My late Naga Guru

Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj..

#JunaAkhara

#Hinduism

 

I thought I should fill in the blanks here..

I met Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj at Trimbakeshwar Nasik Kumbh 2003.

I met him at Sevagram Juna Akhara.

I had shot Panchwati and it was first time I had come to Trimbakeshwar.

I was in a Sadhu attire too I took his pictures and we became friends.. He was a tantric too and when I told him I was connected to Bollywood.

He said he had seen me at Film City during a Govinda shoot I was Govindas stylist.

He further told me he had his Ashram in a built in cave near Film city.

He invited me to spend the night at his tent with his Guru Triveni Giri and his Dada Guru Satyapal Giri.

Next morning was Shahi Snan I shot his Ling Kriya and followed him half way till the tank.

I could not enter with the Naga Sadhus but I did enter with a senior photographer Manchekar Ji from my camera club PSI.

I returned to Bandra I got a call from Vijay Giri Ji to meet him at his Ashram in Film city.

I liked him he was connected to Sufism and Haji Malang Baba... I became Vijay Giri Ji s student.

We met again in 2013 he invited me to MahaKumbh Allahabad.

I stayed with him at Juna Akhara.

Through him I shot Nasik Kumbh 2015.

Ujjain Kumbh 2016...

He passed away in 2017..

But I am still connected to Juna Akhara through his Guru bhai Jaidev Giri.

Thanks to Jaidev Giri I shot Ardh Kumbh 2019 Prayagraj.

It was Vijay Giri Ji who called me Firoze Giri.

I later began documenting the Aghoris 2016 at Khamakhya and my Guru is Manikandan ji from Trichy.

I am connected to the Juna Akhara Khamakhya through Govind Giri Ji and Thanapati Nityanandji.

As a Muslim I dont think anyone has documented Aghoris Naga Sadhus Tantrics Hijra Kinnar Akhara as much as I have.

I have a heart problem but if the pandemic disappears I will be with the Naga Sadhus at Haridwar Kumbh 2021.

 

Om Namo Narayan

Har Har Mahadev

The city of Varanasi has 88 ghats, which are steps that lead down to the water, and makes Varanasi the city with the most riverbanks in the world. It is also the largest seller of Banarasi silk, which is used to make the traditional Saree. .

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The Day to Night monograph releasing in late July is a cumulation of all my Day to Night works. For the next several weeks, I will be sharing images and details from the book, taking you through a world-wide journey and my experiences from each shoot.

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BHOLE KI NAGRI 🔱 .

Har Har Mahadev.

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More info:- www.pilgrimagetour.in/varanasi-tour-packages/

 

Om Namo Narayana

Har Har Mahadev

My Guru bhai #MaheshBhardwaj he was disciple of my Naga Guru #ShriVijayGiriMaharaj I joined them in 2003 #NasikKumbh .

He had made arrangements for my visit to #haridwarkumbh but I did no make it.

Here with Mahamandleshwar #JunaAkhara

#Hinduism

posted at FB

 

Maybe I am naieve but this beggar from Malda could have gone and begged at Kolkatta much nearer to his home than coming miles away to beg on a street below my house at Bandra.

 

What made him come to Bandra maybe the other beggars from his home town told him about their experience at Bandra.

 

And mind you this Bandra where I live is not the pedigree Bandra of the rich and famous.

 

But it as famous it is Hope for the migrant beggars.

 

The hospitality of Bandra is the main criteria that they come here to beg.. Let me clarify these beggars don't live in Bandra but some distant slums of Mumbai.

 

But they reach here by 6 am yesterday my lane saw more beggars so this man left his space and was begging outside Rolex hair cutting salon.

 

He always greets me with a congenial smile he is not out of the woods but he is happy.

 

Most of these beggars from W Bengal carry a mobile phone after business hours you can see them in a corner talking animatedly to their loved ones.

 

And there will be a deluge hordes of beggars come to Bandra before the Ramzan Moon.

 

Ramzan is the beggars Urus it is the beggars month of Hope and God appeases them through his Muslim followers.

 

What endears God to beggars during Ramzan he likes their humility their compassionate nature and that unlike the lazy Muslim who searches for an excuse not to fast the beggars fast to invoke God's mercy.

 

For me shooting beggars is my way of honing my thoughts and the poetry of my life.

 

I mean with malice to none I would rather shoot beggars and garbage than run around celebrities.. I will not shoot frivolous silhouettes sunsets nature trails.. I might shoot urban landscape urban chaos misery but that is it.

 

Both me and my camera think alike I have humanized the soul of my camera it bleeds during Moharam it gets excited by the chants of Har Har Mahadev.

 

It gets nostalgic at St Peters Church listening to the melody of the Latin Mass by Fr Jaun my Jesuit godfather and Guru.

 

Fr Juan takes credit in opening eyes and hearts of both my photo shooting granddaughters with Ave Maria and Jesus.

 

So shooting a beggar cleanses my soul of pride ego and arrogance.

 

Being Human is certainly not being Salman Khan bring human is surrendering to the Will of God.

 

I know my audience has moved I had no choice I am not crazy flaunting my humility as a photographer with 5000 Facebook friends. For me less is more.

 

I thank all of you for following me I get a bit more creative here at Facebook than at Twitter or Flickr.

 

But I will fly the coop I get claustrophobic at Facebook I get asthmatic at Facebook it has always been this way.

 

Happy Morning from Bandra.

 

Later in the day I have the dentist appointment a reminder that even Rs 100 paya at Pehalvi Irani restaurant Bandra Bazar road can cost Rs 15000 asymmetrically .

 

I have just come back all wet in sweat after playing tennis and all the Municipal water department people are surrounding our building it has had no water since yesterday water came in late night for a few minutes only.

And my building is home of our local MLA esteemed Advocate Ashish Shelar also President of Mumbai BJP.

 

One tweet on Twitter about our buildings Ester problem and tagging our MLA can bring some action.

 

What happens to the poor who don't have a local MLA living in their building and those who have no knowledge of using twitter.

And I leave now at 2 pm to shoot Khamakhya Ambubachi Mela 2007 my trip is again sponsored by Mrs Shatrughan Sinha she is my mentor and I call her Goddess .

 

A dear friend a Hindu gentleman bought me my air tickets for Mumbai Guwahati and back,,, I am indebted to both these kind soul.

 

With their help support I continue shooting Hope and Hindutva as a way of Life and Mesaage of Universal Peace .

 

Har Har Mahadev Joie Ma Khamakhya

 

My dear friend Laurent Salesse well known renowned French photographer will join me at Khamakhya ,. we have been friends since 2007 shot Moharam Maha Kumbh Makanpur ,, he shoots medium format film and is a great Guru .

 

There will be much needed silence on my photostream

My Dada #GuruTriveni Guru of my #NagaGuru late #ShriVijayGiri Maharaj

He is in his 90 s known him since 2003 #NasikKumbh #Trimbakeshwar .

He is an ashram Santosh Nagar Goregaon East #Mumbai

#hinduism

Shivaji Bhonsle (c. 1627/1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian warrior king and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji, in 1674, carved out an enclave from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of an independent Maratha Empire with Raigad as its capital.

 

Shivaji established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of a disciplined military and well-structured administrative organisations. He innovated military tactics, pioneering the guerrilla warfare methods (Shiva sutra or ganimi kava), which leveraged strategic factors like geography, speed, and surprise and focused pinpoint attacks to defeat his larger and more powerful enemies. From a small contingent of 2,000 soldiers inherited from his father, Shivaji created a force of 100,000 soldiers; he built and restored strategically located forts both inland and coastal to safeguard his territory. He revived ancient Hindu political traditions and court conventions and promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit, rather than Persian, in court and administration.

 

Shivaji's legacy was to vary by observer and time but began to take on increased importance with the emergence of the Indian independence movement, as many elevated him as a proto-nationalist and hero of the Hindus. Particularly in Maharashtra, debates over his history and role have engendered great passion and sometimes even violence as disparate groups have sought to characterise him and his legacy.

 

EARLY LIFE

Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivneri, near the city of Junnar in Pune district around the year 1630. The Government of Maharashtra accepts 19 February 1630 as his birthdate; other suggested dates include 6 April 1627 or other dates near this day. Per legend, his mother named him Shivaji in honour of the goddess Shivai, to whom she had prayed for a healthy child. Shivaji was named after this local deity. Shivaji's father Shahaji Bhonsle was Maratha general who served the Deccan Sultanates. His mother was Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhujirao Jadhav of Sindkhed (Sindkhed Raja). At the time of Shivaji's birth, the power in Deccan was shared by three Islamic sultanates: Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golconda. Shahaji often changed his loyalty between the Nizamshahi of Ahmadnagar, the Adilshah of Bijapur and the Mughals, but always kept his jagir (fiefdom) at Pune and his small army with him.

 

UPBRINGING

Shivaji was extremely devoted to his mother Jijabai, who was deeply religious. This religious environment had a great impact on Shivaji, and he carefully studied the two great Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata; these were to influence his lifelong defence of Hindu values. Throughout his life he was deeply interested in religious teachings, and regularly sought the company of Hindu and Sufi saints.

 

Shahaji, meanwhile had married a second wife, Tuka Bai Mohite, and moved to take an assignment in Karnataka, leaving Shivaji and his mother in Pune. Shahaji entrusted the two to his friend Dadoji Kondadev Kulkarni, who provided them a mansion to live in, profitably administered the Pune jagir, and mentored the young Shivaji. The boy was a keen outdoorsman, but had little formal education, and was likely illiterate. Shivaji drew his earliest trusted comrades and a large number of his soldiers from the Maval region, including Yesaji Kank, Suryaji Kakade, Baji Pasalkar, Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Tanaji Malusare. In the company of his Maval comrades, Shivaji wandered over the hills and forests of the Sahyadri range, hardening himself and acquiring first-hand knowledge of the land, which was to later prove applicable to his military endeavours.

 

At the age of 12, Shivaji was taken to Bangalore where he, his elder brother Sambhaji and his stepbrother Ekoji I were further formally trained. He married Saibai, a member of the prominent Nimbalkar family in 1640. Around 1645–46, the teenage Shivaji first expressed his concept for Hindavi swarajya, in a letter to Dadaji Naras Prabhu.

 

CONFLICT WITH ADILSHAHI SULTANATE

In 1645, the 16-year-old Shivaji bribed or persuaded the Bijapuri commander of the Torna Fort, Inayat Khan, to hand over the possession of the fort to him. Firangoji Narsala, who held the Chakan fort professed his loyalty to Shivaji and the fort of Kondana was acquired by bribing the Adilshahi governor. On 25 July 1648, Shahaji was imprisoned by Baji Ghorpade under the orders of the current Adilshah, Mohammed Adil Shah, in a bid to contain Shivaji. Accounts vary, with some saying Shahaji was conditionally released in 1649 after Shivaji and Sambhaji surrendered the forts of Kondhana, Bangalore and Kandarpi, others saying he was imprisoned until 1653 or 1655; during this period Shivaji maintained a low profile. After his release, Shahaji retired from public life, and died around 1664–1665 during a hunting accident. Following his father's death, Shivaji resumed raiding, seizing the kingdom of Javali from a neighbouring Maratha chieftain in 1656.

 

COMBAT WITH AFZAL KHAN

In 1659, Adilshah sent Afzal Khan, an experienced and veteran general to destroy Shivaji in an effort to put down what he saw as a regional revolt.

 

The two met in a hut at the foothills of Pratapgad fort on 10 November 1659. The arrangements had dictated that each come armed only with a sword, and attended by a follower. Shivaji, either suspecting Afzal Khan would attack him or secretly planning to attack, wore armour beneath his clothes, concealed a bagh nakh (metal "tiger claw") on his left arm, and had a dagger in his right hand. Accounts vary on whether Shivaji or Afzal Khan struck the first blow: the Maratha chronicles accuse Afzal Khan of treachery, while the Persian-language chronicles attribute the treachery to Shivaji. In the fight, Afzal Khan's dagger was stopped by Shivaji's armour, and Shivaji's weapons inflicted mortal wounds on the general; Shivaji then signalled his hidden troops to launch the assault on the Bijapuris.

 

BATTLE OF PRATAPGARH

In the ensuing Battle of Pratapgarh fought on 10 November 1659, Shivaji's forces decisively defeated the Bijapur Sultanate's forces. The agile Maratha infantry and cavalry inflicted rapid strikes on Bijapuri units, attacked the Bijapuri cavalry before it was prepared for battle, and pursued retreating troops toward Wai. More than 3,000 soldiers of the Bijapur army were killed and two sons of Afzal Khan were taken as prisoners.

 

This unexpected and unlikely victory made Shivaji a hero of Maratha folklore and a legendary figure among his people. The large quantities of captured weapons, horses, armour and other materials helped to strengthen the nascent and emerging Maratha army. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb now identified Shivaji as a major threat to the mighty Mughal Empire. Soon thereafter Shivaji, Shahaji and Netaji Palkar (the chief of the Maratha cavalry) decided to attack and defeat the Adilshahi kingdom at Bijapur.

 

BATTLE OF KOLHAPUR

To counter the loss at Pratapgad and to defeat the newly emerging Maratha power, another army, this time numbering over 10,000, was sent against Shivaji, commanded by Bijapur's Abyssinian general Rustamjaman. With a cavalry force of 5,000 Marathas, Shivaji attacked them near Kolhapur on 28 December 1659. In a swift movement, Shivaji led a full frontal attack at the center of the enemy forces while two other portions of his cavalry attacked the flanks. This battle lasted for several hours and at the end Bijapuri forces were soundly defeated and Rustamjaman fled the battlefield. Adilshahi forces lost about 2,000 horses and 12 elephants to the Marathas. This victory alarmed Aurangazeb, who now derisively referred to Shivaji as the "Mountain Rat", and prepared to address this rising Maratha threat.

 

SIEGE OF PANHALA & BATTLE OF PAVAN KHIND

In 1660, Adilshah sent his general Siddi Jauhar to attack Shivaji's southern border, in alliance with the Mughals who planned to attack from the north. At that time, Shivaji was encamped at Panhala fort near present-day Kolhapur with his forces. Siddi Jauhar's army besieged Panhala in mid-1660, cutting off supply routes to the fort. During the bombardment of Panhala, Siddhi Jahuar had purchased grenades from the British at Rajapur to increase his efficacy, and also hired some English artillerymen to bombard the fort, conspicuously flying a flag used by the English. This perceived betrayal angered Shivaji, who in December would exact revenge by plundering the English factory at Rajapur and capturing four of the factors, imprisoning them until mid-1663.

 

Accounts vary as to the end of the siege, with some accounts stating that Shivaji escaped from the encircled fort and withdrew to Ragna, following which Ali Adil Shah personally came to take charge of the siege, capturing the fort after four months besiegement. Other accounts state that after months of siege, Shivaji negotiated with Siddhi Jahuar and handed over the fort on 22 September 1660, withdrawing to Vishalgad; Shivaji would later re-take Panhala in 1673.

 

There is some dispute over the circumstances of Shivaji's withdrawal (treaty or escape) and his destination (Ragna or Vishalgad), but the popular story details his night movement to Vishalgad and a sacrificial rear-guard action to allow him to escape. Per these accounts, Shivaji withdrew from Panhala by cover of night, and as he was pursued by the enemy cavalry, so his Maratha sardar Baji Prabhu Deshpande of Bandal Deshmukh, along with 300 soldiers, volunteered to fight to the death to hold back the enemy at Ghod Khind ("horse ravine") to give Shivaji and the rest of the army a chance to reach the safety of the Vishalgad fort. In the ensuing Battle of Pavan Khind, the smaller Maratha force held back the larger enemy to buy time for Shivaji to escape. Baji Prabhu Deshpande was wounded but continued to fight until he heard the sound of cannon fire from Vishalgad, signalling Shivaji had safely reached the fort, on the evening of 13 July 1660. Ghod Khind (khind meaning "a narrow mountain pass") was later renamed Paavan Khind ("sacred pass") in honour of Bajiprabhu Deshpande, Shibosingh Jadhav, Fuloji, and all other soldiers who fought in there.

 

CLASH WITH THE MUGHALS

Up until 1657, Shivaji maintained peaceful relations with the Mughal Empire. Shivaji offered his assistance to Aurangzeb in conquering Bijapur and in return, he was assured of the formal recognition of his right to the Bijapuri forts and villages under his possession. Shivaji's confrontations with the Mughals began in March 1657, when two of Shivaji's officers raided the Mughal territory near Ahmednagar. This was followed by raids in Junnar, with Shivaji carrying off 300,000 hun in cash and 200 horses. Aurangzeb responded to the raids by sending Nasiri Khan, who defeated the forces of Shivaji at Ahmednagar. However, the countermeasures were interrupted by the rainy season and the battle of succession for the Mughal throne following the illness of Shah Jahan.

