World's First Surgical Strike by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Shaista khan entered in Pune

 

Maharashtra was surrounded by Mughal invaders. At that time, Aurangzeb was the Mughal emperor. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj started the campaign of Hindavi Swaraj against all outside invaders. This made the Aurangzeb angry. Aurangzeb ordered his maternal uncle Shaista Khan to attack Shivaji with a huge army. In this army, there were about 70,000 cavalries, 30,000 infantry and a very large amount of ammunition. On 3 March 1660, Shaista Khan entered in Maharashtra. There was chaos in the public and most of the people left the village and started running towards the forests. Shaista Khan took the army and took control of the fort of Chakan and reached Pune. Shaista Khan camped on 9 May 1660 in Shivaji's Lal Mahal, Pune. 

Lal Mahal

In the battle of Chakan, Firangoji Narsala fought with Shaista Khan with tremendous courage. Firangoji fought for the fort for two months. But it did not last long in front of Shaista Khan's artillery. His army encamped around the Lal Mahal. One year passed and another year passed but Khan did not move from Lal Mahal. He lived in Pune for three years from 1660 to 1663 but had no success.

Plan of Surgical Strike

The total army in Rajgad under Shivaji Maharaj was very less. For this reason, there was no direct movement from Shivaji Raje. Shivaji Raje consulted with mother Rajmata Jijau and trusted ministers and spies in Rajgad. And secretly entered the Lalmahal, Pune, surrounded by more than 1 lakh army equipped with guns and cannons, to prepare a very unpredictable plan to eliminate the enemy, which no one else was aware of.

The day before Ram Navami was chosen for the implementation of the plan. The intelligence system of Shivaji Maharaj was very efficient and elaborate. Its main responsibility was on skilled-intelligent Bahirji Naik. Based on his information, Shivaji Raje had made such a bold plan. 

5 April 1663

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Sunset was about to happen. Shivaji Maharaj ordered Moropant Pingale and Netaji Palkar to launch the campaign at the same time. Preparations for the expedition started immediately. After paying obeisance to Rajmata and seeing Goddess Bhavani, Shivaji Raje also left for Lal Mahal. He took Tanhaji Malusare & Yesaji kank with him and divided the rest of the army into two troops, which were led by two commanders. After that, everyone went ahead with the army.

All soldiers entered Pune with different plans

Shivaji Raje moved towards Lal Mahal with a comfortable sense of his Maratha heroes. He reached inside with a procession of marriage. In the evening, riding on a horse, the young 'groom' covered with a golden shawl. All of them entered the city laughing and jokingly performing the procession of marriage.

Shivaji's childhood friend Chimnaji Deshpande went towards the city with his troop. Seeing Shivaji's army, it seemed as if the innocent people came to marriage.

Many people of Shivaji's army had entered the city as men who brought grass for the horses, elephants and other cattle of the Mughal camp.

Execution of Plan

There was a door leading from the Lal mahal's kitchen to the inside of the Janankhana. The door was closed with bricks to separate the male cooks from the janankhana. Yesaji kank started breaking the brick wall. After a little effort, the wall broke. But the door was locked. He had to use his power to break it. On the other side of the door, some servant was sleeping. As soon as they heard the voice, they woke up and ran to inform Shaista Khan.

As soon as the door broke Tanhaji Malusare, Yesaji kank, Chimnaji Deshpande & Koyaji Bandal, along with the army behind them, entered Shaista Khan's palace and killed all the guards around them. Shaista Khan was sleeping in his bed. Shaista Khan quickly got up from his bed and ran away. At the same time, a clever maid switched off all the lights.

Attack on Shaista khan

Shivaji Raje was looking for Shaista Khan only. He got it after ripping the heavy curtain with his sword. Shivaji, in the dark, swung a sword at him. Hearing the screams, Shivaji Raje felt that Shaista Khan was dead. But he was not dead, fingers of his right hand were cut and fell on the ground. Taking a bloody hand, he jumped from the window.

Mughals fooled by Marathas

A large number of Mughal soldiers had gathered outside Lal Mahal with so much chaos. As the news spreads, Where is the enemy? where had they gone? Shivaji's army also started shouting enemy-enemy, go Catch them. On the other hand, drumming started ringing loudly. Someone had opened the main door of Lal Mahal. And the Mughal army was entering and looking for the enemy. Taking part in the shout of the Mughals, Shivaji along with his army took the advantage of the darkness and came out of the Lal Mahal.

Bulls at Katraj Ghat

After a long time, the Mughal army understood that Shivaji went out of the Mughal camp with his army. Seeing the Maratha army running away with torches from far away, the Mughal army rushed in the same direction to capture Shivaji. But the Mughals reached there and saw that torches were tied on the horns of many bulls and that the bulls were running here and there in fear. The Mughal army would come to capture Shivaji, it was already known to the Marathas. For this reason, by burning torches on the horns of bulls, they were driven away in the opposite direction. Mughals returned to the camp. It was a plan to distract the Mughals towards Katraj. Meanwhile, Shivaji Maharaj also reached Sinhgad with his army.

Impact of this attack

Shivaji Maharaj shattered the pride of Shaista Khan's bravery. By showing extraordinary bravery & invading Shaista Khan by taking a count of Maratha soldiers in the camp of a huge Mughal army of more than one lakh. Shaista Khan's three fingers were cut off, his son Fatte Khan, a son-in-law, a general and 40 important officials were killed.

Shaista Khan thought that my Fingers are broken today, Shivaji will cut off my head tomorrow. He began to feel such fear. The condition of finger-less Shaista Khan became extremely embarrassing. It became difficult for him to show his face to his chiefs, armies & Aurangzeb. He raised a large camp in Pune on the third day by placing some army under Jaswant Singh and returned leaving Pune after being extremely humiliated. This attack was so great that it had put a question mark on the reputation of Mughal chieftains. 

Heroes of this first Surgical Strike

Shivaji's mighty chieftains (Sardar) like Subhedar Tanhaji Malusare, Sarsenapati Yesaji kank, Moropant Pingale, Baji Sarjerao Jedhe, Koyaji Bandal, Chimnaji Deshpande & Balaji Deshpande were behind this great & ruthless reply to Mughal power. And the most important role in choosing and planning the day of the invasion was undercover Bahirji Naik.

Learnings

Shivaji Maharaj's attack on Shaista Khan in Lal Mahal was the result of an excellent plan. This attack establishes them as a proud heroic warrior and visionary politician. This gives us a tactical war strategy, nowadays known as Surgical Strike. Most of the countries are using this in war. Shivaji Maharaj taught us how to defeat the enemy by entering into their home with less army. In India, this day is known as Shivtej Day.

Thank you !!!