Afzul Khan

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Afzul Khan was a Bijapuri general killed by Shivaji at Pratapgarh in 1658.

Afzal Khan

Afzal Khani was notoriously known for the cenotaph and the tomb that he had constructed for his wives. History records that before Afzal Khan was going to fight against Sivaji he had killed his 64 wives within one hour and had buried them. It is believed that some of his wives even tried to run away as they didnt want to be killed. He was apprehensive about their future if he didnt return from the battle. Ultimately his fears came true as he was beheaded by Sivaji. Though Sivaji did not honour Afzal's last wish of burying his body near Bijapur Sivaji had Afzal buried in Pratapgarh.(Information provided on the site by persons trained by the Archaeological Survey of India )

Shivaji had encamped at Pratapgad Fort, which was strategically advantageous for mountainous infantry action. Afzal Khan tried to garner support of local militarily independent landlords of the mountainous region who nominally acknowledged the suzerainty of Adilshah. But the powerful baron Kanhoji Jedhe, as directed by Shahaji, helped Shivaji to counter these moves and attract their support.

Ruins of the Raigad Fort, which served as a capital for Maratha Empire.Shivaji and Afzal Khan arranged a meeting at a shamiyana at the foothills of the fort Pratapgarh (Fortress of Valor). It was agreed that the two would meet unarmed, but were to bring with them ten personal bodyguards each, who were to remain at a distance of one 'arrow-shot' away. Nevertheless, Afzal Khan, as was his reputation for cunning, hid a 'katyar' (a small but very sharp dagger) in his coat. Shivaji pre-empted skullduggery on Khan's part (Khan had got Shivaji's elder brother poisoned and later conspired to get his father, Shahaji, arrested.) and came prepared. Amongst Shivaji's weapons was a small but effective weapon called wagh nakhi which literally means 'the claws of the tiger'. It consisted of an iron finger-grip with four razor claws which could be concealed in the clenched fist. As the two men entered the tent fixed for meeting, the 6-feet-tall overconfident Khan, having little difficulty hiding his swagger, lounged forward pretending of giving an open-armed hug, grabbed the 5'4" Shivaji in his left arm, swiftly drew the hidden dagger and stabbed Shivaji in his back. But as luck would have it, Shivaji was wearing iron gear under his coat and was saved. Thus strikingly made aware of Khan's real intentions, Shivaji opened his fist and disembowelled the Khan with one swift stroke of his "wagh nakhi". Stunned by this sudden turn of events Khan rushed outside shouting for help. Khan's bodyguard, Sayyad Banda, (each had agreed for one guard be placed immediately outside the tent), pounced on Shivaji on hearing Khan's cries and managed to strike him on the head and cut through his turban, but failed to penetrate the steel helmet underneath. Before Sayyad Banda could strike again, Shivaji's bodyguard, Jiva Mahala, who too rushed inside hearing the pandemonium, slashed Banda with his sabre. (The pithy Marathi phrase: 'Hota Jiva Mhanun Vachala Shiva’ - 'As there was Jiva, so lived Shiva' - owes its origin to this miraculous act). Afzal Khan managed to hold his gushing entrails and hurtled, faint and bleeding, outside the shamiyana and threw himself into his palanquin. The bearers hastily lifted their charge and began moving rapidly away down the slope when Sambhaji Kavji Kondhalkar, Shivaji's lieutenant and one of the distant guards, went in pursuit, and decapitated the Khan permanently.Krishnaji Bhaskar Kulkarni, Afzhal Khan's envoy charged towards Shivaji and tried to attack him with his sword.Shivaji repulsed the attack and warned Kulkarni not to attack him and that he would not kill him as Kulkarni was a Brahmin.However Kulkarni tried to attack Shivaji again.This time Shivaji slashed Kularni with his sword.

Shivaji sped up the slope towards the fortress and his lieutenants ordered a concluding bugle to be sounded. It was a pre-determined signal to his infantry, which had been strategically placed in the densely covered valley, to commence battle in case of any treachery on part of Khan, and save the Swaraj(freedom) which was in its infancy .

The severed head of Khan was sent to Rajgarh to be shown to Jijabai. She had long wanted vengeance for the deliberate maltreatment of Shahaji (Shivaji's father) in his captivity by Afzal Khan, and for getting her elder son, Sambhaji, killed through treachery.

Khan's death dealt to the Bijapur Sultan's rule a severe blow from which it never recovered until it was eventually eclipsed by the tyrannical Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The Maratha's Swarajya on the other hand flourished and blossomed into a muscular Maratha Empire which later spread till Attock near present-day Afghanistan, the seeds of which were laid in this small but breathtaking event amidst the mountainous jungles of Maharashtra.

Reference:

"Raja Shivachhatrapati" (Book in Marathi) by B.M.Purandare. Published by Purandare publications,Pune.