 

ATTACK ON SHAISTA KHAN

Upon the request of Badi Begum of Bijapur, Aurangzeb sent his maternal uncle Shaista Khan, with an army numbering over 150,000 along with a powerful artillery division in January 1660 to attack Shivaji in conjunction with Bijapur's army led by Siddi Jauhar. Shaista Khan, with his better-equipped and -provisioned army of 300,000 seized Pune and the nearby fort of Chakan, besieging it for a month and a half until breaching the walls. Shaista Khan pressed his advantage of having a larger, better provisioned and heavily armed Mughal army and made inroads into some of the Maratha territory, seizing the city of Pune and establishing his residence at Shivaji's palace of Lal Mahal.

 

In April 1663, Shivaji launched a surprise attack on Shaista Khan in Pune; accounts of the story differ in the popular imagination, but there is some agreement that Shivaji and band of some 200 followers infiltrated Pune, using a wedding procession as cover. They overcame the palace guards, breached the wall, and entered Shaista Khan's quarters, killing those they found there. Shaista Khan escaped, losing his thumb in the melee, but one of his sons and other members of his household were killed. The Khan took refuge with the Moghul forces outside of Pune, and Aurangzeb punished him for this embarrassment with a transfer to Bengal.

 

An Uzbek general, Kartalab Khan, was sent by Shaista Khan to attack and reduce the number of forts under Shivaji's control in the Konkan region on 3 February 1661. The 30,000 Mughal troops left Pune, marching through the back-country in an attempt to surprise the Marathas. In the Battle of Umberkhind, Shivaji's forces ambushed and enveloped them with infantry and light cavalry in the dense forests of Umber Khind pass near present-day Pen. With defeat inevitable, the Mughal commander, a Maratha woman named Raibagan, advised Kartalab to parley with Shivaji, who allowed the Mughals to surrender all their supplies and arms, and depart with safe passage. In retaliation for Shaista Khan's attacks, and to replenish his now-depleted treasury, in 1664 Shivaji sacked the city of Surat, a wealthy Mughal trading centre.

 

TREATY OF PURANDAR

Aurangzeb was enraged and sent Mirza Raja Jai Singh I with an army numbering around 150,000 to defeat Shivaji. Jai Singh's forces made significant gains and captured many Maratha forts, forcing Shivaji to come to terms with Aurangzeb rather than lose more forts and men.

 

In the Treaty of Purandar, signed between Shivaji and Jai Singh on 11 June 1665, Shivaji agreed to give up 23 of his forts and pay compensation of 400,000 rupees to the Mughals. He also agreed to let his son Sambhaji become a Mughal sardar, serve the Mughal court of Aurangzeb and fight alongside the Mughals against Bijapur. He actually fought alongside Jai Singh's against Bijapur's for a few months. His commander Netaji Palkar joined the Mughals, was rewarded very well for his bravery, converted to Islam, changed his name to Quli Mohammed Khan in 1666 and was sent to the Afghan frontier to fight the restive tribes. He returned to Shivaji's service in 1676 after ten years with the Mughals, and was accepted back as a Hindu on Shivaji's advice.

 

ARREST IN AGRA & ESCAPE

In 1666, Aurangzeb invited Shivaji to Agra, along with his nine-year-old son Sambhaji. Aurangzeb's plan was to send Shivaji to Kandahar, now in Afghanistan, to consolidate the Mughal empire's northwestern frontier. However, in the court, on 12 May 1666, Aurangzeb made Shivaji stand behind mansabdārs (military commanders) of his court. Shivaji took offence and stormed out of court, and was promptly placed under house arrest under the watch of Faulad Khan, Kotwal of Agra. Shivaji's spies informed him that Aurangzeb planned to move Shivaji to Raja Vitthaldas' haveli and then to possibly kill him or send him to fight in the Afghan frontier, so Shivaji planned his escape.

 

Shivaji feigned severe illness and requested to send most of his contingent back to the Deccan, thereby ensuring the safety of his army and deceiving Aurangzeb. Thereafter, on his request, he was allowed to send daily shipments of sweets and gifts to saints, fakirs, and temples in Agra as offerings for his health. After several days and weeks of sending out boxes containing sweets, Sambhaji, being a child had no restrictions and was sent out of the prison camp and Shivaji, disguised as labourer carrying sweet basket escaped on 17 August 1666, according to the Mughal documents. Shivaji and his son fled to the Deccan disguised as sadhus (holy men). After the escape, rumours of Sambhaji's death were intentionally spread by Shivaji himself in order to deceive the Mughals and to protect Sambhaji.[citation needed] Recent research has proposed that Shivaji simply disguised himself as a Brahmin priest after performance of religious rites at the haveli grounds on 22 July 1666, and escaped by mingling within the departing priestly entourage of Pandit Kavindra Paramananda. Sambhaji was removed from Agra and taken to Mathura later by Shivaji's trusted men.

 

RECONQUEST

After Shivaji's escape, hostilities ebbed and a treaty lasted until the end of 1670, when Shivaji launched a major offensive against Mughals, and in a span of four months recovered a major portion of the territories surrendered to Mughals. During this phase, Tanaji Malusare won the fort of Sinhgad in the Battle of Sinhagad on 4 Feb 1670, dying in the process. Shivaji sacked Surat for second time in 1670; while he was returning from Surat, Mughals under Daud Khan tried to intercept him, but were defeated in the Battle of Vani-Dindori near present-day Nashik.

 

DEALINGS WITH THE ENGLISH

In October 1670, Shivaji sent his forces to harass the British at Bombay; as they had refused to sell him war material, his forces blocked Bombay's woodcutting parties. In September 1671, Shivaji sent an ambassador to Bombay, again seeking material, this time for the fight against Danda-Rajpuri; the British had misgivings of the advantages Shivaji would gain from this conquest, but also did not want to lose any chance of receiving compensation for his looting their factories at Rajapur. The British sent Lieutenant Stephen Ustick to treat with Shivaji, but negotiations failed over the issue of the Rajapur indemnity. Numerous exchanges of envoys followed over the coming years, with some agreement as to the arms issues in 1674, but Shivaji was never to pay the Rajpur indemnity before his death, and the factory there dissolved at the end of 1682.

 

BATTLE OF NESARI

In 1674, Prataprao Gujar, the then commander-in chief of the Maratha forces, was sent to push back the invading force led by the Adilshahi general, Bahlol Khan. Prataprao's forces defeated and captured the opposing general in the battle, after cutting-off their water supply by encircling a strategic lake, which prompted Bahlol Khan to sue for peace. In spite of Shivaji's specific warnings against doing so Prataprao released Bahlol Khan, who started preparing for a fresh invasion.

 

Shivaji sent a displeased letter to Prataprao, refusing him audience until Bahlol Khan was re-captured. In the ensuing days, Shivaji learnt of Bahlol Khan having camped with 15,000 force at Nesari near Kolhapur. Not wanting to risk losing his much smaller Maratha force entirely, Prataprao and six of his sardars attacked in a suicide mission, buying time for Anandrao Mohite to withdraw the remainder of the army to safety. The Marathas avenged the death of Prataprao by defeating Bahlol Khan and capturing his jagir (fiefdom) under the leadership of Anaji and Hambirao Mohite. Shivaji was deeply grieved on hearing of Prataprao's death; he arranged for the marriage of his second son, Rajaram, to Prataprao's daughter. Anandrao Mohite became Hambirrao Mohite, the new sarnaubat (commander-in-chief of the Maratha forces). Raigad Fort was newly built by Hiroji Indulkar as a capital of nascent Maratha kingdom.

 

CORONATION

Shivaji had acquired extensive lands and wealth through his campaigns, but lacking a formal title was still technically a Mughal zamindar or the son of an Adilshahi jagirdar, with no legal basis to rule his de facto domain. A kingly title could address this, and also prevent any challenges by other Maratha leaders, to whom he was technically equal; it would also would provide the Hindu Marathas with a fellow Hindu sovereign in a region otherwise ruled by Muslims.

 

Shivaji was crowned king of the Marathas in a lavish ceremony at Raigad on 6 June 1674. In the Hindu calendar it was on the 13th day (trayodashi) of the first fortnight of the month of Jyeshtha in the year 1596. Pandit Gaga Bhatt officiated, holding a gold vessel filled with the seven sacred waters of the rivers Yamuna, Indus, Ganges, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri over Shivaji's head, and chanted the coronation mantras. After the ablution, Shivaji bowed before Jijabai and touched her feet. Nearly fifty thousand people gathered at Raigad for the ceremonies.

 

Shivaji was bestowed with the sacred thread jaanva, with the Vedas and was bathed in an abhisheka. Shivaji was entitled Shakakarta ("founder of an era") and Kshatriya Kulavantas ("head of Kshatriyas"), and Chhatrapati ("paramount sovereign").

 

His mother Jijabai died on 18 June 1674, within a few days of the coronation. Considering this a bad omen, a second coronation was carried out 24 September 1674, this time according to the Bengali school of Tantricism and presided over by Nischal Puri.

 

The state as Shivaji founded it was a Maratha kingdom comprising about 4.1 % of the subcontinent at the time he died, but over time it was to increase in size and heterogeneity, and by the time of the Peshwas in the early 18th century the Marathas were dominant across the northern and central regions of the Indian subcontinent.

 

CONQUEST IN SOUTHERN INDIA

Beginning in 1674, the Marathas undertook an aggressive campaign, raiding Khandesh (October), capturing Bijapuri Ponda (April 1675), Karwar (mid-year), and Kolhapur (July).[citation needed] In November the Maratha navy skirmished with the Siddis of Janjira, and in early 1676 Peshwa Pingale, en route to Surat, engaged the Raja of Ramnagar in battle. Shivaji raided Athani in March 1676, and by year's end besieged Belgaum and Vayem Rayim in modern-day northern Karnataka. At the end of 1676, Shivaji launched a wave of conquests in southern India, with a massive force of 30,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry. He captured the Adilshahi forts at Vellore and Gingee, in modern-day Tamil Nadu.

 

In the run-up to this expedition Shivaji appealed to a sense of Deccani patriotism, that the "Deccan" or Southern India was a homeland that should be protected from outsiders. His appeal was somewhat successful and he entered into a treaty with the Qutubshah of the Golconda sultanate that covered the eastern Deccan. Shivají's conquests in the south proved quite crucial during future wars; Gingee served as Maratha capital for nine years during the Maratha War of Independence.

 

Shivaji intended to reconcile with his stepbrother Venkoji (Ekoji I), Shahji's son by his second wife, Tukabai of the Mohite clan which ruled Thanjavur (Tanjore) after Shahaji. The initially promising negotiations were unsuccessful, so whilst returning to Raigad Shivaji defeated his stepbrother's army on 26 November 1677 and seized most of his possessions in the Mysore plateau. Venkoji's wife Dipa Bai, whom Shivaji deeply respected, took up new negotiations with Shivaji, and also convinced her husband to distance himself from Muslim advisors. In the end Shivaji consented to turn over to her and her female descendants many of the properties he had seized, with Venkoji consenting to a number of conditions for the proper administration of the territories and maintenance of Shivaji's future tomb.

 

DEATH & SUCCESSION

The question of Shivaji's heir-apparent was complicated by the misbehaviour of his eldest son Sambhaji, who was irresponsible and "addicted to sensual pleasures." Unable to curb this, Shivaji confined his son to Panhala in 1678, only to have the prince escape with his wife and defect to the Mughals for a year. Sambhaji then returned home, unrepentant, and was again confined to Panhala.

 

In late March 1680, Shivaji fell ill with fever and dysentery, dying around 3–5 April 1680 at the age of 52, on the eve of Hanuman Jayanti. Rumours followed his death, with Muslims opining he had died of a curse from Jan Muhammad of Jalna, and some Marathas whispering that his second wife, Soyarabai, had poisoned him so that his crown might pass to her 10-year-old son Rajaram.

 

After Shivaji's death, the widowed Soyarabai made plans with various ministers of the administration to crown her son Rajaram rather than her prodigal stepson Sambhaji. On 21 April 1680, ten-year-old Rajaram was installed on the throne. However, Sambhaji took possession of the Raigad Fort after killing the commander, and on 18 June acquired control of Raigad, and formally ascended the throne on 20 July. Rajaram, his wife Janki Bai, and mother Soyrabai were imprisoned, and Soyrabai executed on charges of conspiracy that October.

 

THE MARATHAS AFTER SHIVAJI

Aurangzeb's son Muhammad Akbar had a falling-out with his father and joined forces with Sambhaji, thereafter Aurangzeb personally led his army to attack the Maratha forces. Sambhaji was captured, tortured and executed at Tulapur in 1689 by the Mughals. Leadership of the disarrayed Marathas then returned to Rajaram, who served as regent during the minority of his stepbrother's son Shahu, and was forced to move his capital from Raigad to Gingee.

 

Thereafter the Maratha forces stabilised and began to undertake raids on the Mughal columns. Able generals such as Dhanaji Jadhav and Santaji Ghorpade took the initiative and effectively bogged down the powerful but slow-moving Mughal army during the Deccan Wars. In 1697 Aurangzeb, in poor health, withdrew from the Deccan for the last time, and recalled his full army a few years later, opening up the Deccan to Maratha domination.

 

In 1752, the Maratha Peshwa signed a treaty with Mughal emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur, giving the Marathas significant control and revenues within the remaining Mughal territories, in exchange for their protecting the Mughals from their enemies. This treaty brought the Maratha into conflict with the Mughal's opponent, Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of an Afghan empire. The Durrani forces defeated the Maratha at the 1761 Battle of Panipat checking the Maratha's northward expansion. The Third Anglo-Maratha War of 1818 ended the role of the Marathas in the Indian subcontinent.

 

GOVERNANCE

Shivaji was an able administrator who established a government that included modern concepts such as cabinet (Ashtapradhan mandal composed of eight ministers), foreign affairs (Dabir) and internal intelligence.

 

PROMOTION OF MARATHI & SANSKRIT

Though Persian was a common courtly language in the region, Shivaji replaced it with Marathi in his own court, and emphasised Hindu political and courtly traditions. The house of Shivaji was well acquainted with Sanskrit and promoted the language; his father Shahaji had supported scholars such as Jayram Pindye, who prepared Shivaji's seal. Shivaji continued this Sanskrit promotion, giving his forts names such as Sindhudurg, Prachandgarh, and Suvarndurg. He named the Ashta Pradhan (council of ministers) as per Sanskrit nomenclature with terms such as nyayadhish, and senapat, and commissioned the political treatise Rajyavyavahar Kosh. His rajpurohit, Keshav Pandit, was himself a Sanskrit scholar and poet.

 

RELIGIOUS POLICY

Shivaji was a devout Hindu, but respected all religions within the region. Shivaji had great respect for other contemporary saints, especially Samarth Ramdas, to whom he gave the fort of Parali, later renamed as 'Sajjangad'. Among the various poems written on Shivaji, Ramdas' Shivastuti ("Praise of King Shivaji") is the most famous. Shivaji's son Sambhaji later built a samadhi for Ramdas Swami on Sajjangad upon the latter's death. Samarth Ramdas had also written a letter to Sambhaji guiding him on what to do and what not to do after death of Shivaji.

 

Shivaji allowed his subjects freedom of religion and opposed forced conversion. Shivaji also promulgated other enlightened values, and condemned slavery. He applied a humane and liberal policy to the women of his state.

 

Kafi Khan, the Mughal historian and Francois Bernier, a French traveller, spoke highly of his religious policy. He also brought converts like Netaji Palkar and Bajaji back into Hinduism.

 

Shivaji's contemporary, the poet Kavi Bhushan stated: Had not there been Shivaji, Kashi would have lost its culture, Mathura would have been turned into a mosque and all would have been circumcised”.

 

ISLAM

Though many of Shivaji's enemy states were Muslim, he treated Muslims under his rule with tolerance for their religion. Shivaji's sentiments of inclusivity and tolerance of other religions can be seen in an admonishing letter to Aurangzeb, in which he wrote:

 

Verily, Islam and Hinduism are terms of contrast. They are used by the true Divine Painter for blending the colours and filling in the outlines. If it is a mosque, the call to prayer is chanted in remembrance of Him. If it is a temple, the bells are rung in yearning for Him alone.

 

Shivaji had several noteworthy Muslim soldiers, especially in his Navy. Ibrahim Khan and Daulat Khan (both were African descendants) were prominent in the navy; and Siddi Ibrahim was chief of artillery. Muslim soldiers were known for their superior skills in naval and artillery combat skills.

 

CHRISTIANITY

The French traveller Francois Bernier wrote in his Travels in Mughal India:

 

"I forgot to mention that during pillage of Sourate, Seva-ji, the Holy Seva-ji! Respected the habitation of the reverend father Ambrose, the Capuchin missionary. 'The Frankish Padres are good men', he said 'and shall not be attacked.' He spared also the house of a deceased Delale or Gentile broker, of the Dutch, because assured that he had been very charitable while alive."

 

MILITARY

Shivaji demonstrated great skill in creating his military organisation, which lasted till the demise of the Maratha empire. He also built a powerful navy. Maynak Bhandari was one of the first chiefs of the Maratha Navy under Shivaji, and helped in both building the Maratha Navy and safeguarding the coastline of the emerging Maratha Empire. He built new forts like Sindhudurg and strengthened old ones like Vijaydurg on the west coast. The Maratha navy held its own against the British, Portuguese and Dutch. He was one of the pioneers of commando actions, then known as ganimi kava (Marathi: "enemy trickery") His Mavala army's war cry was Har Har Mahadev (Har and Mahadev being common names of Hindu God Shiva). Shivaji was responsible for many significant changes in military organisation:

 

- A standing army belonging to the state, called paga.

