“If India needs to be made independent, then there is only one way out, ‘Fight like Shivaji’.”-Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
On February 19, we celebrate and take pride in the birth anniversary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha warrior and Chhatrapati of the Maratha empire. The military warrior in Shivaji (life time 19 February 1930 to 3 April 1680) has motivated generation after generation of military leaders and soldiers. As an Infantry officer of the Indian Army, I learnt so much from the warfighting tactics of this supreme warrior and greatest conqueror that Bharat has seen. The aim of this piece is to contextualise the remarkable military strategy, operational art and tactics of Shivaji in the present-day scenario. It is a humble tribute from a soldier to the Military Colossus called Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
At the young age of 16 years, Shivaji initiated a well-planned military campaign to rebuild Maratha empire with the capture of Fort Torna in Bijapur. He also conquered the forts of Singhgarh, Rajgarh, Chakan and Purandar in quick succession. It is significant that Shivaji mastered military tactics with sheer hard work and exemplary dedication. Such military acumen has to be built in our young boys and girls in the Sainik Schools, Military Schools, NCC and Military Academies. After spending four decades in uniform, I feel that Bharat has not yet fully tapped the teachings of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Shivaji also built hundreds of forts spanning every corner of his kingdom over a period of time. Hill forts were key to the defensive layout and acted as the pivot for many successful campaigns. This key strategy of building forts is akin to creating defence infrastructure in the border areas. It is also important to build and maintain military cantonments and military stations for peacetime training and administration.
The regular army of Shivaji was relatively small of 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers comprising a majority of Mavali foot soldiers and backed by mobile cavalry of trained horsemen. The artillery had limited capability but the focus on mobile warfare compensated for the shortcomings. Shivaji was aware of the limitations of his Army and therefore relied on quick attacks in small teams, hitting the vulnerable spots of the Mughal army. Even today, India needs a large chunk of soldiers to guard our borders, with Infantry accounting for the bulk, to hold ground. No amount of technology can substitute a well-trained and motivated soldier.
At the tactical level, there are many lessons. But most important is mastery of Shivaji over the terrain comprising of hills, jungles, riverine areas and ravines. The way Shivaji was able to lure the enemy to fight from the difficult terrain is key to battles at subunit and unit level. The real test of leadership happens when you make the enemy fight as per your plans. You master the terrain by walking and travelling through it, with the map fully itched in your heads. A smart soldier does not need tablets and GPS to navigate; the military sense acquired with your sweat and toil does it.
The exploits of Shivaji Maharaj as proponent of ‘Guerrilla Warfare’ makes him immortal in the annals of military warfighting. It may be noted that the terrorists and militants have exploited this tactic of hit & run to their advantage. The hallmark of such warfare is small team operations, capable of inflicting severe damage to the enemy, particularly to the logistics and communication facilities. Today as we continue to fight the scrouge of terrorism, the military commanders have to fight terrorist like a guerilla; remember the killing of veteran Mughal general Afzal Khan on November 10, 1659 by Shivaji with a concealed tiger claw. The key to success in guerilla warfare is to think like a terrorist and remain ahead of the curve. Shivaji was called ‘Mountain Rat’ by Aurangzeb which clearly indicates his psychological superiority over the Mughal generals.
If we have to look at one military commander who exploited from the basic military surprise tactics to grand strategic deception, then no one except Shivaji qualifies to have done so in his lifetime. Capture of Torna Fort in 1646 taking advantage of the confusion prevailing in the Bijapur Sultanate is a classic example of tactical surprise. Strategic Deception aims to mislead the adversary by concealing your capabilities while depicting false operational scenario which confuses the military decision makers. Shivaji was able to convince the Mughals of his superior fighting capabilities right from 1657 in Ahmednagar and Junnar, forcing Mughal emperor Aurangzeb to send a massive army of 1,50,000 under Shaista Khan in 1660. The ultimate defeat of this powerful army after a daring Shivaji led night attack on the enemy camp on April 5, 1663 which seriously wounded Shaista Khan is part of military folklore.
As a forward-looking military leader, Shivaji painstakingly built his Navy from 1657 onwards. Shivaji paid particular attention to the coastal defences by capturing forts along the Konkan coastline, Sindhudurg being one such marine fort. Knowing the limitation of Marathas to fight land-based battles, Shivaji employed Portuguese sailors besides local fishermen to man his naval fleet. With a fleet of more than 200 warships, Shivaji demonstrated the maritime power to his adversaries. The futures wars will require a powerful Indian Navy, as would be evident if we put the map of India upside down. Instead of the Himalayas in the north, we will see Indian Ocean, flanked by Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Thus, we can safely conclude that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj laid the foundation for naval warfare in India.
In an era when military structures were not formal, Shivaji exhibited great skills in creating military organisations in the ground forces, navy and at fort level. The small teams were led by Havildars with a suitable mix of infantry or cavalry. Many of such structures and organisations are still followed in India till date. The lean and mean army of Shivaji proves that India needs quality in warfighting, both at the soldier and armament level.
Though a profound military leader, Shivaji also proved to be a great administrator and provided quality governance to his empire with focus on religious tolerance and sense of justice. He promoted Marathi as the working language instead of Persian and Arabic. Shivaji’s royal seal was in Sanskrit and he commissioned a team to chronicle ‘Rajavyavahara Kosha’ in Sanskrit, the treasure of state usage in 1677. It would be a most befitting tribute to the legend of Shivaji Maharaj, if India’s National Security Strategy Doctrine is documented in Sanskrit. The present senior military leadership has a lot to emulate from the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s greatest legacy was to successfully lay the foundation for the formidable Maratha empire, which ultimately led to the collapse of the Mughal empire. Both in the warcraft and statecraft, he proved to be a nemesis for the Mughals. As India aspires to be a developed nation by 2047, Shivaji remains the most iconic Military Mogul who continues to lord over the psyche of the leaders and the led. The most befitting tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary would be dedicate the youth of Bharat towards nation-building from a position of strength. Jai Bharat!
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