When the film Chaava, based on the life of Sambhaji Maharaj, was released, it resonated deeply with the public. This cinematic portrayal of the second ruler of the Maratha Empire stirred powerful emotions, particularly because of the haunting depiction of his brutal death. The film, an adaptation of Shivaji Sawant’s Marathi novel Chhava, directed by Laxman Utekar and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, left many viewers distraught. The final scenes, in which Sambhaji was shown enduring unimaginable torture before his execution, proved to be especially heartbreaking. Prior to this movie, the historical figure of Sambhaji was relegated to the pages of obscure articles and Wikipedia updates, with few truly engaging with his complex legacy. However, the release of the film catapulted him into the limelight, transforming him into a political symbol. In fact, the Maharashtra government, now embroiled in the controversy surrounding his portrayal, raised objections against certain aspects of his biography on Wikipedia, questioning the accuracy and fairness of the portrayal.
Sambhaji’s life, marked by triumphs and tragedies, was not merely one of royal ascent but also one of hardship and political struggle. Born at Purandar Fort to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his first wife Saibai, he lost his mother at a tender age and was subsequently raised by his grandmother Jijabai. At the age of nine, he was sent to live with Raja Jai Singh of Amber as part of a political arrangement that ensured the Maratha’s compliance with the Treaty of Purandar, signed by Shivaji with the Mughals in 1665. This agreement also saw young Sambhaji enter the Mughal fold as a mansabdar, a title that bound him to the Mughal Empire. Despite this early submission, Sambhaji’s life would be anything but ordinary. In 1666, he, along with his father Shivaji, was summoned to the Mughal court at Agra. The emperor, Aurangzeb, put them under house arrest, but the pair managed a daring escape two months later. This episode marked the beginning of a fraught relationship between the Marathas and the Mughal Empire, one that would persist for decades.
Upon Shivaji Maharaj’s death in 1680, the political landscape of the Maratha Empire was thrown into turmoil. While some of Shivaji’s ministers schemed to place his half-brother Rajaram on the throne, Sambhaji was not one to passively accept such attempts. Instead, he acted swiftly, seizing control of the crucial forts at Panhala and Raigad, and on 20th July 1680, he was crowned Chhatrapati. His reign was soon marked by military campaigns against several neighboring kingdoms. The Marathas, under his leadership, engaged in frequent skirmishes with the Mughals, starting with an attack on Burhanpur. In addition, Sambhaji fought against the Siddis of Janjira and the Portuguese in Goa, establishing his authority as a formidable leader. The alliance with the English in 1684, aimed at acquiring vital weapons and gunpowder, was a pragmatic move in the face of escalating conflict.
However, not all of Sambhaji’s military ventures met with success. The Battle of Wai in 1687, fought in the dense forests of Wai and Mahabaleshwar, ended in a victory over the Mughals, but it came at a high cost. The Marathas lost their commander-in-chief, Hambirao Mohite, a blow from which their military position struggled to recover. In the aftermath of this setback, Sambhaji’s authority was increasingly questioned, not just by his enemies but by members of his own court and family. Political conspiracies festered in the shadows, and his position became increasingly precarious.
The turning point came in 1689, when Sambhaji was betrayed and captured by the Mughals at Sangameshwar, along with 25 of his trusted counselors. Among them was his close confidant, the poet Kavi Kalash. They were taken to Bahadurgad, where they endured inhuman torture. The Mughals, determined to break his spirit, subjected him to unspeakable cruelty before executing him by beheading at Tulapur on 11th March 1689. With his death, the Maratha throne passed to his brother Rajaram, marking the end of a turbulent chapter in Maratha history.
Yet, the complexities of Sambhaji’s reign and character have remained subjects of debate among historians. Accounts of his life are often at odds, shaped by conflicting political allegiances. While some sources emphasize his ruthlessness and perceived failings, others argue that such portrayals are biased, written by those who opposed his rule. Some have suggested that Sambhaji’s behavior, including his alleged indulgence in sensual pleasures, led his father, Shivaji, to imprison him in 1678 at Panhala. The reasons for this imprisonment remain murky, with one theory pointing to a scandal involving a Brahmin’s wife. Even so, these narratives remain contentious, and many historians, such as Stewart N. Gordon, suggest that Shivaji may have intentionally sought to divide his empire between his two sons, with Sambhaji receiving the newly conquered territories of Karnataka and coastal Gingee, while Rajaram would govern the heartlands of Maharashtra. This division, they argue, could have led to Sambhaji’s dissatisfaction and eventual alignment with Diler Khan, a Mughal general, in a bid for power. However, the relationship between Sambhaji and Diler Khan quickly soured, leading to his return to the Maratha fold.
In recent years, even as history continues to be reinterpreted, Sambhaji’s legacy remains contentious, symbolizing both valor and controversy. The Wikipedia page that once chronicled his life with dry historical facts has now become the focal point of political debate. The Maharashtra government’s objection to certain controversial aspects of his portrayal reveals the contemporary tensions surrounding his image. Where once the figure of Sambhaji was relegated to the annals of history, it is now caught in the web of modern political discourse, a symbol of the enduring struggle between historical narratives and contemporary politics. As the echoes of Chaava reverberate through the collective consciousness, the Maratha ruler’s legacy continues to evoke a complex blend of admiration, resentment, and unhealed wounds—both from the past and the present.