- All war horses belonged to the state; responsibility for their upkeep rested on the Sovereign.

- Creation of part-time soldiers from peasants who worked for eight months in their fields and supported four months in war for which they were paid.

- Highly mobile and light infantry and cavalry excelling in commando tactics.

- The introduction of a centralized intelligence department; Bahirjee Naik was the foremost spy who provided Shivaji with enemy information in all of Shivaji's campaigns.

- A potent and effective navy.

- Introduction of field craft, such as guerrilla warfare, commando actions, and swift flanking attacks. Field-Marshal Montgomery, in his "History of Warfare", while generally dismissive of the quality of generalship in the military history of the Indian subcontinent, makes an exception for Shivaji and Baji Rao I. Summarizing Shivaji's mastery of guerilla tactics, Montgomery describes him as a military genius.

- Innovation of weapons and firepower, innovative use of traditional weapons like the tiger claw (vaghnakh) and vita.

- Militarisation of large swathes of society, across all classes, with the entire peasant population of settlements and villages near forts actively involved in their defence.

 

Shivaji realised the importance of having a secure coastline and protecting the western Konkan coastline from the attacks of Siddi's fleet. His strategy was to build a strong navy to protect and bolster his kingdom. He was also concerned about the growing dominance of British Indian naval forces in regional waters and actively sought to resist it. For this reason he is also referred to as the "Father of Indian Navy".

 

FORTS

Shivaji captured strategically important forts at Murambdev (Rajgad), Torana, Kondana (Sinhagad) and Purandar and laid the foundation of swaraj or self-rule. Toward the end of his career, he had a control of 360 forts to secure his growing kingdom. Shivaji himself constructed about 15–20 totally new forts (including key sea forts like Sindhudurg), but he also rebuilt or repaired many strategically placed forts to create a chain of 300 or more, stretched over a thousand kilometres across the rugged crest of the Western Ghats. Each were placed under three officers of equal status lest a single traitor be bribed or tempted to deliver it to the enemy. The officers (sabnis, havaldar, sarnobat) acted jointly and provided mutual checks and balance.

 

NAVY

Shivaji built a strong naval presence across long coast of Konkan and Goa to protect sea trade, to protect the lands from sack of prosperity of subjects from coastal raids, plunder and destruction by Arabs, Portuguese, British, Abyssinians and pirates. Shivaji built ships in towns such as Kalyan, Bhivandi, and Goa for building fighting navy as well as trade. He also built a number of sea forts and bases for repair, storage and shelter. Shivaji fought many lengthy battles with Siddis of Janjira on coastline. The fleet grew to reportedly 160 to 700 merchant, support and fighting vessels. He started trading with foreigners on his own after possession of eight or nine ports in the Deccan. Shivaji's admiral Kanhoji Angre is often said to be the "Father of Indian Navy".

 

LEGACY

Today, Shivaji is considered as a national hero in India, especially in the state of Maharashtra, where he remains arguably the greatest figure in the state's history. Stories of his life form an integral part of the upbringing and identity of the Marathi people. Further, he is also recognised as a warrior legend, who sowed the seeds of Indian independence.

 

Nineteenth century Hindu revivalist Swami Vivekanada considered Shivaji a hero and paid glowing tributes to his wisdom. When Indian Nationalist leader, Lokmanya Tilak organised a festival to mark the birthday celebrations of Shivaji, Vivekananda agreed to preside over the festival in Bengal in 1901. He wrote about Shivaji:

 

Shivaji is one of the greatest national saviours who emancipated our society and our Hindu dharma when they were faced with the threat of total destruction. He was a peerless hero, a pious and God-fearing king and verily a manifestation of all the virtues of a born leader of men described in our ancient scriptures. He also embodied the deathless spirit of our land and stood as the light of hope for our future.

 

HISTORIOGRAPHY

Shivaji's role in the research and the popular conception has developed over time and place, ranging from early British and Moghul depiction of him as a bandit or a "mountain mouse", to modern near-deification as a hero of all Indians.

 

One of the early commentators who challenged the negative British view was M. G. Ranade, whose Rises of the Maratha Power (1900) declared Shivaji's achievements as the beginning of modern nation-building. Ranade criticised earlier British portrayals of Shivaji's state as "a freebooting Power, which thrived by plunder and adventure, and succeeded only because it was the most cunning and adventurous... This is a very common feeling with the readers, who derive their knowledge of these events solely from the works of English historians."

 

At the end of the 19th century, Shivaji's memory was leveraged by the non-Brahmin intellectuals of Bombay, who identified as his descendants and through him claimed the Kshatriya varna. While some Brahmins rebutted this identity, defining them as of the lower Shudra varna, other Brahmins recognised the Maratha's role in the Indian independence movement, and endorsed this Kshatriya legacy and the significance of Shivaji.

 

As political tensions rose in India in the early 20th century, some Indian leaders came to re-work their earlier stances on Shivaji's role. Jawaharlal Nehru had in 1934 noted "Some of the Shivaji's deeds, like the treacherous killing of the Bijapur general, lower him greatly in our estimation." Following public outcry from Pune intellectuals, Congress leader Deogirikar noted that Nehru had admitted he was wrong regarding Shivaji, and now endorsed Shivaji as great nationalist.

 

In 2003, American academic James W. Laine published his book Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India, which was followed by heavy criticism including threats of arrest. As a result of this publication, the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune where Laine had researched was attacked by a group of Maratha activists calling itself the Sambhaji Brigade. The book was banned in Maharashtra in January 2004, but the ban was lifted by the Bombay High Court in 2007, and in July 2010 the Supreme Court of India upheld the lifting of ban. This lifting was followed by public demonstrations against the author and the decision of the Supreme Court.

 

POLITICAL LEGACY

Shivaji remains a political icon in modern India, and particularly in the state of Maharashtra. His image adorns literature, propaganda and icons of the Maratha-centric Shiv Sena ("Army of Shivaji") party, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and also of the Maratha caste dominated Congress parties (namely, NCP and Indira) in Maharashtra. Past Congress party leaders in the state such as Yashwantrao Chavan were considered political descendants of Shivaji.

 

COMMEMORATIONS

Shivaji's statues and monuments are found in almost every town and city in Maharashtra, and across different Indian cities outside Maharashtra, such as statues in Bangalore, Vadodara, Surat, a monument in Agra, Arunachal Pradesh, a memorial in Delhi a statue inside the premises of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune, and an equestrian statue inside the Parliament House complex in Delhi. In deference to his pioneering contributions to naval warfare in India, the Indian Navy has named one of its bases after Shivaji, christening it as INS Shivaji. The Government of India has issued a postage stamp commemorating Shivaji, and the The Reserve Bank of India has considered issuing currency notes having his picture. Mumbai international airport (then known as Bombay International) was renamed the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in 1996, and the Victoria Terminus railway station was similarly renamed as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminusa few years later. A statue of Shivaji was also placed within the forecourts of the international terminal, however it was removed in 2011 (after many delays) to make way for the extension of the terminal. The Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute was renamed after Shivaji's mother, to the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute. The renaming retained the acronym, VJTI, by which the institute is popularly known.

 

WIKIPEDIA

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Ramlila (Rāmlīlā) (literally 'Rama’s lila or play') is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Rama, ending up in ten-day battle between Rama and Ravana, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana.[1] A tradition that originates from the Indian subcontinent, the play is staged annually often over ten or more successive nights, during the auspicious period of 'Sharad Navratras', which marks the commencement of the Autumn festive period, starting with the Dussehra festival. Usually the performances are timed to culminate on the festival of Vijayadashami day, that commemorates the victory of Rama over demon king Ravana, when the actors are taken out in a procession through the city, leading up to a mela ground or town square, where the enactment of the final battle takes place, before giant effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakaran and son Meghanath are set fire, and coronation or abhisheka of Rama at Ayodhya takes place, marking the culmination of festivities and restoration of the divine order.[2]

 

Rama is the 7th incarnation of Vishnu and central figure of the Ramayana. The Ramayana is based on the life, times and values of Lord Rama. Lord Rama is called the Maryada Purushottam or 'The best among the dignified'. The story of Lord Rama and his comrades is so popular in India that it has actually amalgamated the psyche of the Indian mainstream irrespective of their religion. The very story of Ramayana injects ethics to the Indian mainstream.

 

Most Ramlilas in North India are based on the 16th century Avadhi version of Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas, written by Gosvami Tulsidas entirely in verse, thus used as dialogues in most traditional versions, where open-air productions are staged by local Ramlila committees, 'Samitis', and funded entirely by the local population, the audience.[3] It is close to the similar form of folk theatre, Rasa lila, which depicts the life of Krishna, popular in Uttar Pradesh, especially Braja regions of Mathura, Vrindavan, and amongst followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and Vaishnavism in Manipur, with some similarity with Pandavlila of Garhwal, based on life of Pandavas of Mahabharat and Yakshagana of Karnataka, based on various epic and puranas.[4]

 

Ramlila has received considerable global attention, especially due to its diverse representation throughout the globe, especially amongst the Indian diaspora community, and regions where Hinduism has spread over the centuries, like Africa and several South East Asian countries. UNESCO proclaimed the tradition of Ramlila a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005.[5] Subsequently, Govt. of India and IGNCA produced a two-hour documentary, titled "Ramlila - The traditional performance of Ramayana" for UNESCO, on 'Ramnagar Ramlila', and Ramlila traditions of Avadh, Braj and Madhubani, and that of Ayodhya, which assimilates elements of all three.[6] Another unique Ramlila, is being staged since 1972, at Bakshi Ka Talab, about 20 km from Lucknow, where lead characters like Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman are played by Muslim youths, a clear departure in a region known for communal flare-ups; this four-day Ram Lila starts on the day of Dusshera day, and has also been adapted into a Radio play, 'Us Gaon ki Ram Lila', by Lucknow All India Radio, which won the Communal Harmony Award in 2000.[7]

 

Historically it is believed that first Ramlila shows were staged by Megha Bhagat, one of the disciples of Tulsidas, the author of Ramacharitamanas in about 1625 AD, though there are some evidence of its existence in some form before the creation of this version as well. Some scholars believe its first appearance somewhere between 1200 and 1500 AD. Later during in the time of Mughal emperor Akbar, according to some, Akbar is said to have watched a performance. Krishna Das Kaviraj mentions in his 16th century hagiography of saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), Chaitanya Charitamrita, that once he got carried away while performing the character of Hanuman at a play in Puri, thus proving the existence of Ramayana plays, before the Ramcharitamanas appeared.[4] Though it would safe to conclude that its implosion into the Hindi heartland, happened only after Tulsidas created his version in people's language of the time, the Avadhi, unlike the original written by Valmiki, in Sanskrit, the language only spoken by Brahmins by then, which excluded much of masses from experiencing the inspirational saga, which is essentially the victory of good over evil.[8]

 

Styles of Ramlila[edit]

  

An actor playing Ravana for a scene from Ramlila

Today, several regions have developed their distinctive form of Ramlila, Uttar Pradesh itself has numerous variants of presentation styles, most prominent among them is that of Ramnagar, Varanasi, staged over multiple venue, the pantomime style is visible in jhankis or tableaux pageants as seem in Ramlila of Varanasi, where colourful Jhankis and pageants depicting scenes from the life of Lord Rama are taken out through the city.[9] According to a 2008 UNESCO report, the most representative Ramlilas are those of Ayodhya, Ramnagar and Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora, Satna and Madhubani.[5]

 

The Almora or Kumaon style was set in the musical rendering of thekatha based on the theatrical style developed by Uday Shankar during his stay in Almora, it was carried on forward by Mohan Upreti and Brijendra Lal Sah.

  

A Ramlila actor the traditional attire of Ravana

Next is the operatic style incorporates elements of folk theatre elements generously, while the traditional style remains, where the couplets of Ramacharitmanas not only act as dialogues, but also as chorus as well, and lastly there is the Ramlila staged by professional troupes called "mandalis".[10] Many urban Ramilias now have dialogues written in Khadi Boli or in local dialects, but the treatment remains melodramatic as always to achieve maximum impact amidst an audience that knows the story by heart, but watches the enactment nevertheless for religious fervour and also for its spectacle value, making Ramlila an important event in the religious as well as social calendar of not only in small town and villages but also many big cities. Just other folk theatre form of India, like Jatra of Bengal, topic themes are often interwoven in the script to had relevance and sometimes humour is used to offer a critic or commentary over current happenings.

 

A unique staging of Ramlila, takes place at Chitrakoot, over five days every year during the last week of February, beginning from the Maha Shivratri day, here the episode of Bharat-Milap is of prime importance, and is watched by eager devotees.[11] The Ram Barat of Agra is another interesting tradition connected with Ramlila, where in during the three festivities, a marriage procession of Rama is taken through various localities of the city.

 

Delhi holds many prominent Ramlilas across the city, including the oldest one on the Ramlila Grounds, outside the historic Red Fort, it was started in times of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar,[12] and in 2004, for the first time, Ramlila celebrations organised by Luv-Kush Ramlila Committee were telecast to over 100 countries, telecast on SADHNA TV.[13]

 

Ramlila at Ramnagar, Varanasi[edit]

The tradition of staging the Ramlila at Ramnagar, Varanasi, which lies across the Ganges river from the Hindu pilgrimage city of Varanasi, was started in ca 1830 by Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh, Kashi Naresh with the help of Pandit Laxmi Narayan Pandey's family (present vyas ji of the Ramlila of Ramnagar).[14][15] It rose in popularity during the reign of his successor Maharaj Isvari Prasad Singh, and received continued patronage from the subsequent Kings of the Royal House of Benares to create a participatory environmental theatre (Site-specific theatre) on a grand scale, where attendance ranges from few thousands to 100,000 for others.[16] The Ramlila is a cycle of plays which recounts the epic story of Lord Rama, as told in Ramcharitmanas, the version of the Ramayana penned by Tulsidas. The plays sponsored by the Maharaja, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days.[15]

 

Though several local legends exist regarding the beginning of this Ramlila, including one of which suggests that it was first staged at a nearby village, Chota Mirzapur as the one at Varanasi was disrupted due to the floods in the Ganges, from where it evolved to the present Ramlila, which is by far the most traditional rendition of the Ramayana, and has been a subject of study by scholars from all over the world for many decades now.[17]

 

The Ramnagar Ramlila is held over 31 days instead of usual 10, and is known for its lavish sets, dialogues and visual spectacle. Here permanent structures have been built and several temporary structure are also added, which serve as sets, to represent locations like Ashok Vatika, Janakpuri, Panchavati, Lanka etc., during the performance. Hence the entire city turn into a giant open-air set, and audience moves along with the performers with every episode, to the next locale. Preparations begin, weeks before its commencement, even the audition process is traditionally attended to by the Maharaja, where Svarupas, literally divine embodiment, the various characters of the Ramayana, are chosen from amongst local actors. Important roles are often inherited by families, for example, the role of Ravana was held by same family from 1835 to 1990, and roles of Hanuman, Jatayu, and Janaka traditionally belong to one Vyasa family.[18] When the Dussehra festivities are inaugurated with a colourful pageant Kashi Naresh rides an elephant at the head of the procession.[15] Then, resplendent in silk and brocade, he inaugurates the month long folk theatre of Ramlila at Ramnagar.[15] During the period, hundreds of sadhus called 'Ramayanis' descend into the town to watch and recite the Ramcharitmanas text. Many an audience carry a copy of the Ramacharit Manas, simply called Manas, and follow stanza after stanza, after the characters delivering their dialogue.[19][20]

 

During the course of the performance, there is a double transformation of the space within the city, as it first transforms from a city to theatre and then to mythic geography, as the scale of the performance is gradually increased to mythic proportions, coming down only in the end, when Rama finally returns home, this is when the Raja himself becomes part of the theatre thereby incorporating local element into the story itself. In the end, as the swarups, actors depart, they take off their garlands and offer it to Royal family members and give darshan to audience, after the performance one last time.[21] At the end of each episode, lila, an aarti is performed, chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' or 'Bolo! Raja Ramchandra ki Jai!' resound in the air, as the audience join in. Thereafter, a jhanki, literally a peep or glimpse, tableaux of frozen iconic moments from the 'Manas', is presented, which not only distill and crystallize the message of the story for the audience, but is also appreciated for its spectacular effect.[21]

 

On the last day the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama vanquishes the demon king Ravana.[15] Over a million pilgrims arrive annually for the vast processions and performances organized by Kashi Naresh.[22]

 

Format[edit]

  

Lead performers of a Ramlila troupe mandali, with the director, called vyasa

Traditionally organized in a makeshift open-air theatre at night, it is usually staged by amateur actors drawn from the same social grouping as the audience. There is often a singer (occasionally a priest) in the sidelines who recites relevant verses from the Ramayana during scene-changes or at moments of dramatic tension. These recitations and the narrative of the play are usually based on Ramacharitamanas, Gosvami Tulsidas' version of the Ramayana, in the Awadhi language, written in 16th century. The dialog is improvised, and often responsive to audience reactions. Dhol drummers and other musicians participate. The atmosphere is usually festive and free, with the audience whistling and commenting as the story proceeds.

