Thread by @HindutvaItihas

1.
A #thread on busting some myths around the coronation of Shivaji Maharaj.

Coronation of Shivaji Maharaj was one of the revolutionary event of the 17th century India. Amidst all the Sultanates & Mughal Empire, a Hindu warrior crowns himself as a King!
#ShivajiMaharaj #Hindutva

2.
However, there are some myths that need to be busted. Historian Jadunath Sarkar has developed some myths about Coronation & Kshatriya Hood of Shivaji Maharaj.

He called Bhosales as Śudras & mere tillers of soil. Jadunath also says that they were "popularly known" as such.

3.
This is a ridiculous thing to claim, without any shred of evidence.

This thread will provide the evidence, showing that many people contemporary of Shivaji Maharaj knew, that he *was* a born Kshatriya.

Read on. ⏬ #mythbusting

4.
There is a contemporary letter of Shahaji Raje (1656) which states that "आम्ही तो राजपूत" means "We are Rajput."

If Bhosales were Śudra, Shahaji Raje had no reason to write that 'we are Rajput'.

5.
Another contemporary proof of Bhosales' Kshatriya status: Radha Madhav Vilas Champu by Jayram Pindye, Shahaji Raje's court poet.

Shivaji & Sambhaji (Shivaji Maharaj's elder brother) were described as Kshatriya.

Sambhaji is described: "Yauvarājabhiśekapavitragātro Rājaputrah"

6.
Kaviraj Bhushan, a contemporary poet of Shivaji Maharaj, in his 'Bhūshaṅ Granthāwali' wrote about Shivaji Maharaj: "सकल सिसोदिया सपुत कुल को दिया"

7.
From the above contemporary evidences, it can be seen that Bhosales, & other contemporary people knew that they were Kshatriyas.

Jadunath Sarkaar to substantiate his information, has given the reference of Shivdigvijay Bakhar.

8.
Shivdigvijay Bakhar is extremely unreliable and not a contemporary bakhar (Jadunath Sarkar himself says so! 👇)

But Sarkar's information resembles only Shivdigvijay Bakhar.

NO OTHER bakhar has even questioned Shivaji Maharaj's Kshatriya-hood.

9.
Sarkar also narrates: "There was a mutiny by the assembled Brahmins, who asserted that there was no true Kshatriya in modern age."

For this he has given a reference of a Dutch letter written by Abraham Le Feber on 13 October 1674.

10.
The Dutch letter describes the thread ceremony for Kshatriyas, as if it was a ceremony to 'regain Kshatriya status from Śudra'

10.
But in Historian Gajanan Mehendale's opinion, this letter was not at all reliable, as Abraham Le Feber was not present at Raigad Fort during the Coronation ceremony!

He wrote that letter from a hearsay information. So the letter also becomes extremely unreliable.

11.
Nevertheless some casteist people question that, 'though Shivaji Maharaj was crowned as a king but he wasn't accepted as the king of Brahmins.'

Clarification ⏬

12.
Gagabhatt, a Marathi Brahmin went to Kashi, wrote a book to describe the coronation ceremony of Shivaji Maharaj, named as "Śivrājyābhiśek Prayog" (edited by VS Bendrey, great historical scholar)

13.
VS Bendrey clarified in the Preface:

* Mahāraj was taken to bathing hall & all his ministers poured milk and water, and said, "महते क्षत्राय महते अधिपत्याय, महते जनार्दनाय वो भरता सोमो ऽस्माकम् ब्राह्मणानां राजा", thus making him king of all including Brahmins. *

14.
Third myth to be busted: Some Brahmins opposed the coronation of Shivaji Maharaj.

This is a baseless statement. Firstly, no brahmin opposed the coronation of Shivaji Maharaj. It was simply the inability to perform coronation.

15.
There was no learned Brahmin in Deccan who could perform the Vedic rites of Rājyabhiśek due to continuous Islamic rule of 300 years.

Therefore Shivaji Maharaj had to call Gaga Bhatt, a Maharashtrian Brahmin of Paithan, to carry out the Vedic rites.

16.
Sabhāsad Bakhar's line to conclude the #mythbust:

या युगी सर्व पृथ्वीवर म्लेच्छ बादशाह.मऱ्हाठा पातशहा येवढा छत्रपती झाला.ही गोष्ट काही सामान्य झाली नाही

"In this age of Mlecha rulers all over the world.Only this Marāthā Badshah became Chhatrapati.This event is not ordinary"