Shivaji: India's Great Warrior King
Shivaji: India's Great Warrior King
Vaibhav Purandare
- Language: English
- Print Length: 320 Pages
- ISBN-10: 8195996919
- ISBN-13: 978-8195996919
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the legendary seventeenth-century Maratha warrior who audaciously took on the Mughal empire at the height of its powers under Emperor Aurangzeb, and became a beacon of inspiration well after his death for those fighting for Indian independence, is one of the most compelling figures of early modern India. This is his definitive biography, relying on a vast variety of Marathi language sources overlooked in standard English works and enriched by author Vaibhav Purandare’s deep knowledge of the rugged terrain and culture of the region. With a wealth of evocative detail, it charts the dizzying story of this self-made military hero who started out as a teenage rebel of great precocity and daring, and ended up crowning himself king of an independent Maratha state after changing the political map of his native Deccan.
Along the way, the book explores fascinating aspects of Shivaji’s personality: his deep attachment to his mother, Jijabai, his ability to inspire his men to the point where they willingly laid down their lives for him, his capacity for feats of almost superhuman daredevilry, the presence of mind and steely resolve that led him, time and again, to lift himself off the brink of an abyss to fight again – and win.
This is a portrait not just of a master of guerrilla warfare who sowed the seeds of the Mughal empire’s fall, but of an enlightened ruler who put in place policies far ahead of his times. Especially relevant for our times is Purandare’s erudite and insightful exploration of whether Shivaji was a Hindu icon, as many have labelled him, or a secular figure, as others have chosen to call him, or something altogether more complex and thought-provoking. This biography corrects many falsities and myths, and it is the only book you need to read about one of India’s greatest heroes.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the legendary seventeenth-century Maratha warrior who audaciously took on the Mughal empire at the height of its powers under Emperor Aurangzeb, and became a beacon of inspiration well after his death for those fighting for Indian independence, is one of the most compelling figures of early modern India. This is his definitive biography, relying on a vast variety of Marathi language sources overlooked in standard English works and enriched by author Vaibhav Purandare’s deep knowledge of the rugged terrain and culture of the region. With a wealth of evocative detail, it charts the dizzying story of this self-made military hero who started out as a teenage rebel of great precocity and daring, and ended up crowning himself king of an independent Maratha state after changing the political map of his native Deccan.
Along the way, the book explores fascinating aspects of Shivaji’s personality: his deep attachment to his mother, Jijabai, his ability to inspire his men to the point where they willingly laid down their lives for him, his capacity for feats of almost superhuman daredevilry, the presence of mind and steely resolve that led him, time and again, to lift himself off the brink of an abyss to fight again – and win.
This is a portrait not just of a master of guerrilla warfare who sowed the seeds of the Mughal empire’s fall, but of an enlightened ruler who put in place policies far ahead of his times. Especially relevant for our times is Purandare’s erudite and insightful exploration of whether Shivaji was a Hindu icon, as many have labelled him, or a secular figure, as others have chosen to call him, or something altogether more complex and thought-provoking. This biography corrects many falsities and myths, and it is the only book you need to read about one of India’s greatest heroes.
Author Bios:
Vaibhav Purandare is the author of the acclaimed Savarkar: The True Story of the Father of Hindutva, Hitler and India: The Untold Story of His Hatred for the Country and Its People, Sachin Tendulkar: A Definitive Biography and Bal Thackeray & the Rise of the Shiv Sena. He works as a senior editor with The Times of India.
Vaibhav Purandare is the author of the acclaimed Savarkar: The True Story of the Father of Hindutva, Hitler and India: The Untold Story of His Hatred for the Country and Its People, Sachin Tendulkar: A Definitive Biography and Bal Thackeray & the Rise of the Shiv Sena. He works as a senior editor with The Times of India.