 

In many rural areas, traditional venues for Ramlila have developed over the centuries, and hundreds of people will often make the trip nightly to attend the play. Surrounding areas temporarily transform into bazaars to cater to the audience. Depending on the region, interspersed breaks in the play can become impromptu talent shows for local society, and a de facto competition takes place between neighbouring Ram lilas, each vying to stage a more lavish production. Though the play itself is thematically religious, this social aspect often draws in people from non-Hindu segments of the community as well. Performance costs are usually financed by fundraising in the community, often by self-organized Ramlila Committees.

 

Geographic spread[edit]

Over the centuries, Ramlila has evolved into a highly venerated art form, and has travelled to far corners of the globe, through Indian diaspora, not as acts of "cultural recovery", rather as fresh expressions of a persistent faith. Today, Ramalila is staged in most countries that with immigrant Hindu populations from the Indian subcontinent, including that from India, Nepal and Pakistan. Outside the Indian subcontinent, this includes Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Great Britain, The Netherlands, the United States, and Australia. Some Asian cultures have similar drama traditions based on the Ramayana, for instance the Phra Lak Phra Lam (Lak and Lam are the Laotian names for Lakshman and Ram, respectively) folkplay of Laos and northeastern Thailand.

posted at FB

 

Among the great plants and trees

I was a weed of a wanting seed

Was I really a photographer

held captive to my camera

it became my religion

it became my creed

I became a Hindu

I became a Shia

I became a Sufi

I became a Sadhu

I became an Ahori

I became a Malang

 

I became the moment I shot

my inner angst I rebelled I freed

 

To the chant of Ya Hussain I bleed

to the the chant of Har Har Mahadev

with the naga sadhus ..i moved

into the waters of the ganges

Godspeed .

 

The call of hate bigotry

I did not heed

 

I did not want to be you

so I mutineed ..

 

I overcame pain of

the slaughtered goat

on Bakra Eid

 

Some pictures you see

Some pictures you read

Deepak is a #NagaSadhu normally he does not wear clothes I met him first at #JunaAkhara #Khamskhya .

This was at #ArdjKumbh

#Prayagraj 2019

#hinduism

I lived with the nagasadhus did not matter I was a #Muslim

From wikipedia

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivaji

  

Shivaji Bhosle ([ʃiʋaˑɟiˑraˑɟeˑ bʱoˑs(ə)leˑ]; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), with the royal title Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was a Maratha sovereign who founded the Maratha Empire.[5][6] Shivaji an aristocrat of the Bhosle clan led a resistance to free the Maratha people from the Sultanate of Bijapur, and establish Hindavi Swarajya ("self-rule of Hindu people").[5][6][7] He created an independent Maratha kingdom with Raigad as its capital,[6] and successfully fought against the Mughals to defend his kingdom.[5] He was crowned as Chhatrapati ("sovereign") of the Maratha kingdom in 1674.[5][6]

He established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of a well-regulated and disciplined military and well-structured administrative organizations. The prevalent practices of treating women as spoils of war, destruction of religious monuments, slavery and forceful religious conversions were firmly opposed under his administration. Shivaji was a religious Hindu.[8] He also innovated rules of military engagement, pioneering the "Shiva sutra" or ganimi kava (guerrilla tactics), which leveraged strategic factors like geography, speed, surprise and focused pinpoint attacks to defeat his larger and more powerful enemies[8] and built many sea-forts.[9][10] From a small contingent of 2,000 soldiers inherited from his father, he created a formidable force of 100,000 soldiers who eventually defeated the mighty Mughal Empire after his death.

 

Contents [hide]

1 Early life

2 Confrontation with the regional sultanate of Adilshah

2.1 Battle of Purander

2.2 Battle of Pratapgad

2.3 Battle of Kolhapur

2.4 Siege of Panhala

2.5 Marathas' Last Stand: The Battle of Pavan Khind

3 Clash with the Mughals

3.1 Battle of Umberkhind

3.2 Attack on Shaista Khan

3.3 Siege of Surat

3.4 Treaty of Purandar

3.5 Arrest in Agra and escape

3.6 Reconquest

3.6.1 Battle of Sinhgad

3.6.2 Battle of Vani-dindori

3.6.3 Battle of Salher

3.6.4 Battle of Nesari

4 Coronation

5 Conquests in Southern India

6 Death and succession crisis

7 Rule and Administration

7.1 Administration

8 Military

8.1 Forts

8.2 Navy

9 Promotion of Sanskrit

10 Religious policy

11 Character

12 Legacy

12.1 Modern influence

13 Contemporary foreign accounts

14 Depiction in popular culture

14.1 Films

14.2 Literature

14.3 Poetry and music

14.4 Theatre

14.5 Television

15 References

16 Further reading

  

Main article: Early life of Shivaji

  

Shivaji's birthplace on Shivneri Fort.

Shivaji was born in the hill-fort of Shivneri, near the Junnar city in Pune district. He was named after a local deity called Shivai Devi.[10] His exact date of birth has been a matter of dispute among the various historians in the past. The Maharashtra state government now accepts the 3rd day of the dark half of Phalguna, year 1551 of Shaka calendar (Friday, 19 February 1630) as the true birthdate of Shivaji.[11] Other suggested dates include 6 April 1627, or other dates near this day.[12][13]:14[14]

Shivaji's father Shahaji Bhonsle was the leader of a band of mercenaries that serviced the Deccan Sultanates. His mother was Jijabai, the daughter of Lakhujirao Jadhav of Sindkhed. During the period of Shivaji's birth, the power in Deccan was shared by three Islamic sultanates – Bijapur, Ahmednagar, and Golconda. Shahaji kept changing his loyalty between the Nizamshahi of Ahmadnagar, Adil Shah of Bijapur and the Mughals, but always kept his jagir (fiefdom) at Pune and his small army with him. Following a treaty between the Mughals and the Bijapur Sultanate, Shahaji was posted to Bangalore-based jagir, while Jijabai and Shivaji remained in Pune.

  

Shivaji with Jijamata.

Shivaji was extremely devoted to his mother Jijabai, who was deeply religious. This religious environment had a profound influence on Shivaji, and he carefully studied the two great Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. The morality and spiritual messages of the epics made a great impression on him. Throughout his life he was deeply interested in religious teachings, and sought the company of Hindu and Sufi (an esoteric Muslim sect) saints throughout his life.[13]

Shivaji drew his earliest trusted comrades and a large number of his soldiers from the Maval region, including Yesaji Kank, Suryaji Kakade, Baji Pasalkar, Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Tanaji Malusare. In the company of his Maval comrades, a young Shivaji wandered over the hills and forests of the Sahyadri range, hardening himself and acquiring first-hand knowledge of the land. By 1639, he commanded a hardy and loyal band of officers and soldiers.[13]

At the age of 12, Shivaji was taken to Bangalore where he was further formally trained along-with elder brother Sambhaji and stepbrother Ekoji I. He married Saibai, a member of the prominent Nimbalkar family in 1640.[15] At age of 14, he returned to Pune with a rajmudra (sovereign seal) and council of minister.

[edit]Confrontation with the regional sultanate of Adilshah

 

In 1645, at the age of 16, Shivaji managed to pursue the Bijapuri commander of the Torna Fort, named Inayat Khan, to hand over the possession of the fort to him.[13]:26[16] [17] Firangoji Narsala, who held the Chakan fort professed his loyalty to him and the fort of Kondana was acquired by bribing the Adil-Shahi governor.[13]:26 On 25 July 1648, Shahaji was imprisoned by Baji Ghorpade under the orders of Adilshah in a bid to contain Shivaji.[18]

Adilshah also sent an army led by Farradkhan against Shahji's other son Sambhaji at Bangalore, and another army led by Fattekhan against Shivaji at Purandhar. Both Bhonsle brothers defeated the invading armies.

[edit]Battle of Purander

An army led by Fattekhan was defeated by Shivaji in the battle of Purandhar. Meanwhile, Shivaji had petitioned Emperor Shahjahan's son, Murad Baksh, who was governor of Deccan, pledging his loyalty to the Mughals to seek his support in securing the release of his father. The Mughals recognised Shivaji as a Mughal sardar and pressured Adilshah to release Shahaji.[19] On 16 May 1649 Shahaji was released after Shivaji and Sambhaji surrendering the forts of Kondhana,Bangalore and Kandarpi.[13]

[edit]Battle of Pratapgad

Main article: Battle of Pratapgarh

  

A depiction of Goddess Bhavani giving the sword to Shivaji, at Tuljapur.

In 1659, Adilshah sent Afzal Khan, an experienced and veteran general to destroy Shivaji in an effort to put down what he saw as a regional revolt. Afzal Khan desecrated Hindu temples at Tuljapur and Pandharpur hoping to draw Shivaji to the plains to retaliate with his limited military resources and thus lead him and his budding military power to easy destruction by the numerically bigger, better-armed and more professional Bijapur army. Afzal Khan may have expected Shivaji to meet his army in the plains, however Shivaji, upon carefully weighing his options, agreed to meet Afzal Khan on his home turf on pretext of diplomatic negotiations. Shivaji sent a letter to Afzal Khan stating that he was eager for a meeting. The meeting was arranged between Afzal Khan and Shivaji at the foothills of Fort on the day 10 November 1659 Pratapgad.[8]

This event is one of the most important in Shivaji's life. Shivaji got a pledge from ministers to never submit in case he fell. It is said that during this period, Shivaji had a vision of Goddess Bhavani promising full protection on the confrontation and victory.[10]:479 Afzal Khan was invited to a hut at the base of Pratapgad under the conditions that both the men would be armed only with a sword and attended by a follower. However, Shivaji is said to have learnt that Afzal Khan was planning an attack on him.[20][21] Shivaji, therefore, wore armour underneath his clothes and concealed a Bagh nakh in his left arm, in addition to a visibile dagger on his right hand.[22] Accounts vary on whether Shivaji or Afzal Khan struck the first blow:[23][24][25] the Maratha chronicles accuse Afzal Khan of treachery, while the Persian-language chronicles attribute the treachery to Shivaji.[26][27] Ultimately, Afzal Khan was disemboweled by Shivaji and later decapitated by Sambhaji Kavji.

In the ensuing Battle of Pratapgarh fought on 10 November 1659, Shivaji's forces decisively defeated the Bijapur Sultanate's forces.[28] It was their first significant military victory against a major regional power, and led to the eventual establishment of the Maratha Empire. The Maratha troops led by Kanhoji Jedhe attacked Afzal Khan's Bijapuri forces and routed them at the foothills of the fort. Then in a rapid march, a section of Adilshahi forces commanded by Musekhan was attacked. Musekhan was wounded and subsequently fled, abandoning his soldiers who were then set upon and decimated by the Marathas. Commander Moropant Pingale led the infantry in a lighting attack on to the left flank of the Adilshahi troops. Adilshah's artillery was rendered ineffective by the suddenness of this attack at close quarters. At the same time commander Ragho Atre swiftly attacked Adilshahi cavalry before it was fully prepared for battle and almost completely wiped it out. Shivaji's cavalry headed by Netaji Palkar rushed towards Wai in hot pursuit of retreating Adilshahi forces who were attempting to join reserve forces stationed there. The retreating forces of Afzal Khan were engaged in battle and were routed.[8] More than 3,000 soldiers of the Bijapur army were killed and two sons of Afzal Khan were taken as prisoners.[13]:53

This unexpected and unlikely victory made Shivaji a hero of Maratha folklore and a legendary figure among his people. The large quantities of captured weapons, horses, armour and other materials helped to strengthen the nascent and emerging Maratha army. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb now identified Shivaji as a major threat to the mighty Mughal Empire. Soon thereafter Shivaji, Shahaji and Netaji Palkar (the chief of the Maratha cavalry) decided to attack and defeat the Adilshahi kingdom at Bijapur. But things did not go as planned as Shahaji's health deteriorated and they were forced to postpone the planned attack. However, Netoji Palkar undertook this mission mounting smaller scale attacks and military harassment of the Adilshahi kingdom.

Subsequently, the Sultan of Bijapur sent an army composed mainly of Afghan mercenaries to subdue and defeat Shivaji before he could substantially expand his army. In the ensuing battle, Bijapur's army was defeated by the Maratha troops. This intense and bloody battle ended in the unconditional surrender of the Bijapuri forces to Shivaji.

[edit]Battle of Kolhapur

Main article: Battle of Kolhapur

To counter the loss at Pratapgad and to defeat the newly emerging Maratha power, another army, this time numbering over 10,000, was sent against Shivaji, commanded by Bijapur's renowned Abyssinian general Rustamjaman. With a cavalry of 5,000 Marathas, Shivaji attacked them near Kolhapur on 28 December 1659. In a swift movement, Shivaji led a full frontal attack at the center of the enemy forces while other two portions of his cavalry attacked the flanks. This battle lasted for several hours and at the end Bijapuri forces were soundly defeated and Rustamjaman ignominiously fled the battlefield.[8] Adilshahi forces lost about 2,000 horses and 12 elephants to the Marathas. This victory alarmed the mighty Mughal empire who now derisively referred to Shivaji as the "Mountain Rat". Aurangzeb the Mughal emperor was now actively preparing to bring the full might and resources of the Mughal Empire to bear down on the potential Maratha threat.

[edit]Siege of Panhala

  

M.V. Dhurandhar's painting of Shivaji.

Per the terms of the Mughal-Adilshahi plan, Adil Shah in 1660 sent Siddi Jauhar, an accomplished general to attack Shivaji on his southern borders, preceding the expected major Mughal attack from the north. He ordered his army of 40,000 north to Kolhapur to confront and defeat Shivaji as a part of their grand alliance with the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. He secured the support of local chieftains such as Jasvantrao Dalvi of Palavani and Suryarao Surve of Sringarpur to defeat Shivaji.[8] At that time, Shivaji was camped at the Panhala fort near present day Kolhapur with 8,000 Marathas.

Siddi Jauhar's army besieged Panhala on 2 March 1660, cutting off supply routes to the fort.[29] Helping with siege were Baji Ghorpade and Siddi Masud from the west, Sadat Khan and Bhai Khan from the north, Rustam Zaman and Bade Khan from the east, Siddi Jauhar and Fazal Khan from the south. Netaji Palkar, the Commander of the Maratha forces was on a mission away from Panhala harassing and attacking Adilshahi territory and was not able to come to the aid of Shivaji. At this point of time, Shaista Khan had moved from Baramati to Shirwal.[29]

Panhala was a formidable fort and Adilshahi army was repulsed repeatedly by effective cannon fire and heavy rock-pelting.[29] Siddi Jauhar approached Henry Revington, the British chief at the Rajapur port to seek long-range and more powerful cannons. Henry decided to help him in return for future favours, and began pounding Panhala fort. In spite of this Marathas continued defending Panhala and persevered in keeping Siddi Jauhar at bay.[29]

Marathas even raided the Adilshahi camp a few times but without much success. However, in one such raid, Tryambak Bhaskar and Kondaji Farzand presented themselves as allies of the British and Adlishahi forces. They came down to the Adilshahi camp and met Henry Revington and his associates. They managed to kill one British officer and injured Henry. Thereafter, they sabotaged the cannons and made them ineffective. Jauhar, livid at this, tightened the siege further.[29]

Jauhar did not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the siege around Panhala was unyielding, he personally took utmost care that no one in his army was complacent. He even braved the tumultuous monsoon season and continued the siege even during heaviest downpours.[29] On hearing about the ever tightening siege of Panhala, Netaji Palkar returned from Bijapur and attacked the Adilshahi forces surrounding Panhala. He tried to break the siege but his smaller forces were pushed back by a much larger Adilshahi army.[29]

Thereafter, Shivaji decided to escape to a nearby fort Vishalgad, where he could regroup his soldiers. He then sent misleading messages to Siddi Jauhar indicating that he was willing to negotiate and was looking for accommodation and mutual understanding. With this news, Adilshahi soldiers relaxed somewhat and Shivaji escaped under the cover of a stormy night on 12 July 1660.[29]

Meanwhile Jauhar's soldiers captured a small group of Marathas apparently including Shivaji only to realize he was a look-alike named Shiva Kashid dressed like Shivaji and sent out to create a diversion and facilitate the real Shivaji's escape. Siddi Johar's soldiers realized that the imposter was Shivaji's barber and that Shivaji and his army were headed to Vishalgad, immediately thereafter a massive chase was undertaken to intercept Shivaji and deal with him and his army, once and for all.[8]

 

Marathas' Last Stand: The Battle of Pavan Khind

Main article: Battle of Pavan Khind

  

Plaque to commemorate the entrance to Paavankhind

Observing that enemy cavalry was fast closing in on them, Shivaji sought to avoid defeat and capture. Baji Prabhu Deshpande, a Maratha sardar of Bandal Deshmukh along with 300 soldiers, volunteered to fight to the death to hold back the enemy at Ghod Khind (a mountain pass in Gajapur which is 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Vishalgad) to give Shivaji and the rest of the army a chance to reach the safety of the Vishalgad fort.[8][29]

In the ensuing Battle of Pavan Khind, Baji Prabhu Deshpande fought relentlessly. He was wounded but he held on and continued the fight until he heard the sound of cannon fire from Vishalgad, signalling Shivaji had safely reached the fort. The result of this intense and heroic battle was the death of 300 Marathas and 3,000 of Adilshah's troops who were engaged in a fierce combat. The Marathas were heroically committed to this fatal fight to ensure Shivaji's reaching the fort and they held off a larger enemy force for 7 hours using 2 swords one in each hand[8] allowing Shivaji to reach the safety of the fort on 13 July 1660.[29]

Thereafter a truce was made between Shivaji and Adilshah through Shahaji Raje. In addition, as the terms of this accord, Panhala Fort was awarded to Siddi Johar.[8] Ghod Khind (khind meaning "a narrow mountain pass") was renamed Paavan Khind (Sacred Pass) in honor of Bajiprabhu Deshpande, Shibosingh Jadhav, Fuloji, people from Bandal community and all other soldiers who fought in Ghod Khind. People from the Bandal community were specially selected by Shivaji while escaping from Panhala for their knowledge of the region, rock climbing skills, and martial qualities.[29]

[edit]Clash with the Mughals

 

Till 1657, Shivaji maintained peaceful relations with the Mughals. Shivaji offered his assistance to Aurangzeb in conquering Bijapur and in return, he was assured of the formal recognition of his right to the Bijapuri forts and villages under his possession [13]:37. Shivaji's confrontations with the Mughals begain in March 1657, when two officers of Shivaji raided the Mughal territory near Ahmednagar.[30] This was followed by raids in Junnar, with Shivaji carrying off 300,000 huns in cash and 200 horses [13]:38. Aurangzeb responded to the raids by sending Nasiri Khanm who defeated the forces of Shivaji at Ahmednagar. However, the countermeasures were interrupted by the rainy season and the battle of succession for the Mughal throne following the illness of Shah Jahan.

