Sultanate, under Murtaza Shah I. After much display of his courage and valor, Maloji passed away in a battle against Bijapur Sultanate. The five year old Shahaji was then looked after his uncle Vithoji.

Shivaji Maharaj Family Tree


Shahaji inherited Jagirs under Ahmadnagar from his father. He served Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for a period of time during Mughal invasion of India. Later, he joined Adil Shah I of Bijapur. Shahaji owned a territory in Bangalore and also retained his estates in Pune and Supa.

Shahaji was a prominent ruler, not only for his leadership and bravery; but also as a man who always kept his words. He remains as an undefeated Maratha warrior and thus a true legend. At around 1665, he fell from his horse during a hunt and thereby lost his life.

Shahaji’s legacy was then carried forward by his sons. Shivaji,  being the most prominent of all.


The Royal Bhosle family and the controversial origin: 

The Bhosle lineage has been confirmed and accepted only from Babaji’s period. The ancestral history before Babaji has different beliefs but no definite proof to clarify the origin of this prominent and royal clan.

Some say that, Shahaji in his letter to Adil Shah called himself  a Sisodiya Rajput. There’s a strong belief that the Royal Bhosle lineage is somehow connected to Sisodiyas of Mewar.  But there’s no definite evidence to back it. Scholar Jadunath Sarkar, however refers this letter as a fabrication required during his period of coronation.

Some say that ancestors of Shivaji had a Kannada origin and Bhosale is just a verbal distortion of “Hoysala.” A popular name dynasty of Kannada. Again, there’s not sufficient evidence to back this belief.

The Nagpur Bhosales governed by Raghuji also claim Sisodiya origin. They are considered to have no connections with the royal Bhosale clan by some; whereas, another group proclaims a common lineage. There have been tales that the last rites after Shivaji’s death were performed by Sabaji Bhosale, who belonged to the Nagpur Bhosale clan. And therefore, Nagpur Bhosale and royal Bhosales were assumed to have connections.

Whatsoever is the lineage, the royal Bhosale have contributed a lot to ’ Swarajya’, India and therefore this legendary clan shall remain celebrated till the end of times.

Saturday, 16 January 2016

All About Babasaheb Purandare's Janta Raja Play

One very finest portrayal of the Maratha Empire, Jaanta Raja Play defines the true glory and valor of a great Indian warrior king. The hero of  Maratha Empire, Shri. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.


The play is considered to be one of the best works of Balwant Moreshwar Purandare or popularly known as Babasaheb Purandare. A writer, historian and theater personality; hailing from Maharashtra. Most of his works narrate real life stories and events related to the life of Shivaji Maharaj. However, it is this play that has earned him immense fame and popularity.

It was in the year 1985 that the act was first staged and thereafter it has been staged for around 1200 times approximately. Apart from reaching every nook and corner of Maharashtra and the country as a whole; this 30 years old play has enthralled many history lovers in different cities of United Kingdom and United States of America as well.


The drama that was originally written in Marathi and later translated into Hindi is generally performed during the festive season of Diwali each year. With over 200 artists and live elephants, camels and horses marching up the stage; this is a real treat to the eyes and a must watch for all!

Such a grand and spectacular representation of rich Indian history as this, required two and a half years to get recorded. And after being rehearsed for another couple of years, this play was launched with such a magnanimous look, that it still continues to be a Mega act till date.

The story goes back to the period of 1630, when Shivaji Maharaj was born. And then continues to depict different events reflecting his journey of becoming a great Hindu ruler and his coronation as Chhatrapati in the year 1674. This 3 hour 10 minutes drama creates a natural feel of various historically significant forts in and around Pune District.


Some say that this act is more about Jijabai, mother of Shivaji and her role in molding one of the finest emperors in Indian history. A lady of substance, patriotism and courage, successfully instilled the love of country in her little son; who then worked to fulfill her dreams of ‘Swarajya’ and thereby became a great ruler and a God like figure for the entire Marathi clan.

Shivaji emerged as a notable ruler, who had moved beyond caste, creed and religious discrimination. And this very representation of his rule in the play is another engrossing ingredient for the audience. People who have been associated with this act for years, say that the real yet simple portrayal of a perfect ruler such as Shivaji is something that inspires people and thus binds them to the play.

Well, weather it is the story, performance, artists or the fat budget it involves, Jaanta Raja is definitely an eternal epic drama very relevant to all times. And in this period of electronic entertainment with TV shows and Internet sources; a theater play that still reigns, definitely has to be the King of all Entertainment and thus a must watch for all!

Jai Bhavani!! Jai Shivaji!! Jai Jijau!!

[Free Download Shivcharitra by Babasaheb Purandare]

Monday, 13 April 2015

About Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare

The blog about Shivcharitra By Babasaheb Purandare is incomplete without a proper introduction of Babasaheb Purandare. Here I gathered basic information about Babasaheb Purandare and going to present in a simple manner.

The full name of Babasaheb Purandare is Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, and he was born in Pune on July 29, 1922. The first glance of introduction about him is a historian, writer and theater person. He has probably known for work related to history of Shivaji Maharaj and that’s why people offered him an appellation as Shiv-Shahir.

He is mostly popular with his play/drama called Jaanta Raja, which is historical presentation of phases of life of great Maratha King Shivaji Maharaj. This play is not only popular in Maharastra but also in Goa and Madhya Paradesh. Apart from great Shiavaji Maharaj’s history he also has considerable study about history of Peshwas. He was part of Shivsena in early 70’s along with Madhav Deshpande, Madhav Mehere and one and only Balasaheb Thackeray.


Babasaheb started story writing at very young age, which is mentioned in his book named ‘Thingya’, it means ‘Sparks’. His famous books among all are ‘Raja Shiva-Chatrapati’ and ‘Kesari, which are on the life of great Shivaji Maharaj and  Narayanrao Peshwa respectively. We can say that Babasaheb Purandare made his identity in the year 1985 by launching Jaanta Raja to the world. Since the 1985 it has been 864 times staged all over the world including United States of America. The Jaanta Raja play includes more than 200 artists and numbers of elephants, camels and horses. This larger than life experience always makes drama live on stage.


Personal Life/Family

Babasaheb purandare’s wife Nirmala Purandare is a social worker; she works for rural women and children's development project, and runs her own organization named 'Vanasthali' at Pune city. Babasaheb has two sons and one daughter. His daughter is a writer, painter and good singer.  His son’s names are Amrut Purandare and Prasad Purandare. Prasad is a Marathi theater and film personality, with several Hindi films to his credit.

Sunday, 25 May 2014

Shivcharitra in Marathi PDF

This is second post on my blog Shivcharitra by Babasaheb Purandare, and it took very extended time because the PDF format of Shivcharitra in Marathi was gathered after long time investigation.

This is not my original creation it was founded by me on the Internet, and I have tried it to make it available for my visitors in ready PDF downloadable format. This Shivcharitra book having almost four hundred plus pages, and it was a very difficult task for me to manage and sort it so that it will be easy available in the readable form for normal user.

This Shivcharitra by Babasaheb Purandare in Marathi PDF is available at free of cost. It’s my loyal try to present history of great Shivaji Maharaj. I know this is the beginning, and I promise my readers that I will study more and more about Raje Chatrapati and let the world know who was Shivajiraje Bhosale? Until then read this great Shivcharitra in PDF format and suggest every friend of yours about this blog.



Find here the link of Shivcharitra in Marathi PDF format.


 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XIG1FELAG7vTLfoI0l0VLdU1slZHhEXR
                                                          


                                                            Jai Jijau!! Jai Shivray!!