SHIVAJI RAJE'S CHILDHOOD...!

BIRTH OF SHIVAJI:
those very unsettled days.Shahajan 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 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 Junner 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 Bhosales.He agreed to give protection against moughuls.
And then the golden day dawned. On the aspicious 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 12th day with appropriate ceremoney, the child was named “Shivaji” as the child born on Fort Shivneri.
                 Shivaji passed the 1st 6 years of his life in highly unsettled conditions. Even so, Jijabai didn't 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 & tell him stories of Ram & Krishna, of Bheem and Abhimanyu. On other occations she would recite to him the devotional songs of Dnyaneshwar,Namdev & Eknath. Shivaji liked to listen to the exploits of brave men. Shivaji left 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 & honour for all saints. And great men.
Children from poor families came to play with Shivaji.
Sometimes he visited them in their nuts and shared their simple meal of onion & bhakri with great relish. They invented instresting games to pass the time. The childrens of Mavla’s were like birds in the forest. Their pastime was building small forts of earth & seek, or played with ball & top.
Shivaji joined them in all these games & become famous with Mavla’s childrens.

BY:-VISHAL SHIVAJI BHOSALE.