[edit]Battle of Umberkhind

Main article: Battle of Umberkhind

An Uzbek general, Kartalab Khan, was sent by Shaista Khan on a mission to attack and reduce the number of forts under Shivaji's control in the Konkan region on 3 February 1661. He left his camp near Pune with 30,000 troops. This time the Mughals did not march openly and took circuitous back country routes, as they sought to surprise Shivaji.[29] But instead Shivaji surprised them at a pass known as Umber Khind (in a dense forest, near present-day Pen), and attacked them from all sides. Marathas hidden in the dense forest executed a well co-ordinated ambush attack on the Mughal army.[29] Shivaji himself took the forward position with an elite cavalry unit. The other three sides were flanked by Shivaji's light infantry.

In a well co-ordinated movement of light infantry and cavalry, Shivaji prevailed over the attackers. A Maratha lady commander, Raibagan, who co-led the Mughal forces, analyzed the situation and realised that defeat was imminent and advised Kartalab Khan to accept defeat and initiate a compromise with Shivaji.[8][29] Within four hours into the attack the enemy accepted defeat and surrendered all the supplies, arms and assets. The Mughal army suffered high casualties. The defeated army was allowed a safe passage. Kartalab Khan and Raibagan were released with honour in accordance with Shivaji's terms and his long standing policy towards women and unarmed civilians.[8]

[edit]Attack on Shaista Khan

Main article: Battle of Chakan

Upon the request of Badi Begum of Bijapur, Aurangzeb sent his maternal uncle (brother of late Queen Mumtaz Mahal) Shaista Khan, with an army numbering over 100,000 along with a powerful artillery division in January 1660 to defeat Shivaji. Khan was accompanied by eminent commanders like Turktaj, Hussain, Haider, Naamdar Khan, Kartalab Khan, Uzbek Khan, Fateh Jung and Rajputs namely Bhau Singh, Shyam Singh, Rai Singh Sisodiya, Pradyuman and many more.[29] Khan was an experienced commander who had defeated Shahaji in the same region in 1636.[8] He was ordered to attack the Maratha kingdom in conjunction with Bijapur's army led by Siddi Jauhar. Aurangzeb ordered Shaista Khan to capture the Maratha kingdom to add to the empire (he intended to deceive the Adilshah), after Shivaji's expected defeat by Jauhar in Panhala fort. Shivaji now prepared to face a combined attack of Mughals and Adilshahi forces.[29]

Shaista Khan was ordered by Aurangzeb to attack Shivaji per the Mughal-Adilshahi accord. Shaista Khan, with his better equipped and provisioned army of 300,000 that was many times the size of the Maratha forces, seized Pune and the nearby fort of Chakan. At the time, Firangoji Narsala was the killedar (commander) of fort Chakan, which was defended by 300–350 Maratha soldiers. They were able to withstand the Mughal attack on the fort for one and a half month. Then, a burj (outer wall) was blown up with explosives. This created an opening to the fort allowing hordes of Mughals to breach the exterior portion of the fort. Firangoji, himself led the Maratha counter attack against a larger Mughal army.[8][29] Eventually, the fort was lost with the capture of Firangoji, who then was brought before Shaista Khan, who, appreciating his bravery, offered him a jahagir (military commission) on the condition that he join the Mughal forces, which Firangoji declined. Admiring his loyalty, Shaista Khan pardoned Firangoji and set him free. Firangoji returned home and Shivaji awarded him a fort named Bhupalgad.[29]

Shaista Khan pressed his advantage of larger, better provisioned and heavily armed Mughal army and made inroads into some of the Maratha territory. Although he held Pune for almost a year, he had little further success. He had set up his residence at Lal Mahal, Shivaji's palace, in the city of Pune.[8]

Shaista Khan kept a tight security in Pune. However, Shivaji planned an attack on Shaista Khan amidst tight security. In April 1663, a wedding party had obtained special permission for a procession; Shivaji planned an attack using the wedding party as cover. The Marathas disguised themselves as the bridegroom's procession and entered Pune. Shivaji, having spent much of his youth in Pune, knew his way around the city and his own palace of Lal Mahal.[8] Chimanaji Deshpande - one of the childhood friends of Shivaji aided him in this attack offering his services as a personal bodyguard. According to Babasaheb Purandare, since Mughal army also consisted of Maratha soldiers, it was difficult for someone to distinguish between Shivaji's Maratha soldiers and the Maratha soldiers of the Mughal army. Thus, taking advantage of this situation, Shivaji, along with a few of his trusted men, infiltrated the Mughal camp.

After overpowering and slaying of the palace guards, the Marathas broke into the mansion by breaching an outer wall. Chimnaji and Netaji Palkar entered first along with Babaji Deshpande, another of Shivaji's long time loyal associates, they approached Shaista Khan's quarters. Shivaji then personally confronted Shaista Khan in a face to face attack. Meanwhile, perceiving danger, one of Shaista's wives turned off the lights. Shivaji pursued Shaista Khan and severed three of his fingers with his sword (in the darkness) as he fled through an open window. Shaista Khan narrowly escaped death and lost his son and many of his guards and soldiers in the raid.[8]

Within twenty-four hours of this attack, Shaista Khan left Pune and headed North towards Agra. An angered Aurangzeb transferred him to distant Bengal as a punishment for bringing embarrassment to the Mughals with his ignoble defeat in Pune.

[edit]Siege of Surat

Main article: Battle of Surat

In 1664 Shivaji invaded Surat, an important and wealthy Mughal trading city, and looted it to replenish his now depleted treasury and also as a revenge for the capture and looting of Maratha territory by Shaista Khan. (Surat was again sacked by Shivaji in 1670.)[8]

[edit]Treaty of Purandar

  

Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber receiving Shivaji a day before concluding the Treaty of Purandar.

Main article: Treaty of Purandar (1665)

Aurangzeb was enraged and sent Mirza Raja Jai Singh I with an army numbering around 15,000 [31] to defeat Shivaji. Jai Singh planned and executed his battle strategies so well with his vast army that the Mughal forces under him made significant gains and captured many Maratha forts. Shivaji came to terms with Aurangzeb rather than lose more forts and men.

In the ensuing treaty of Purander, signed between Shivaji and Jai Singh on 11 June 1665, Shivaji agreed to give up 23 of his forts and pay compensation of 400,000 rupees to the Mughals. He also agreed to let his son Sambhaji become a Mughal Sardar, serve the Mughal court of Aurangzeb and fight with Mughals against Bijapur. He actually fought along side Raja Jai Singh's Mughal forces against Bijapur's forces for a few months. His commander, Netaji Palkar, joined Mughals, was rewarded very well for his bravery, converted to Islam, changed his name to Quli Mohammed Khan in 1666 and was sent to the Afghan frontier to fight the restive tribes. He returned to Shivaji's service after ten years in 1676 and was accepted back as a Hindu on Shivaji's advice.

[edit]Arrest in Agra and escape

In 1666, Aurangzeb invited Shivaji to Agra, along with his nine-year-old son Sambhaji. Aurangzeb's plan was to send Shivaji to Kandahar, modern day Afghanistan to consolidate the Mughal Empire's north-western frontier. However, in the court, on 12 May 1666, Aurangzeb made Shivaji stand behind mansabdārs (military commanders) of his court.[8] Shivaji took offense at this seeming insult and stormed out of court and was promptly placed under house arrest, under the watch of Faulad Khan, Kotwal of Agra. From his spies, Shivaji learned that Aurangzeb planned to move his residence to Raja Vitthaldas's Haveli and then to possibly kill him or send him to fight in the Afghan frontier. As a result Shivaji planned his escape.

He feigned almost fatal sickness and requested to send most of his contingent back to the Deccan, thereby ensuring the safety of his army and deceiving Aurangzeb. Thereafter, on his request, he was allowed to send daily shipments of sweets and gifts to saints, fakirs, and temples in Agra as offerings for getting well.[8] After several days and weeks of sending out boxes containing sweets, Shivaji and his nine year old son Sambhaji hid themselves in two of the boxes and managed to escape. Shivaji and his son fled to the Deccan disguised as sadhus (holy men). After the escape, rumours of Sambhaji's death were intentionally spread by Shivaji himself in order to deceive the Mughals and to protect Sambhaji.[8]

Dr. Ajit Joshi presented a different view in a Marathi book Agryahun Sutka, concluded that Shivaji most likely disguised himself as a Brahmin priest after performance of religious rites at the haveli grounds and escaped by mingling in within the departing priestly entourage of Pandit Kavindra Paramananda.[32]

[edit]Reconquest

 

Battle of Sinhgad

Main article: Battle of Sinhagad

After this escape, both sides maintained calm and a treaty was concluded for some time. However it was broken at the end of the year 1670. Shivaji launched a major offensive against Mughals. In a span of four months he recovered a major portion of the territories surrendered to Mughals. During this phase, the valiant Tanaji Malusare won the prestigious fort of Sinhgad in the battle of Sinhgad, although he lost his life.

[edit]Battle of Vani-dindori

Subsequently, Shivaji sacked Surat for second time in 1670. When Shivaji was returning from Surat, Mughals under Daud Khan tried to intercept him, but were defeated in the Battle of Vani-dindori near present-day Nashik.

[edit]Battle of Salher

Peshwa Moropant Pingale won a number of forts in this area. Senapati Prataprao Gujar defeated Mughals in various campaigns. In order to subdue this Maratha resurgence, Dilerkhan was sent along with Bahlol khan and other generals. During this phase, the combined forces of Moropant and Prataprao defeated the Mughals in the open battle of Salher.

This was the first major battle in which Mughals were defeated by any opponent. This greatly raised the status of Marathas and Shivaji, in particular. Against this background of victories, Shivaji decided to coronate himself, thereby giving sovereignty to the Maratha people. However, a tragedy struck in that Shivaji lost his trusted cavalry general Prataprao in the following battle of Nesari.

[edit]Battle of Nesari

In 1674, Prataprao Gujar, the then Commander-in chief of the Maratha forces, was sent to push back the invading force led by the Adil Shahi general, Bahlol Khan. Prataprao's forces defeated and captured the opposing general in the battle after cutting-off their water supply by encircling a strategically located lake, which prompted Bahlol Khan to sue for peace. In spite of Shivaji's specific warnings against doing so Prataprao released Bahlol Khan who started preparing for a fresh invasion.[33]

  

Towers of the Raigad Fort.

When Shivaji sent a displeasure letter to Prataprao refusing him audience until Bahlol Khan was re-captured. In the ensuing days, he learnt of Bahlol Khan having camped with 15,000 force at Nesari near Kolhapur. Given the uneven match Prataprao reasoned that there was no point in leading his 1,200 cavalrymen into a suicide charge alone. Other six sardars of distinction followed him to perish with their commander. The seven Maratha officers were Prataprao Gujar, Visaji Ballal, Dipoji Rautrao, Vithal Pilaji Atre, Krishnaji Bhaskar, Siddi Hilal and Vithoji Shinde. The loss of Prataprao Gujar was a big loss to the Marathas. Anandrao Mohite managed to the withdraw army to safer areas.[34]

Marathas then avenged the death of their general, by defeating Bahlol Khan and capturing his jagir (fiefdom) under the leadership of Anaji and Hambirao Mohite. Shivaji was deeply grieved on hearing of Prataprao's death. He arranged for the marriage of his second son, Rajaram, to the daughter of Prataprao Gujar. Anandrao Mohite became Hambirrao Mohite, the new sarnaubat (Commander-in-Chief of the Maratha forces). Shivaji started preparation for coronation. Fort Raigad was newly built by Hiroji Indulkar as a capital of rising Maratha kingdom.

[edit]Coronation

   

Chhattrapati Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Confederacy.

Shivaji was crowned a king in a lavish ceremony at Raigad on 6 June 1674.[35] Some Brahmins had opposed Shivaji's coronation, questioning his Kshatriya ancestry.[36] But Pandit Gaga Bhatt of Varanasi presented a genealogy tracing Shivaji's ancestry to the Kshatriya Sisodia Rajputs of Mewar.[37]

Gaga Bhatt, an authority on Vedas, officially presided over the ceremony, and had a gold vessel filled with the seven sacred waters of the rivers Yamuna, Indus, Ganges, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri. He held the vessel over Shivaji's head and chanted the coronation mantras, as the water kept dripping from the several tiny holes in the vessel. After the ablution, Shivaji bowed before Jijamata and touched her feet. Nearly fifty thousand people gathered at Raigad for the ceremonies.[8] Shivaji was bestowed with the sacred thread jaanva, with the Vedas and was bathed in an abhisheka. Shivaji then had the title of "shakakarta" conferred upon him.

Shivaji then had the title of "Shakakarta" conferred upon him, as well as assumed the title 'Kshatriya Kulavantas' meaning head of Kshatriyas. Further, he preferred Chhatrapati title than Maharaja.

His mother Jijabai died on 18 June 1674, within a few days of the coronation. This was considered a bad omen. Therefore, a second coronation was carried out 24 September 1674, this time according to the Bengal school of Tantricism and presided over by Nischal Puri.[38]

[edit]Conquests in Southern India

   

Maratha Empire in 1680. (red)

In October 1674, the Marathas raided Khandesh. On 17 April 1675 Shivaji captured Phonda from Bijapuris. Karwar was occupied by mid 1675 and Kolhapur in July 1675. There were naval skirmishes with the Siddis of Janjira in November 1675. In early 1676, Peshwa Pingale engaged Raja of Ramnagar in battle en route to Surat. Shivaji raided Athani in March 1676. By the end of 1676, Shivaji besieged Belgaum and Vayem Rayim in current day northern Karnataka.

At the end of 1676, Shivaji launched a wave of conquests in southern India with a massive force of 50,000 (30,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry).[8] He captured the forts at Vellore and Jinji that belonged to the sultanate of Bijapur and are in modern-day Tamil Nadu. In the run-up to this expedition Shivaji appealed to a sense of Deccani patriotism, that the "Deccan" or Southern India was a homeland that should be protected from outsiders.[39] His appeal was somewhat successful and he entered into a treaty with the Qutubshah of the Golconda sultanate that covered the eastern Deccan. Shivají's conquests in the south proved quite crucial during future wars. Jinji served as Maratha capital for nine years during the War of 27 years. The small bands of marathas were now moving like imperial forces ready for open battle.

His other intention was to reconcile with his stepbrother Vyankoji (his father Shahaji's son from his second wife, who came from the Mohite family) who ruled Thanjavur after Shahaji. They had talks, Venkoji (Ekoji I) showed signs of uniting with Shivaji but then no concrete result was obtained.[8] On return to Raigad, Shivaji seized most of Ekoji's possessions in the Mysore plateau. Ekoji's wife Deepabai a scholar of saintly bent of character brought reconciliation between the two brothers so they were not enemies and maintained the status quo of co-existing independent.

[edit]Death and succession crisis

 

Shivaji died on 2 April 1680,[40] on the eve of Hanuman Jayanti. In a span of 50 years he started from a jagir and ended with a vast empire streching from hilly terrains to southern plain. According to James Grant Duff, the first historian of Marathas in modern times, the spirit infused in the minds of people by Shivaji was more valuable than the forts and treasury left behind.

