Ancestors of Shivaji Maharaj

Ancestors of Shivaji Maharaj

Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bhosle was the founder of Maratha Empire and also the responsible to the downfall or Mughal Empire. Even though he was a great warrior and King, there are lot of controversies behind his origins. Many Historians considered his ancestor is from Rajput Sisodia family whereas some historians claimed that he is from Yadava or Gowli or Baliyappa.

The Bhosle family is considered as one of the Kshatriya clans of Marathas hailed from Verul near Dualtabad. It is being said that this family was transferred by Devraj Maharana, a Rajput Warrior to the uplands of Maharashtra. It is said that Devraj Maharana was exhausted with frequency of Muslim Invasions and gave up his kingdom of Chitore and came to Deccan to form new kingdom in the valleys of Krishna and Bhima by changing his name as Bhosawant Bhosle. In Deccan also, he has to fight with Muslim invasion. At last , he contented himself with patelship of Shinganapur. Later on his descendents obtained by purchase the patelship of various places like Khanwat, Hingnsi Begdi, Diwalegaon, Verul, Vavi, Mungi, etc. Indrasen, Krishnaji, Rupsingji, Bhumindeji, KaransignhJi, Jatakarn, Sambhaji, Babaji, Maloji and Vithoji, Shahaji and Shivaji are the descendants.

From Yogesh Gogwekar

As per historian Jadhunath Sarkar, Babaji Bhosle was great grandfather of Shivaji Maharaj. He was head of two villages Hingane Beradi and Diwalegaon in Pune district and agriculture is his main occupation; but historian C V Vaidya is claiming that Babaji bhosale was head of Pande Pedgaon and he was heading the village till his son Maloji took the possession. Babaji is having one more son whose name was Vithoji. Later on both Maloji and Vithoji shifted to Verul. Since land of Verul was not conductive for farming both brothers joined to the army of Lakhojirao Jadhav. Later on Maloji’s son , Shahaji married with Jijabai daughter of Lakhojirao Jadhav. Shivaji Maharaj is second son of Shahaji Raje and Jijabai.

There are many historians are not ready to accept that Bhosles were from Rajput clans of the Sisodias. According to Jadhunath Sarkar, Gaga Bhatt a Brahmin from Banaras (original Maharashtra) spread the Shivaji’s genealogy to the Sisodiyas to prove him Kshatriya as in Maharashtra no Brahmins were ready to perform Coronation ceremony of Shivaji; but Poet Jayarama in his poetry Radha Madhav Vilasa is claiming that Shivaji’s descendents were from the Sisodiyas of Chittor and he composed the poem much before the coronation of Shivaji. Some historians have given the references of Poet Shivabharata of Paramananda who has mentioned that decedents of Shivaji from Sisodiyas family. Setu Madhavrao Pagadi , gave the references of Hindi Poet Bhushan  who considered Shivaji as Rajput. Pagadi also given the references of letter given by Shahaji to Sultan Adil Shah by stating he was Rajput. Mughal historian , Kafi khan also claimed that Shivaji’s ancestors had come from Ranas of Chittor.

Historian Dr. Ramachandra Chintamani Dhere is not ready to accept that Shivaji was Rajput and providing strong evidence that Shivaji was Yadava and not Rajput. He also stated that his ancestor is from  Balipa or Baliyappa hailing from place called Soratur near Gadag in North Karnataka. Accordng to him , his surname Bhosale  is a verbal distortion of the word Hoysala and they worshipped Shikara Shinganapura Shambhu Mahadeva. Dhere also stated that Shivaji’s Descendents were the deity of Shreeshaila Mallikarjuna which also corroborates the fact that Shivaji is not a Rajput. For this, he has provided sufficient historical evidences.

According to me Shivaji cannot be Rajput as Rajputs enjoyed being as slave to Mughal whereas Shivaji Maharaj showed path to freedom. Therefore, he was Maratha of 96 clans.

Mumbai
30/10/2019