The case mentioned above is a real incident from Indian history. It is
the famous Raid of Shivaji on Shahista Khan, a general sent by Aurangzeb, the
Mughal Badshah of India, to annihilate Shivaji and seize all his forts and
territory. Shahista Khan was the maternal uncle of Aurangzeb and enjoyed royal
patronage. He had captured Chakan Fort and was camping in Pune before launching
an offensive against Shivaji. The details of the raid are given below:
Date: 08th April 1663 (12 hours before Ram Namvi, the birthdate of Lord
Ram)
Place : Lal Mahal Pune
Time: From midnight to sunrise
Moon Phase: First Phase (8th day)
Forces: Shahista Khan: one lakh standing army with Cavalry, Elephants
and Cannons around Pune
Shivaji: 2000 Hasham Mavals and Cavalry
Aim: Shivaji's aim was precise. To kill Shahista Khan in his sleeping
quarters by entering Lal Mahal.
Plan:
Shivaji hatched the plan in his mind at Rajgadh, his capital then. He
involved his close aides Moropant Pingle, Netoji Naik, Babaji and Chimanji
Deshpande, Sarjerao, and Chandoji Jedhe. Even amongst them, it was needed to
know basis. The nuts and bolts of the Plan were revealed to them a night before
when the raiding party had reached Kondana fort. (Sinhgadh)
Shivaji had divided his 2000 men into several groups under different
Sardars. Netoji and Moropant had a group stationed outside the limits of the
Pune camp as a deception measure and to fight back a counterattack by Shahista
Khan's troops. Tanaji Malsure, with his group, was tasked to enter Pune as part
of a marriage party coming from Katraj. This marriage party was of the daughter
of Havaldar of Pune camp. This information was furnished to Shivaji by his
master spy, Baharji Naik. Yesji Kank was tasked to enter Pune on bullock carts
carrying hay with his group of men. Vithoji was tasked to keep hundreds of
cattle ready with a torch-lit on their horns, to be released on a prearranged
signal by the trumpeters of Shivaji. The cattle were to be driven towards Purandar
fort. (Note: All names above are of Shivaji’s field commanders) The task
assigned to these commanders was to create panic in the camp to facilitate a
quick getaway for Shavaji and his party.
Shivaji kept only a select group of men with him: his two childhood
friends from Pune, Babaji and Chimanji Deshpande, and 40-odd Mavals. He was
also in the company of Ibrahim Khan, one of his Pathan sardars, who was a very
important player in Shivaji's entry into the camp.
That year, April was the holy month of Ramzan, and Shivaji factored this
very important input into his planning. As was the custom of the Muslim
soldiers and personnel, they fasted during the day and ate at night after
sunset. The tiredness of the day and the heavy food at night had a resultant
effect on the human body's function. It tends to go to rest fast. In simple
words, the soldiers tended to sleep early and deep.
Shivaji grew up in Lal Mahal and was familiar with the layout and secret
or lesser-known passages. The same was true with Babaji and Chimanji, who were
Shivaji's childhood buddies, hence the reason for their accompanying him. His
Plan for entering the Lal Mahal compound was to reach the sleeping chambers of
Shahista Khan through the lesser-known gate on the side of the gardener's hut.
Find Shahista Khan, kill him, create chaos inside and outside and use the chaos
to make his getaway.
The Plan was intricate and hinged on the success of every participant.
Even if one failed, the entire Plan could be jeopardised, risking many lives,
including Shivaji's. For this reason, Shivaji explained to every individual his
role and the necessity of carrying it out perfectly and on time. The getaway
was a brilliant ruse that fooled Shahista Khan's forces.
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