After the death of Shivaji, his widow Soyarabai Shirke started making plans with various ministers of the administration to replace Sambhaji with her son Raja Ram as the heir to the kingdom. On 21 April 1680, the ten-year old Raja Ram was installed in the throne. The news reached Sambhaji who was imprisoned in Panhala. On 27 April, he took possession of the fort after killing the commander and on 18 June, he acquired control of Raigarh. Sambhaji formally ascended the throne on 20 July, putting Soyarabai and Raja Ram in prison.[41][42]

[edit]Rule and Administration

   

Shivaji statue at Pratapgad.

Shivaji was an able administrator who established a government that included modern concepts such as cabinet (Ashtapradhan mandal), foreign affairs (Dabir) and internal intelligence.[43] Shivaji established an effective civil and military administration. He also built a powerful navy. Maynak Bhandari was one of the first chiefs of the Maratha Navy under Shivaji, and helped in both building the Maratha Navy and safeguarding the coastline of the emerging Maratha Empire. He built new forts like Sindhudurg and strengthened old ones like Vijaydurg on the west coast.[8] The Maratha navy held its own against the British, Portuguese and Dutch.[44]

Shivaji is well known for his benevolent attitude towards his subjects. He believed that there was a close bond between the state and the citizens. He encouraged all accomplished and competent individuals to participate in the ongoing political/military struggle. He is remembered as a just and welfare-minded king. He brought revolutionary changes in military organisation, fort architecture, society and politics.[8]

Shivaji was the first king of the medieval world to undertake the revolutionary idea of abolishing the Feudal System, 150 years before its worldwide recognition in the French revolution. For a span of about 50 years, there were no feudals in his kingdom. After the fall of Raigad in 1689, Raja Ram started giving land grants to maratha chieftans to fight against the mughals in the War of 27 years.

[edit]Administration

See also: Ashtapradhan

The organization of Shivaji's administration was composed of eight ministers or pradhaanas:[10]:438

Peshwa - Mukhya (main) Pradhan, next to the king, for supervising and governing under king's orders in his absence. The king's orders bore the Peshwa's seal.

Mazumdar - An auditor to take care of income and expenditure checks, keep the king informed of finances and sign districts-level accounts.

Navis or Waqia Mantri - to record daily activities of the royal family and to serve as master of ceremony.

Sur Navis or Sachiv - to oversee the king's correspondence to ensure letter and style adherence to wishes of the king and check accounts of palace and Parganas.

Sumant or Dabir - for foreign affairs and to receive ambassadors.

Senapati or Sir-nobut - To keep troops ready and the king fully informed.

Panditrao - to promote learning, spirituality and settle religious disputes.

Nyayadhish - the highest judicial authority.

[edit]Military

   

Sindhudurg fortress from mainland, a sea fort constructed by Shivaji.

Shivaji demonstrated great skill in creating his military organisation, which lasted till the demise of the Maratha empire. He was one of the pioneers of commando actions, then known as ganimi kava.[45] His Mavala army's war cry was Har Har Mahadev ("Hail Lord Our God", Har and Mahadev being common names of Shiva).[8] Shivaji was responsible for many significant changes in military organization:

A standing army belonging to the state, called paga.

All war horses belonged to the state; responsibility for their upkeep rested on the Sovereign.

Creation of part time soldiers from peasants who worked for eight months in their fields and supported four months in war for which they were paid.

Highly mobile and light infantry and cavalry excelling in commando tactics.

The introduction of a centralized intelligence department; Bahirjee Naik was the foremost spy who provided Shivaji with enemy information in all of Shivaji's campaigns.

A potent and effective navy.

Introduction of field craft, such as guerrilla warfare, commando actions, and swift flanking attacks.

Innovation of weapons and firepower, innovative use of traditional weapons like the tiger claw (vaghnakh) and vita.

Militarisation of large swathes of society, across all classes, with the entire peasant population of settlements and villages near forts actively involved in their defence.[8]

Shivaji realized the importance of having a secure coastline and protecting the western Konkan coastline from the attacks of Siddi's fleet.[8][13][46] His strategy was to build a strong navy to protect and bolster his kingdom. He was also concerned about the growing dominance of British Indian naval forces in regional waters and actively sought to resist it. For this reason he is also referred to as the "Father of Indian Navy".[47]

[edit]Forts

  

Suvela Machi, view of southern sub-plateaux, as seen from Ballekilla, Rajgad.

Main article: Shivaji's Forts

Shivaji captured strategically important forts at Murumbdev (Rajgad), Torana, Kondana (Sinhagad) and Purandar and laid the foundation of swaraj or self rule. Toward the end of his career, he had a control of 360 forts to secure his growing kingdom. Shivaji himself constructed about 15-20 totally new forts (including key sea forts like Sindhudurg), but he also rebuilt or repaired many strategically placed forts to create a chain of 300 or more, stretched over a thousand kilometres across the rugged crest of the Western Ghats. Each were placed under three officers of equal status lest a single traitor be bribed or tempted to deliver it to the enemy. The officers (sabnis, havladar, sarnobhat) acted jointly and provided mutual checks and balance.

[edit]Navy

Shivaji built a strong naval presence across long coast of Konkan and Goa to protect sea trade, to protect the lands from sack of prosperity of subjects from coastal raids, plunder and destruction by Arabs, Portuguese, British, Abyssinians and pirates. Shivaji started navy in Kalyan. Shivaji built ships in towns such as Kalyan, Bhivandi, and Goa for building fighting navy as well as trade. He also built a number of sea forts and bases for repair, storage and shelter. Shivaji fought many lengthy battles with Siddis of Janjira on coastline. The fleet grew to reportedly 160 to 700 merchant, support and fighting vessels. He started trading with foreigners on his own after possession of 8 or 9 ports in the Deccan.[13][48][49]

  

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Featured Image from Swayam Jyotish Photobook

 

Life itself is characterized by duality, by teaming opposites. The myths of Shiva, however, ultimately point to reconciling harmony that exists beyond our ordinary vision. By widening one’s gaze to encompass life as a whole, life becomes a dance between extremes – a playful acceptance, an honoring, and a celebration.

 

ARTIST STATEMENT

 

The light from this container of photographs is non-dual from the innate light within each one of us. So too is physical light reflected in a jar of water or subtle light projected from the Chitta (mind-heart) in dream state. At its best the camera is a simple tool to transfer light through a lens recorded by a censor. At its root, consciousness is all-pervading and who we are. Consciousness, the Light of lights, proceeds from us and lends itself into the moment. The practice of Vichar (self-inquiry) reminds us of that same light appearing as the Jiva (individual-soul) and leads us to the revelation of Atman (universal-soul) and "Who Am I?" With that realization Nkosi Sri Govindaji approaches India with complete adoration and awareness of the Absolute Self in all, Brahman

 

Leica M11 / Leica 21mm f 3.4 Super Elmar ASPH

 

www.Chancenkosigomez.com

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ABOUT THE ARTIST

 

Chance Nkosi Gomez known initiated by H.H Swami Jyotirmayanda as Sri Govinda walks an integral yogic path in which photography is the primary creative field of expression. The medium was introduced during sophomore year of high school by educator Dr. Devin Marsh of Robert Morgan Educational Center. Coming into alignment with light, its nature and articulating the camera was the focus during that time. Thereafter while completing a Photographic Technology Degree, the realization of what made an image “striking” came to the foreground of the inner dialogue. These college years brought forth major absorption and reflection as an apprentice to photographer and educator Tony A. Chirinos of Miami Dade College. The process of working towards a singular idea of interest and thus building a series became the heading from here on while the camera aided in cultivating an adherence to the present moment. The viewfinder resembles a doorway to the unified field of consciousness in which line, shape, form, color, value, texture all dissolve. It is here that the yogi is reminded of sat-chit-ananda (the supreme reality as all-pervading; pure consciousness). As of May 2024 Govinda has completed his 300hr yoga teacher training program at Sattva Yoga Academy studying from Master Yogi Anand Mehrotra in Rishikesh, India, Himalayas. This has strengthened his personal Sadhana and allows one to carry and share ancient Vedic Technology leading others in ultimately directing their intellect to bloom into intuition. As awareness and self-realization grows so does the imagery that is all at once divine in the mastery of capturing and controlling light. Over the last seven years he has self-published six photographic books, Follow me i’ll be right behind you (2017), Sonata - Minimal Study (2018), Birds Singing Lies (2018), Rwanda (2019), Where does the body begin? (2019) & Swayam Jyotis (2023). Currently, Govinda is employed at the Leica Store Miami as a camera specialist and starting his journey as a practitioner of yoga ॐ

तुझे भुल जाना जाना मुन्किन नही,

तु याद न आए ऐसा कोई दिन नही..❤

हर हर महादेव।।

-

 

जय श्री महाकाल🙌 -

😇सच || शांत || एकांत😇

Har Har Mahadev | Har Har Mahadev

The Amazing Girnar hill manifestations and avoid creating Siva Lynn began to sob mahashivratri primacy of Fair today morning. Early morning at 9:30 Bhavnath mahadev mahanta, saint - saints, with the hoisting of flag officers had sahinanam Chants. The roads on towards the foothills of Junagadh Bhavnath slow manavapravaha were found.

 

The minuscule is presence in the fair during the day. Show dhamadhami uthya with the beginning of the annaksetronam kitchens, if you have dhakhavi alagari fumigation. Saravanio also began bhajan is fair. I had also started bhandaro religious places. Bhavnath temple early in the morning with the old akhada, avaha akhada and fire akhadam was the hoisting of flag. Later Bhavnath are small - large temples have been hoisting of flag.

 

Show today launching the atmosphere bhavnath knows that 'cajimga' was. Junagadh foothills of the way people have direct Bhavnath steam and across the country through the blessedness of naga bava watching experience. Afternoon time adhyatmik the environment 'harahira to Saad also extract sambhalava looks areas. People 'bhojan' can utarao in their respective places of rest caste forbade me round the fair in the evening.

 

The naga bava fair, saint - saints for the running of the various religious places bhandara. Rangata also relati santavani in the night, Fair thera thera 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bum Bum Bole' gunjava began to sound. Commercials also arrived petiyum stress is minor. Such patharanavala found from as far back as the jadesvara Mahadev.

 

Bhavnath temple ceremonial hoisting of flag maha mandalescara bharati bapu, indrabharati bapu, motapira bava tanasukhagiri bapu, Bhavnath temple manhata ramesa giri, mukatanandaji, aniruddhagiri, rsibharati, acyutanandaji, District Collector Manish Bharadwaj, kamasinara Dilip Rana, Mayor lakhabhai Parmar, Mamlatdar Joshi, Additional Collector Late, province officer Thakor, including the present were.

 

All akhada of fair monk - the monks have arrived nearly two thousand alagari. The ascetic, hathayogio, etc and the ascetic, hathayogio dhuna dhakhavi said.

Junagadh last three days, the heat, the mercury was above 38 degrees. Sun has shown mood was still bitterly. The effect appeared in the fair. At the time of the garami bapor bhavanath sumasama roads were sounding.

 

Mahashivratri Fair is today from the beginning. The first day saw melanam bhaviko less penetration. S.T department is citing traffic across the 150 bus. But failed to ST is the first day of the Fair. ST Nahivata traffic was received. Timbavadi city bypass was not simply because the traveler from abroad.

Show sivaratri after the last event on this year's fair to take the vehicle has been refused. Most vehicles are allowed to enter up to bharadava. When vehicles pass without sonapuri cemetery had to be stopped. Every year the district pancayatanam Guest House until all vehicles were allowed to go. The closing of the mandatory five-kilometer walk will go to the fair.

 

Show the last resort instead of discovering the incident, the other being the tavai tantra traders. Safety and security have not been to the fair Ferris wheel. Show rangata Ferris wheel is correct. Show ronak overview of the Ferris wheel had not been caused. The first day of the fair is not visible Fair Charm knows that traffic has subsided.

 

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Amarnath -Yatra Series....Staring the trek on foot and ponies these are the 2 chants which pilgrims utter .Pehalgaam is the base camp and the total trek is of around 30KM .One needs many guts to walk through whole trek as one mistake can cost the life.During entire strech pilgrims have 2 dangers to face.First worry is terror attacks from Pakistan based terroists and other is rain and snow along dangerous track.But faith is the biggest thing in humans which induces such a courage in all pilgrims that they cross ever hurdle to reach Holy Amarnath Cave

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramlila

 

Ramlila (Hindi: रामलीला) (literally 'Rama’s lila or play') is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Ram, ending up in ten day battle between Lord Ram and Ravan, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana.[1] A tradition that originates from the Indian subcontinent, the play is staged annually often over ten or more successive nights, during the auspicious period of 'Sharad Navratras', which marks the commencement of the Autumn festive period, starting with the Dussehra festival. Usually the performances are timed to culminate on the festival of Vijayadashami day, that commemorates the victory of Lord Ram over demon king Ravana, when the actors are taken out in a procession through the city, leading up to a mela ground or town square, where the enactment of the final battle takes place, before giant effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakaran and son Meghanath are set fire, and coronation or abhisheka of Rama at Ayodhya takes place, marking the culmination of festivities and restoration of the divine order.[2]

 

Rama is the 7th incarnation of Vishnu and central figure of the Ramayana. The Ramayana is based on the life, times and values of Lord Rama. Lord Rama is called the Maryada Purushottam or the 'The best among the dignified'. The story of Lord Rama and his comrades is so popular in India that it has actually amalgamated the psyche of the Indian mainstream irrespective of their religion. The very story of Ramayana injects ethics to the Indian mainstream.

 

Most Ramlilas in North India are based on the 16th century Avadhi version of Ramayana, Ramacharitamanas, written by Gosvami Tulsidas entirely in verse, thus used as dialogues in most traditional versions, where open-air productions are staged by local Ramlila committees, 'Samitis', and funded entirely by the local population, the audience.[3] It is close to the similar form of folk theatre, Rasa lila, which depicts the life of Krishna, popular in Uttar Pradesh, especially Braja regions of Mathura, Vrindavan, and amongst followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and Vaishnavism in Manipur, with some similarity with Pandavlila of Garhwal, based on life of Pandavas of Mahabharat and Yakshagana of Karnataka, based on various epic and puranas.[4]

 

Ramlila has received considerable global attention, especially due to its diverse representation throughout the globe, especially amongst the Indian diaspora community, and regions where Hinduism has spread over the centuries, like Africa and several South East Asian countries. UNESCO proclaimed the tradition of Ramlila a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005.[5] Subsequently, Govt. of India and IGNCA produced a two hour documentary, titled "Ramlila - The traditional performance of Ramayana" for UNESCO, on 'Ramnagar Ramlila', and Ramlila traditions of Avadh, Braj and Madhubani, and that of Ayodhya, which assimilates elements of all three.[6] Another unique Ramlila, is being staged since 1972, at Bakshi Ka Talab, about 20 km from Lucknow, where lead characters like Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman are played by Muslim youths, a clear departure in a region known for communal flare-ups; this four-day Ram Lila starts on the day of Dusshera day, and has also been adapted into a Radio play, 'Us Gaon ki Ram Lila', by Lucknow All India Radio, which won the Communal Harmony Award in 2000.[7

 

Historically it is believed that first Ramlila shows were staged by Megha Bhagat, one of the disciples of Tulsidas, the author of Ramacharitamanas in about 1625 AD, though there are some evidence of its existence in some form before the creation of this version as well. Some scholars believe its first appearance somewhere between 1200 and 1500 AD. Later during in the time of Mughal emperor Akbar, according to some, Akbar is said to have watched a performance. Krishna Das Kaviraj mentions in his 16th century hagiography of saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), Chaitanya Charitamrita, that once he got carried away while performing the character of Hanuman at a play in Puri, thus proving the existence of Ramayana plays, before the Ramcharitamanas appeared.[4] Though it would safe to conclude that its implosion into the Hindu heartland, happened only after Tulsidas created his version in people's language of the time, the Avadhi, unlike the original written by Valmiki, in Sanskrit, the language only spoken by Brahmins by then, which excluded much of masses from experiencing the inspirational saga, which is essentially the victory of good over evil.[8]

[edit] Styles of Ramlila

 

Today, several regions have developed their distinctive form of Ramlila, Uttar Pradesh itself has numerous variants of presentation styles, most prominent among them is that of Ramnagar, Varanasi, staged over multiple venue, the pantomime style is visible in jhankis or tableaux pageants as seem in Ramlila of Varanasi, where colourful Jhankis and pageants depicting scenes from the life of Lord Rama are taken out through the city.[9] According to a 2008 UNESCO report, the most representative Ramlilas are those of Ayodhya, Ramnagar and Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora, Satna and Madhubani.[5]

An Ramlila actor the traditional attire of Ravana

 

Next is the operatic style incorporates elements of folk theatre elements generously, while the traditional style remains, where the couplets of Ramacharitmanas not only act as dialogues, but also as chorus as well, and lastly there is the Ramlila staged by professional troupes called "mandalis".[10] Many urban Ramilias now have dialogues written in Khadi Boli or in local dialects, but the treatment remains melodramatic as always to achieve maximum impact amidst an audience that knows the story by heart, but watches the enactment nevertheless for religious fervour and also for its spectacle value, making Ramlila an important event in the religious as well as social calendar of not only in small town and villages but also many big cities. Just other folk theatre form of India, like Jatra of Bengal, topic themes are often interwoven in the script to had relevance and sometimes humour is used to offer a critic or commentary over current happenings.

