Shivaji’s marine guerrilla army used to attack and disappear into the sea, which troubled Aurangzeb

New Delhi: On 5 January 1664, a bearded man along with 10,000 horsemen attacked the Mughal-occupied port city of Surat on the Arabian Sea. This rich city was looted for three days and two-thirds of the Mughal factories were set on fire. At that time, India was ruled by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Captain Grant Duff, a historian of British India, has written in his/her book ‘The History of Maratha’ that Aurangzeb’s governor in Surat was Shaista Khan, who had no idea of ​​such a horrific and sudden attack. The Mughal soldiers did not even get a chance to escape. When this news reached Aurangzeb sitting in Delhi, he/she was seething with anger. he/she asked the messenger who is this person who has given a new challenge to the Mughal rule? The answer was – someone named Shivaji. Aurangzeb had then understood that the Mughal Empire was now going to face a big challenge in the form of the Marathas. Recently, the matter of the collapse of the 35 feet high statue of Shivaji in Sindhudurg has become quite heated. It was built by the Indian Navy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself unveiled this statue of Shivaji on the occasion of Navy Day on 4 December 2023. Let us know the story behind Shivaji Maharaj’s naval strategy and building forts like Sindhudurg.

Won more than 300 forts, first victory at the age of 16

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a naval strategist as well as a master of fort fighting. Shivaji Maharaj started conquering forts at the age of less than 16 from the Torna Fort of Bijapur. he/she had acquired that fort by bribing the commander. Because of this fort, he/she clashed with Afzal Khan, the governor of the Adilshahi Sultanate of Bijapur, whom he/she surprised everyone by tearing it with Baghnakh. During the 35 years of his/her life, Shivaji conquered more than 300 forts. These forts played an important role in both land and sea defense. In 1674, he/she was formally crowned as the king of the Maratha Empire. he/she expanded his/her empire and included important parts of present-day Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in it.
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The foundation of the Maratha Empire was laid by winning the Raigad fort

Born in 1630 at Shivneri fort near Junnar in present-day Maharashtra, Shivaji won the Raigad fort in Maharashtra, which was earlier known as Rairi. After winning this fort, Shivaji made it his/her capital. he/she was made the king of the Maratha Empire here in 1674. Shivaji Maharaj is known for his/her special military strategy, which includes the beginning of guerrilla warfare in the hilly areas of the Western Ghats, known as ‘Ganimi Kava’.
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Protected the maritime borders through Sindhudurg and Vijaydurg

Shivaji Maharaj built many forts to protect the sea borders, one of which was the Sindhudurg Fort located on the Malvan coast of Maharashtra. It was also an important naval base. It was one of the many naval forts built by Shivaji Maharaj to protect the Konkan coastline. Shivaji also built the Vijaydurg Fort on the Konkan coast in a similar way. Sea ships were built here.

3000 workers built the Sindhudurg Fort in 3 years

Chhatrapati Shivaji laid the foundation of this fort on November 25, 1664. This fort was built on the Konkan coast under the supervision of Shivaji’s commander Hiroji Indulkar. Hiroji took the help of Portuguese engineers from Goa to make it impenetrable. The enemy could not enter this fort in any way. Today only its ruins are left. The beauty of high mountains and sea shores add to the grandeur of this fort. The height of this fort spread over about 48 acres is 30 feet. The three walls of this fort are 12 feet thick, which used to be helpful in protecting from the Portuguese, British as well as the pirates of the Arabian Sea. It was built by more than 3000 laborers. At that time it was completed in three years. This fort was built to stop the invasion of the Dutch, French and Portuguese.

A fleet of 20 warships was built, which remained alert at all times

The first foundation of a Maratha naval base was laid near Kalyan in 1654. Over time, they built several naval bases and a fleet that consisted of 20 warships, which were always ready for battle. It was commanded by local and foreign mercenaries, including Portuguese and Siddis. Shivaji’s fleet later grew to include at least 500 warships.

How did Shivaji’s marine commandos fight in the sea guerrilla war

Shivaji pioneered the concept of guerrilla warfare at sea, including surprise attacks on enemy ships and the use of fast-moving ships to lure the enemy into the sea. This strategy was designed to catch the enemy off guard, thereby gaining a strategic advantage. Shivaji, who built forts such as Sindhudurg and Vijaydurg, had a diverse naval fleet. The fleet included a variety of ships such as gurabs, gallibats and manjuhasms, which were used for surprise attacks and naval blockades.

Ships were hidden behind bays to deceive the enemy

Shivaji’s Maratha navy never kept all its warships at one place. They were hidden in small squadrons behind sea bays and rocks. These were more agile and dynamic to give a befitting reply to the enemy. Due to this, the enemy was not able to assess when and from where the attack would come.

Shivaji’s marine commandos would attack the enemy and disappear into the sea

Ranjit Desai, author of the book ‘The Great Maratha’, has written that Shivaji Maharaj used the guerrilla warfare style to fight successfully against the Mughal army. The word guerrilla means ‘small group’. Shivaji had prepared a small but always alert fighting Maratha army according to the geographical conditions of the hilly areas. Shivaji’s marine army used the same method in the sea as well. It would hide in the bay and suddenly attack the enemy’s naval fleet and destroy it and then disappear. This troop protected the western coastal areas of Hindustan from pirates and Siddis.

How did this army work, which included Muslims?

According to author Dennis Kincaid in the book ‘The Grand Rebel’, the guerrilla army was adept at moving fast and attacking suddenly. They would attack the Mughal army in ground battles in small battalions and immediately return to the mountains and hide. Attacking by stealth at night was also a specialty of these warriors. Shivaji’s army did not have artillery at that time, so these warriors used swordsmanship and small arms. Troubled by the guerrilla warfare style, the Mughal army became completely helpless. It also included local tribal Muslims and Pathans, who used to be very combative.

Naval strategy is both attacking and defensive

Shivaji hired Portuguese sailors to specialise in naval battles. he/she also diversified his/her naval force by including Muslim mercenaries who were adept at such battles. The primary purpose of Shivaji’s navy was to defend the long coastline of the Maratha territory and protect trade routes. his/her naval strategy was not only offensive but also defensive, aimed at creating a safe maritime environment.

Shivaji’s fleet was equipped with navigation systems and artillery

According to the book The Great Maratha, Shivaji Maharaj also used his/her navy as a tool for diplomacy. he/she engaged in strategic alliances and treaties to enhance his/her naval capabilities, thereby increasing the geopolitical influence of the Maratha Empire. he/she had no qualms in adopting the naval technology of the time. his/her fleet was equipped with advanced navigation systems and artillery, making him/her invincible in naval battles. One of his/her important naval conflicts was against the Siddis of Janjira Island off the Konkan coast, whom he/she defeated with the might of his/her navy.

The British adopted Shivaji’s naval tactics

When the British ruled India, they initially focused on protecting their trade routes and combating piracy, which led to the establishment of the Bombay Marine in the 17th century. It was primarily tasked with protecting British merchant ships in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The British unified their naval force, which later became the Bombay Marine, the Royal Indian Marine and finally the Royal Indian Navy in 1934. It played an important role during the Second World War. Shivaji was the first person to understand the strategic importance of a strong navy to protect the coastline and trade routes. This is where the foundation of the Indian Navy was also laid.