Shivaraya's childhood

Birth of Shivaji

Those were very unsettled days . Shahjahan from the North had despatched a big army to conquer the Deccan . Pune , the principal town of Shahaji Raje's Jagir was burned to the ground by Adilshah of Bijapur . Shahaji Raje was in real trouble . He found himself between the devil and the deep sea , and was constantly on the run. 

Jijabai was pregnant and the great question which worried Shahaji Raje was some place where she could remain in safety and peace . Then he remembered the Shivneri fort and decided to send Jijabai there . Shivneri was a strong fort near Junnar in Pune district . It had steep hills on four sides , strong fortifications and massive doors . This strong fort was then in charge of Vijayraj , a relative of the Bhonsales . He agreed to give protection to Jijabai . So Shahaji Raje left her there and marched against the Moghuls .

And then the golden day dawned . On the auspicious day of Phalgun Vadya Tritiya , in the year 1551 of the Shaka era , that is , on 19 February 1630 , to the sound of pipes and drums playing in the ' Nagar Khana ' , Jijabai gave birth to a son . All the residents of the fort were overjoyed . On the twelfth day , with appropriate ceremony , the child was named ' Shivaji ' as the child was born on Fort Shivneri .

Shivaji's Childhood

Shivaji passed the first six years of his life in highly unsettled conditions . Even so , Jijabai did not neglect his education . Every evening she would light the household lamps and then call Shivaji to her . She would shower all her affection on him and tell him stories of Rama and Krishna , of Bhim and Abhimanyu . On other occasions she would recite to him the devotional songs of Dnyandeo , Namdeo or Eknath . Shivaji liked to listen to the exploits of brave men . Shivaji felt that on growing up , he should also display valour like them . Jijabai used to tell him stories of many pious persons and saints . That instilled in him , a respect and honour for all saints and great men .

Children from poor families came to play with Shivaji , Sometimes he visited them in their huts and shared their simple meal of onion and bhakri with great relish . They invented interesting games to pass the time . The children of the Mavlas were like birds in the forest . They would imitate the sound of the cuckoo or parrot or tiger to perfection . Their pastime was building small forts of earth and making earthem elephants and horses . They played hide and seek , or played with a ball or top . Shivaji joined them in all these games and became popular with them .

Shahaji Raje Towards the Mahules

Shahaji Raje returned to Nizamshahi all right , but he did not get any peace of mind there . Nizamshah himself was a fickle - minded person who readily believed all gossip . Hence , many conspiracies and petty rivalries infested the court . This led to the killing of Lakhujirao Jadhav openly in the court at the instigation of Nizamshah himself . Shahaji Raje could not withstand this . Infuriated , he left Nizamshahi and joined the Moghuls . Shahjahan , the Moghul Emperor , made him a Sardar at his court .

In the mean time , secretly joining hands with the Moghuls , Fattekhan killed Nizamshah . There was complete anarchy in the state . It became evident that Fattekhan was treacherously planning to enable the Moghuls to swallow Nizamshahi . In return , the Moghuls rewarded him with the territory under the control of Shahaji Raje . Shahaji Raje was enraged and so he left the services of the Moghuls . He decided to teach them a lesson using all his might .

Founding of a New Nizamshahi

In order to forestall the Moghul Emperor and Vazir Fattekhan . Shahaji Raje found out a child heir from the Nizam's family and on the fort of Pemgiri near Junnar , declared him as the new Nizamshah , Thus , he established an altogether new kingdom which included the territory between the rivers Godavari and Nira . Shahaji Raje fought vigorously to protect this new state . Initially , Adilshah was with him in these efforts . But later , the Moghul Emperor Shahjahan himself marched South upon Shahaji Raje and threatened Adilshah . Adilshah then signed a treaty of friendship with him against Shahaji Raje . Shahaji Raje now began to fight the joint forces of the Moghuls and Adilshah using guerrilla tactics . But he could not sustain the war all by himself . Unwillingly , he surrendered to the Moghuls in 1636 AD . He could not create his own kingdom as the times were not favourable for him . But his daring spirit kindled a confidence among the Marathi people . This proved useful for Shivaji in establishing Swaraj , a few years later. 

Jijabai and Shivji in Karnataka

After the downfall of the Nizamshahi established by Shahaji Raje , its territory was divided by the Moghuls and Adilshah amongst themselves . Shahaji Raje's Jagir of Pune and Supe lay within Adilshah's share . He gave it to Shahaji Raje on his behalf . Now Shahaji Raje joined the Adilshahi services . Adilshah assigned to him , the task of conquering the territories in distant Karnatak , far away from Pune . Shahaji Raje took Shivaji and Jijabai to Karnatak along with him . While leaving , he assigned the administration of Pune Jagir to Dadaji Konddev , a very loyal servant of his .

Shivaji's childhood in Maharashtra had been very hectic . He and Jijabai had to rush continuously from one fort to another . At that time , young Shivaji used to hear the stories of the brave deeds of his father . Jijabai and Shivaji got some peace when they arrived in Karnatak . Shahaji Raje defeated many kings in Karnatak . Adilshah awarded him with the Jagir of Bangalore . Shahaji Raje then made the city of Bangalore his Headquarters . He lived there with all the trappings of a king and began to summon the court .