 

A unique staging of Ramlila, takes place at Chitrakoot, over five days every year during the last week of February, beginning from the Maha Shivratri day, here the episode of Bharat-Milap is of prime importance, and is watched by eager devotees.[11] The Ram Barat of Agra is another interesting tradition connected with Ramlila, where in during the three festivities, a marriage procession of Rama is taken through various localities of the city.

 

Delhi holds many prominent Ramlilas across the city, including the oldest one on the Ramlila Grounds, outside the historic Red Fort, it was started in times of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar,[12] and in 2004, for the first time, Ramlila celebrations organised by Luv-Kush Ramlila Committee were telecast to over 100 countries.[13]

[edit] Ramlila at Ramnagar, Varanasi

 

The tradition of staging the Ramlila at Ramnagar, Varanasi, which lies across the Ganges river from the Hindu pilgrimage city of Varanasi, was started in ca 1830 by Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh, Kashi Naresh.[14][15] It rose in popularity during the reign of his successor Maharaj Isvari Prasad Singh, and received continued patronage from the subsequent Kings of the Royal House of Benares to create a participatory environmental theatre (Site-specific theatre) on a grand scale, where attendance ranges from few thousands to 100,000 for others.[16] The Ramlila is a cycle of plays which recounts the epic story of Lord Rama, as told in Ramcharitmanas, the version of the Ramayana penned by Tulsidas. The plays sponsored by the Maharaja, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days.[15]

 

Though several local legends exist regarding the beginning of this Ramlila, including one of which suggests that it was first staged at a near by village, Chota Mirzapur as the one at Varanasi was disrupted due to the floods in the Ganges, from where it evolved to the present Ramlila, which is by far the most traditional rendition of the Ramayana, and has been a subject of study by scholars from all over the world for many decades now.[17]

 

The Ramnagar Ramlila is held over 31 days instead of usual 10, and is known for its lavish sets, dialogues and visual spectacle. Here permanent structures have been built and several temporary structure are also added, which serve as sets, to represent locations like Ashok Vatika, Janakpuri, Panchavati, Lanka etc., during the performance. Hence the entire city turn into a giant open-air set, and audience moves along with the performers with every episode, to the next locale. Preparations begin, weeks before its commencement, even the audition process is traditionally attended to by the Maharaja, where Svarupas, literally divine embodiment, the various characters of the Ramayana, are chosen from amongst local actors. Important roles are often inherited by families, for example, the role of Ravana was held by same family from 1835 to 1990, and roles of Hanuman, Jatayu, and Janaka traditionally belong to one Vyasa family.[18] When the Dussehra festivities are inaugurated with a colourful pageant Kashi Naresh rides an elephant at the head of the procession.[15] Then, resplendent in silk and brocade, he inaugurates the month long folk theatre of Ramlila at Ramnagar.[15] During the period, hundreds of sadhus called 'Ramayanis' descend into the town to watch and recite the Ramcharitmanas text. Many a audience carry a copy of the Ramacharit Manas, simply called Manas, and follow stanza after stanza, after the characters delivering their dialogue.[19][20]

 

During the course of the performance, there is a double transformation of the space within the city, as it first transforms from a city to theatre and then to mythic geography, as the scale of the performance is gradually increased to mythic proportions, coming down only in the end, when Rama finally returns back home, this is when the Raja himself becomes part of the theatre thereby incorporating local element into the story itself. In the end, as the swarups, actors depart, they take off their garlands and offer it to Royal family members and give darshan to audience, after the performance one last time.[21] At the end of each episode, lila, an aarti is performed, chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' or 'Bolo! Raja Ramchandra ki Jai!' resound in the air, as the audience join in. Thereafter, a jhanki, literally a peep or glimpse, tableaux of frozen iconic moments from the 'Manas', is presented, which not only distill and crystallize the message of the story for the audience, but is also appreciated for its spectacular effect.[21]

 

On the last day the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama vanquishes the demon king Ravana.[15] Over a million pilgrims arrive annually for the vast processions and performances organized by Kashi Naresh.[22]

[edit] Format

Lead performers of a Ramlila troupe mandali, with the director, called vyasa

 

Traditionally organized in a makeshift open-air theatre at night, it is usually staged by amateur actors drawn from the same social grouping as the audience. There is often a singer (occasionally a priest) in the sidelines who recites relevant verses from the Ramayana during scene-changes or at moments of dramatic tension. These recitations and the narrative of the play are usually based on Ramacharitamanas, Gosvami Tulsidas' version of the Ramayana, in the Awadhi language, written in 16th century. The dialog is improvised, and often responsive to audience reactions. Dhol drummers and other musicians participate. The atmosphere is usually festive and free, with the audience whistling and commenting as the story proceeds.

 

In many rural areas, traditional venues for Ramlila have developed over the centuries, and hundreds of people will often make the trip nightly to attend the play. Surrounding areas temporarily transform into bazars to cater to the audience. Depending on the region, interspersed breaks in the play can become impromptu talent shows for local society, and a de facto competition takes place between neighbouring Ram lilas, each vying to stage a more lavish production. Though the play itself is thematically religious, this social aspect often draws in people from non-Hindu segments of the community as well. Performance costs are usually financed by fundraising in the community, often by self-organized Ramlila Committees.

[edit] Geographic spread

 

Over the centuries, Ramlila has evolved into a highly venerated art form, and has travelled to far corners of the globe, through Indian diaspora, not as acts of "cultural recovery", rather as fresh expressions of a persistent faith. Today, Ramalila is staged in most countries that with immigrant Hindu populations from the Indian subcontinent, including that from India, Nepal and Pakistan. Outside the Indian subcontinent, this includes Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Great Britain, the United States, and Australia. Some Asian cultures have similar drama traditions based on the Ramayana, for instance the Phra Lak Phra Lam (Lak and Lam are the Laotian names for Lakshman and Ram, respectively) folkplay of Laos and northeastern Thailand.

Shot @ Omkareshwar ,Madhya pradesh , India

The Amazing Girnar hill manifestations and avoid creating Siva Lynn began to sob mahashivratri primacy of Fair today morning. Early morning at 9:30 Bhavnath mahadev mahanta, saint - saints, with the hoisting of flag officers had sahinanam Chants. The roads on towards the foothills of Junagadh Bhavnath slow manavapravaha were found.

 

The minuscule is presence in the fair during the day. Show dhamadhami uthya with the beginning of the annaksetronam kitchens, if you have dhakhavi alagari fumigation. Saravanio also began bhajan is fair. I had also started bhandaro religious places. Bhavnath temple early in the morning with the old akhada, avaha akhada and fire akhadam was the hoisting of flag. Later Bhavnath are small - large temples have been hoisting of flag.

 

Show today launching the atmosphere bhavnath knows that 'cajimga' was. Junagadh foothills of the way people have direct Bhavnath steam and across the country through the blessedness of naga bava watching experience. Afternoon time adhyatmik the environment 'harahira to Saad also extract sambhalava looks areas. People 'bhojan' can utarao in their respective places of rest caste forbade me round the fair in the evening.

 

The naga bava fair, saint - saints for the running of the various religious places bhandara. Rangata also relati santavani in the night, Fair thera thera 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bum Bum Bole' gunjava began to sound. Commercials also arrived petiyum stress is minor. Such patharanavala found from as far back as the jadesvara Mahadev.

 

Bhavnath temple ceremonial hoisting of flag maha mandalescara bharati bapu, indrabharati bapu, motapira bava tanasukhagiri bapu, Bhavnath temple manhata ramesa giri, mukatanandaji, aniruddhagiri, rsibharati, acyutanandaji, District Collector Manish Bharadwaj, kamasinara Dilip Rana, Mayor lakhabhai Parmar, Mamlatdar Joshi, Additional Collector Late, province officer Thakor, including the present were.

 

All akhada of fair monk - the monks have arrived nearly two thousand alagari. The ascetic, hathayogio, etc and the ascetic, hathayogio dhuna dhakhavi said.

Junagadh last three days, the heat, the mercury was above 38 degrees. Sun has shown mood was still bitterly. The effect appeared in the fair. At the time of the garami bapor bhavanath sumasama roads were sounding.

 

Mahashivratri Fair is today from the beginning. The first day saw melanam bhaviko less penetration. S.T department is citing traffic across the 150 bus. But failed to ST is the first day of the Fair. ST Nahivata traffic was received. Timbavadi city bypass was not simply because the traveler from abroad.

 

Show sivaratri after the last event on this year's fair to take the vehicle has been refused. Most vehicles are allowed to enter up to bharadava. When vehicles pass without sonapuri cemetery had to be stopped. Every year the district pancayatanam Guest House until all vehicles were allowed to go. The closing of the mandatory five-kilometer walk will go to the fair.

 

Show the last resort instead of discovering the incident, the other being the tavai tantra traders. Safety and security have not been to the fair Ferris wheel. Show rangata Ferris wheel is correct. Show ronak overview of the Ferris wheel had not been caused. The first day of the fair is not visible Fair Charm knows that traffic has subsided.

 

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Whereas you make a visit to Gujarat, a visit to the present Travel Guide is a must.

You have also Book Hotel, Tourist Guide and Cars in Gujarat, Just Call 09974335693 or visit www.Gujarattouristguide.blogspot.com

 

Agate and Firoza

 

Stones do have a bearing on your moods.. The rich affluent wear topaz sapphires diamonds.

The others that can't afford expensive gemstones among Muslims wear Akik Agate the best agate comes from Kumbat Gujrat.

 

The ones on my hand are Shivas third eye I have a collection that I picked up at Ajmer many years back.

 

All my Turqqouse are from Nishapur Mashad Iran.

I have Turqqouse from Tibet too.. Two huge chunky pieces.

 

There was a time I was very interested in Quartz I have a huge one 3700 carats.

 

But besides all this I have original Amber Kerba from the Caspian sea.

 

I also like Durey Najaf white stone.. And more interesting is Mueh Najaf.

Najaf symbolizes Imam Ali.

 

I have coral onyx I design my own gents jewelry.. My collection is rare out of the world.. I have come to a conclusion I don't search for stones they search for me.

I have white agate from Australia.

 

Perhaps I also wear a lot of chunky jewellery as fashion quotient to go with my Sufi temperament.

I also wear the Aghori attire with state of the art skull beads.

 

Wearing the Aghori attire is mentally exhausting too many waves at work on the body.

 

I lost a huge Durey Najaf in a train rush Bandra it fell on the tracks late evening I let it go..

 

I love rings pendants but I also have rare Asas spiritual sticks snake sticks silver sticks

 

Turbans as I don't wear the Muslim skull cap at all with my black Sherwani I wear Karakul fur cap.

 

My daughter was in Turkey she bought me the Rumi cap and the whirling dress in white as I am not attuned to white I am getting it copied in black.

 

I wear a lot of robes in black...

 

Saffron is the second color I opt for after black as I am documenting Naga Sadhus helps me mix with them.

 

I am a fashion stylist for Bollywood so I create my own stuff.

 

I wear the Maroon Lama dress that was presented by Mr Danny Denzongpa s family on my birthday.

 

But years back I worked with Tibetans in Ladakh so his Holiness Dalai Lama presented me his autobiography.

 

I was close to the Tibetan refugees I am a follower of Free Tibet and Free Palestine.

 

I am lucky my parents and my upbringing we were bought up as human beings and our spiritual path was Shia Islam.

 

But today I prompte the sweetness of Sufism Hinduism Christianity and Buddhism.

 

Our background having lived a large part at Colaba has been unbiased.

We respect all faith.. Interfaith and intermarriage

 

I am also lucky my parents did not educate me in a Madrsa we went to Convent schools and in my life Jesus was always there as I lived near Churches Crosses at Bandra.

 

I am now documenting Aghoris and Siddis of Bavagor.

 

Happy morning from Bandra.

 

I shoot my own stuff and only Original Content.

 

I shoot stories.

Photographers shoot pictures.. I picyirizr my stories mostly with my Vivo 9.

 

I only use the DSLR for shooting Sufi events Shia Moharam and Hindu feasts.

 

Now I am preparing to get ready to shoot the Ardh Kumbh in Jan 2019 Allahabad.

 

Om Namo Narayan

Har Har Mahadev

 

To my Hindu friends.

97,949 items / 594,191 views

 

Recited by them...

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramlila

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

 

Ramlila (Hindi: रामलीला) (literally 'Rama’s lila or play') is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Ram, ending up in ten day battle between Lord Ram and Ravan, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana.[1] A tradition that originates from the Indian subcontinent, the play is staged annually often over ten or more successive nights, during the auspicious period of 'Sharad Navratras', which marks the commencement of the Autumn festive period, starting with the Dussehra festival. Usually the performances are timed to culminate on the festival of Vijayadashami day, that commemorates the victory of Lord Ram over demon king Ravana, when the actors are taken out in a procession through the city, leading up to a mela ground or town square, where the enactment of the final battle takes place, before giant effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakaran and son Meghanath are set fire, and coronation or abhisheka of Rama at Ayodhya takes place, marking the culmination of festivities and restoration of the divine order.[2]

 

Rama is the 7th incarnation of Vishnu and central figure of the Ramayana. The Ramayana is based on the life, times and values of Lord Rama. Lord Rama is called the Maryada Purushottam or the 'The best among the dignified'. The story of Lord Rama and his comrades is so popular in India that it has actually amalgamated the psyche of the Indian mainstream irrespective of their religion. The very story of Ramayana injects ethics to the Indian mainstream.

 

Most Ramlilas in North India are based on the 16th century Avadhi version of Ramayana, Ramacharitamanas, written by Gosvami Tulsidas entirely in verse, thus used as dialogues in most traditional versions, where open-air productions are staged by local Ramlila committees, 'Samitis', and funded entirely by the local population, the audience.[3] It is close to the similar form of folk theatre, Rasa lila, which depicts the life of Krishna, popular in Uttar Pradesh, especially Braja regions of Mathura, Vrindavan, and amongst followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and Vaishnavism in Manipur, with some similarity with Pandavlila of Garhwal, based on life of Pandavas of Mahabharat and Yakshagana of Karnataka, based on various epic and puranas.[4]

 

Ramlila has received considerable global attention, especially due to its diverse representation throughout the globe, especially amongst the Indian diaspora community, and regions where Hinduism has spread over the centuries, like Africa and several South East Asian countries. UNESCO proclaimed the tradition of Ramlila a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005.[5] Subsequently, Govt. of India and IGNCA produced a two hour documentary, titled "Ramlila - The traditional performance of Ramayana" for UNESCO, on 'Ramnagar Ramlila', and Ramlila traditions of Avadh, Braj and Madhubani, and that of Ayodhya, which assimilates elements of all three.[6] Another unique Ramlila, is being staged since 1972, at Bakshi Ka Talab, about 20 km from Lucknow, where lead characters like Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman are played by Muslim youths, a clear departure in a region known for communal flare-ups; this four-day Ram Lila starts on the day of Dusshera day, and has also been adapted into a Radio play, 'Us Gaon ki Ram Lila', by Lucknow All India Radio, which won the Communal Harmony Award in 2000.[7]

 

Historically it is believed that first Ramlila shows were staged by Megha Bhagat, one of the disciples of Tulsidas, the author of Ramacharitamanas in about 1625 AD, though there are some evidence of its existence in some form before the creation of this version as well. Some scholars believe its first appearance somewhere between 1200 and 1500 AD. Later during in the time of Mughal emperor Akbar, according to some, Akbar is said to have watched a performance. Krishna Das Kaviraj mentions in his 16th century hagiography of saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), Chaitanya Charitamrita, that once he got carried away while performing the character of Hanuman at a play in Puri, thus proving the existence of Ramayana plays, before the Ramcharitamanas appeared.[4] Though it would safe to conclude that its implosion into the Hindu heartland, happened only after Tulsidas created his version in people's language of the time, the Avadhi, unlike the original written by Valmiki, in Sanskrit, the language only spoken by Brahmins by then, which excluded much of masses from experiencing the inspirational saga, which is essentially the victory of good over evil.[8]

[edit] Styles of Ramlila

 

Today, several regions have developed their distinctive form of Ramlila, Uttar Pradesh itself has numerous variants of presentation styles, most prominent among them is that of Ramnagar, Varanasi, staged over multiple venue, the pantomime style is visible in jhankis or tableaux pageants as seem in Ramlila of Varanasi, where colourful Jhankis and pageants depicting scenes from the life of Lord Rama are taken out through the city.[9] According to a 2008 UNESCO report, the most representative Ramlilas are those of Ayodhya, Ramnagar and Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora, Satna and Madhubani.[5]

 

Next is the operatic style incorporates elements of folk theatre elements generously, while the traditional style remains, where the couplets of Ramacharitmanas not only act as dialogues, but also as chorus as well, and lastly there is the Ramlila staged by professional troupes called "mandalis".[10] Many urban Ramilias now have dialogues written in Khadi Boli or in local dialects, but the treatment remains melodramatic as always to achieve maximum impact amidst an audience that knows the story by heart, but watches the enactment nevertheless for religious fervour and also for its spectacle value, making Ramlila an important event in the religious as well as social calendar of not only in small town and villages but also many big cities. Just other folk theatre form of India, like Jatra of Bengal, topic themes are often interwoven in the script to had relevance and sometimes humour is used to offer a critic or commentary over current happenings.

 

A unique staging of Ramlila, takes place at Chitrakoot, over five days every year during the last week of February, beginning from the Maha Shivratri day, here the episode of Bharat-Milap is of prime importance, and is watched by eager devotees.[11] The Ram Barat of Agra is another interesting tradition connected with Ramlila, where in during the three festivities, a marriage procession of Rama is taken through various localities of the city.

 

Delhi holds many prominent Ramlilas across the city, including the oldest one on the Ramlila Grounds, outside the historic Red Fort, it was started in times of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar,[12] and in 2004, for the first time, Ramlila celebrations organised by Luv-Kush Ramlila Committee were telecast to over 100 countries.[13]

[edit] Ramlila at Ramnagar, Varanasi

 

The tradition of staging the Ramlila at Ramnagar, Varanasi, which lies across the Ganges river from the Hindu pilgrimage city of Varanasi, was started in ca 1830 by Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh, Kashi Naresh.[14][15] It rose in popularity during the reign of his successor Maharaj Isvari Prasad Singh, and received continued patronage from the subsequent Kings of the Royal House of Benares to create a participatory environmental theatre (Site-specific theatre) on a grand scale, where attendance ranges from few thousands to 100,000 for others.[16] The Ramlila is a cycle of plays which recounts the epic story of Lord Rama, as told in Ramcharitmanas, the version of the Ramayana penned by Tulsidas. The plays sponsored by the Maharaja, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days.[15]

 

Though several local legends exist regarding the beginning of this Ramlila, including one of which suggests that it was first staged at a near by village, Chota Mirzapur as the one at Varanasi was disrupted due to the floods in the Ganges, from where it evolved to the present Ramlila, which is by far the most traditional rendition of the Ramayana, and has been a subject of study by scholars from all over the world for many decades now.[17]

 

The Ramnagar Ramlila is held over 31 days instead of usual 10, and is known for its lavish sets, dialogues and visual spectacle. Here permanent structures have been built and several temporary structure are also added, which serve as sets, to represent locations like Ashok Vatika, Janakpuri, Panchavati, Lanka etc., during the performance. Hence the entire city turn into a giant open-air set, and audience moves along with the performers with every episode, to the next locale. Preparations begin, weeks before its commencement, even the audition process is traditionally attended to by the Maharaja, where Svarupas, literally divine embodiment, the various characters of the Ramayana, are chosen from amongst local actors. Important roles are often inherited by families, for example, the role of Ravana was held by same family from 1835 to 1990, and roles of Hanuman, Jatayu, and Janaka traditionally belong to one Vyasa family.[18] When the Dussehra festivities are inaugurated with a colourful pageant Kashi Naresh rides an elephant at the head of the procession.[15] Then, resplendent in silk and brocade, he inaugurates the month long folk theatre of Ramlila at Ramnagar.[15] During the period, hundreds of sadhus called 'Ramayanis' descend into the town to watch and recite the Ramcharitmanas text. Many a audience carry a copy of the Ramacharit Manas, simply called Manas, and follow stanza after stanza, after the characters delivering their dialogue.[19][20]

 

During the course of the performance, there is a double transformation of the space within the city, as it first transforms from a city to theatre and then to mythic geography, as the scale of the performance is gradually increased to mythic proportions, coming down only in the end, when Rama finally returns back home, this is when the Raja himself becomes part of the theatre thereby incorporating local element into the story itself. In the end, as the swarups, actors depart, they take off their garlands and offer it to Royal family members and give darshan to audience, after the performance one last time.[21] At the end of each episode, lila, an aarti is performed, chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' or 'Bolo! Raja Ramchandra ki Jai!' resound in the air, as the audience join in. Thereafter, a jhanki, literally a peep or glimpse, tableaux of frozen iconic moments from the 'Manas', is presented, which not only distill and crystallize the message of the story for the audience, but is also appreciated for its spectacular effect.[21]

 

On the last day the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama vanquishes the demon king Ravana.[15] Over a million pilgrims arrive annually for the vast processions and performances organized by Kashi Naresh.[22]

 

Traditionally organized in a makeshift open-air theatre at night, it is usually staged by amateur actors drawn from the same social grouping as the audience. There is often a singer (occasionally a priest) in the sidelines who recites relevant verses from the Ramayana during scene-changes or at moments of dramatic tension. These recitations and the narrative of the play are usually based on Ramacharitamanas, Gosvami Tulsidas' version of the Ramayana, in the Awadhi language, written in 16th century. The dialog is improvised, and often responsive to audience reactions. Dhol drummers and other musicians participate. The atmosphere is usually festive and free, with the audience whistling and commenting as the story proceeds.

 

In many rural areas, traditional venues for Ramlila have developed over the centuries, and hundreds of people will often make the trip nightly to attend the play. Surrounding areas temporarily transform into bazars to cater to the audience. Depending on the region, interspersed breaks in the play can become impromptu talent shows for local society, and a de facto competition takes place between neighbouring Ram lilas, each vying to stage a more lavish production. Though the play itself is thematically religious, this social aspect often draws in people from non-Hindu segments of the community as well. Performance costs are usually financed by fundraising in the community, often by self-organized Ramlila Committees.

[edit] Geographic spread

 

Over the centuries, Ramlila has evolved into a highly venerated art form, and has travelled to far corners of the globe, through Indian diaspora, not as acts of "cultural recovery", rather as fresh expressions of a persistent faith. Today, Ramalila is staged in most countries that with immigrant Hindu populations from the Indian subcontinent, including that from India, Nepal and Pakistan. Outside the Indian subcontinent, this includes Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, Canada, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Great Britain, the United States, and Australia. Some Asian cultures have similar drama traditions based on the Ramayana, for instance the Phra Lak Phra Lam (Lak and Lam are the Laotian names for Lakshman and Ram, respectively) folkplay of Laos and northeastern Thailand.

From the film "Bajrangbali". It also appears in "Har Har Mahadev".

Only Muslim living with the Naga Sadhus since Nasik Kumbh 2003 with my Naga Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj thanks to him I shot 5 Kumbhs .

He was from Juna Akhara 13 madi he passed away in 2017.

We were together at Ujjain Kumbh 2016 .

I shot the Ardh Kumbh Prayagraj 2019 with his guru bhai Jaidev Giri .

Now with my heart problem I am trying to stay fit to shoot the Haridwar Kumbh .

I got along very well with thr Naga Sadhus and the Naga babas ..they called me Malang Baba .

My purpose of shooting the Kumbh Melas was to promote Hindu Muslim amity as a message of universal Peace .

Om Namo Narayan

Har Har Mahadev

 

Har Har Mahadev

Within minutes, the weather moves from cloudy to windy to sunshine. Devaadhi Dev Mahadev is seen thru mortal eyes in such a play of weather. Har Har Mahadev!!!

If you are into #peoplephotography have the resources best place to shoot #kumbhmelas and a few #Sufi events like #Chadiyan walk from Delhi to Ajmer .

I missed the #haridwarkumbh due to #bypasssurgery and vaccine

He is shortest Sadhu I met at #ardhkumb #prayagraj .

#hinduism

Varanasi Photography

River Ganges....

Nikon D3000

Vaidraj Shiva Mandir located in Surat City of Gujarat, India. Shravan month every sivalay anointed worship and har har Mahadev jayaghosh gunji are lifted.

There are many difficult pravitra Tapi Maya coast. Tapi udh bhavasthana dummasana Madhya Pradesh coast, about 700 kilometers to 101 belongs to the ancient Purana mention Tapi. In accretion, several auxiliary Shiva temples have along with been built.

The revival of the ancient temple avocina coordination vaidhnath Mahadev Temple is 400 years old. Fifteen years ago to renovate the house, who sat Parvati Mata sat her place at the Somnath temple idols to be brought to the here Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, chief priest of the temple, Rawal said.

Pujari in temple said “the temple of the ancient majesty in the place is very pravitra. Apollo and two sons Ashwini Kumar was the smell of the place

Vaidhya Mahadev appeared in his tapi impressed by their old age God gave the drug to be removed. So the temple was known as Mahadeva vaidhrajnath.

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Whereas you make a visit to Gujarat, a visit to the present Travel Guide is a must.

You have also Book Hotel, Tourist Guide and Nominal Price Cars Hire in Gujarat, Just Call 09974335693 or visit www.Gujarattouristguide.com

  

Vaidraj Shiva Mandir located in Surat City of Gujarat, India. Shravan month every sivalay anointed worship and har har Mahadev jayaghosh gunji are lifted.

There are many difficult pravitra Tapi Maya coast. Tapi udh bhavasthana dummasana Madhya Pradesh coast, about 700 kilometers to 101 belongs to the ancient Purana mention Tapi. In accretion, several auxiliary Shiva temples have along with been built.

The revival of the ancient temple avocina coordination vaidhnath Mahadev Temple is 400 years old. Fifteen years ago to renovate the house, who sat Parvati Mata sat her place at the Somnath temple idols to be brought to the here Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, chief priest of the temple, Rawal said.

Pujari in temple said “the temple of the ancient majesty in the place is very pravitra. Apollo and two sons Ashwini Kumar was the smell of the place

Vaidhya Mahadev appeared in his tapi impressed by their old age God gave the drug to be removed. So the temple was known as Mahadeva vaidhrajnath.

The temple jal dhara milk is four or five times a year. Jal dhara 600 liters of milk for the used is not only in AshwiniKumar, all over India and far - distant villages, pilgrims come to worship Goddess vaidhrajnath Mahadev.

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Whereas you make a visit to Gujarat, a visit to the present Travel Guide is a must.

You have also Book Hotel, Tourist Guide and Nominal Price Cars Hire in Gujarat, Just Call 09974335693 or visit www.Gujarattouristguide.com

  

Har Har Mahadev

  

Will I be alive to shoot the next

Mahakumbh at Allahabad..

Take a dip in the Sangam

To the chant of Har Har Mahadev

Swami Avdesh Anandji on his chariot

His followers shouting to peals

Of Jai Gurudev.. He looks at

Me the Malang of Mumbai

He waves.. The flesh was willing

The Spirit had a narrow shave

Man the ephemeral product of

Godly imagination chimerical

Within his bodily cage wants his

Soul to be saved.. The poor the rich

The fat the scrawny coward brave

Between life and Death no escape

From the withering womb to soil

Fire ashes mingling in a watery grave

 

I am a Muslim culturally a Hindu

Om Namo Narayan ...walking a

Path of Peace Hope Humanity

Alis Slave.. Freedom trying to

Break the chains in a hermits cave

Har Har Mahadev!

Vaidraj Shiva Mandir located in Surat City of Gujarat, India. Shravan month every sivalay anointed worship and har har Mahadev jayaghosh gunji are lifted.

There are many difficult pravitra Tapi Maya coast. Tapi udh bhavasthana dummasana Madhya Pradesh coast, about 700 kilometers to 101 belongs to the ancient Purana mention Tapi. In accretion, several auxiliary Shiva temples have along with been built.

The revival of the ancient temple avocina coordination vaidhnath Mahadev Temple is 400 years old. Fifteen years ago to renovate the house, who sat Parvati Mata sat her place at the Somnath temple idols to be brought to the here Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, chief priest of the temple, Rawal said.

Please Like and Follow Gujarat Tourist Guide in Social media and get update:-

 

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Tumblr Blog gujarattouristguide.tumblr.com

 

Whereas you make a visit to Gujarat, a visit to the present Travel Guide is a must.

You have also Book Hotel, Tourist Guide and Nominal Price Cars Hire in Gujarat, Just Call 09974335693 or visit www.Gujarattouristguide.com

  

 

if there was a phrase to describe Varanasi it would be the place where positive thoughts vibrates your soul every corner you would hear someone go jay ganga or har har mahadev and it is so infectious that you are left with a positive vibe glowing with serenity yes it is true - there is something in varanasi but i believe it is the same feeling one would feel in makkah or the vatican

 

Photographed by

Visithra

visithra(@)gmail.com

v-eyez.blogspot.com/

 

V-Eyez Imagery on Facebook

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Har Har Mahadev!

And though my Naga Guru invited me for the Second Shahi Snan today 9 May 2016 I could not make it ,,and at this time in Ujjain they must all be getting ready to march to the banks o the River Shipra to the chant of Har Har Mahadev,,,

This picture of Lord Shiva Has been Captured at Temple.

201,768 items / 1,651,598 views

 

From Wikipedia

 

Jagmohan Mundhra (29 October 1948 – 4 September 2011)[1] was an Indian filmmaker best known for his early career as an American exploitation film writer-director and his later career as maker of such issue-oriented movies as Bawandar and Provoked.

 

Mundhra was born at Nagpur, India,[2] and grew up in a Marwari locality in Calcutta, in a conservative family where films were frowned upon. But, he nurtured a secret ambition of becoming a filmmaker when his young contemporaries dreamt of being cricket players or film stars. His childhood as of other Indians of his generation, was a tough one, counting pennies for the tram that rode to the other, affluent side of the city, and withstanding his family's strict traditions.[3][4]

 

Says Mundhra, “The family was very conservative and my grand mother was very strict and we were allowed to see maybe a couple of films a year and that too of the Har Har Mahadev variety. As a child I never saw myself as a young Marwari boy but a lot beyond that. In those days, the word global citizen was not there, but inside I felt like one". He died on 4 September 2011 due to some internal bleeding".[3]

[edit] Life at IIT Bombay

 

A key influence on Mundhra was his admission to the highly competitive and prestigious IIT Bombay [1]. In his words, "I had studied in a Hindi medium school up to 9th grade and always admired people who spoke English fluently. IIT taught me a lot of humility. In my wing, there were students who were from different states, and as far as English went, this person from Bihar who couldn’t speak English to save his life outshone everyone else with his brilliance. I did well, but realized very early on while in IIT that engineering was not for me. I would be very unhappy if I was to live my life being an engineer, but I stuck it out because I didn’t want to let my parents down".[3] He then started an MS abroad in electrical engineering, in Michigan, but after one semester, switched to marketing.

 

Mundhra wrote his marketing thesis on motion pictures. He did a comparative study of marketing practices in Hollywood and Bollywood. The study led him to visit the Bombay film industry and meet people. After finishing his PhD he taught for a year at California State University. HIs stay in California brought him closer to Hollywood. In 1979 he resigned and decided to become a full time filmmaker.

[edit] Professional career

 

After his first dramas, Suraag, and the socially-relevant film, Kamla,[5] Mundhra directed, in the late 1980s and the 1990s, a string of horror and erotic thriller movies for theatrical distribution and direct to video, including The Jigsaw Murders (1988), Halloween Night (1988), Night Eyes (1990), L.A. Goddess (1993), Sexual Malice (1994) and Tales of the Kama Sutra 2: Monsoon (1998)

 

Beginning with Bawandar (2000), which he directed under the name Jagmohan, Mundhra was back to issue-oriented films. Bawander is about the fight of a poor woman for justice and was based on the sad story of a woman in the state of Rajasthan, Bhanwari Devi.[6] After the film's release Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister of Rajasthan called him and said, "Aapke bawandar ne bada bawander machaya hai." He gave Rs 50,000 and land for Bhanwari Devi and also money for her son's education. To Mundhra, "It's not a movie about rape, but the empowerment of a woman. This character could be fictitious and yet the story would have had the same powerful message".[3] In his own words, Kamla, Bawander and Provoked are his trology of strong women centric films.[7]

 

He was doing a film based on life of Sonia Gandhi.[8]

 

He was a life member of International Film And Television Club of Asian Academy Of Film & Television.

[edit] Death

 

He died at Mumbai, India, on 4 September 2011, age 62.[9]

  

Film director Jagmohan Mundhra died of cardiac arrest Sunday morning here, family sources said. He was 62. He was admitted to Bombay Hospital at Marine Lines Friday night for internal bleeding. He then had a cardiac arrest and was put on a ventilator. His last public appearance was at actor Shammi Kapoor’s funeral three weeks ago. Indian Express News

 

if there was a phrase to describe Varanasi it would be

 

the place where positive thoughts vibrates your soul

 

every corner you would hear someone go jay ganga or har har mahadev and it is so infectious that you are left with a positive vibe glowing with serenity

 

yes it is true - there is something in varanasi but i believe it is the same feeling one would feel in makkah or the vatican- i have much more to write on this - will do so much later

 

V-Eyez Imagery

My facebook page for V-Eyez Imagery

V-Eyez Imagery on Facebook

Ancient Shiv Mandir at ma's ashram at Raipur.

 

Shree Shree Ma Anandamayi Ashram, Raipur, Dehradun.