Continue reading from Part I Stepping Path (सोपान मार्ग): Stairway facility provided at various places for going to and from places such as embankment, high place, door, tower etc. Umbilical cord (नाळ): Nal (नाळ) is a structure made of a space like a boli (small place), with a certain distance between the two banks of…
Internal Fort (बालेकिल्ला) : Internal Fort (बालेकिल्ला) means fort upon fort. In simple language, a very important and possibly central part of the fort. Also the highest part of the fort. Internal Fort mainly had buildings like Sadar, Wade, Rajwada etc. It was possible to face the enemy during the attack from the internal fort.Example:…
Continue reading from Part V Hierarchy of Administration : Highest Level : Havaldar / Gadkari / Killedar Second Highest Level : Sarnobat and Sabnis and Karkhanis Third Highest Level divided into two parts one is of Sarnobat and other one is of Karkhanis Sarnobat Division : Tat Sarnobat, then Tofa and Golandaj (Cannon Handler) then…
Continue reading from Part IV No one can say for sure how many forts there were in Swarajya at the time of Maharaj’s death. Because according to the information I got, at the time of Maharaj’s death, there were at least 240 and maximum 373 forts in Swarajya. Some have recorded their number as 317,…
Continue reading from Part III Main types of Fort: Bhudurg: Flat ground, open space, embankments, trenches etc., a fort surrounded by these things called Bhuikot or Bhudurg.Examples : Chakan, Paranda, Naladurg etc. Bhuikots require high fortifications and special fencing for security. Chhatrapati was mainly made Bhuikot of black stone. They take special care of the…
Continue reading from Part II Maharaj says in one of his edicts that, ‘देशोदेशी स्थळे पाहून, किल्ले बांधावे, एका गडासमीप दुसरा पर्वत, किल्ला असू नये, असल्यास तो सुरूंग लावून गडाचे आहारी आणावा, जर शक्य नसेल तर बांधून ती जागा मजबूत करावी. तट, बुरूज, चिलखते, पहारे, पडकोट जेथे जेथे असावे ते मजबूत बांधावे. नाजूक जागा ज्या…
Continue reading from Part I Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj gave much more importance to forts. Because the kingdom could be kept strong and safe only because of the forts. Maharaj always worked hard on the fort and navy. Shivaji Maharaj was the only Maharaj who gave so much importance to forts. At that time, jaggery and…
The fort is also known by the names Gad, Gad-kot, Durg. When we thaought about fort, we only imagine the high and remote mountains. But if you want to build a fort, it is not necessary to have only high and remote mountains but surroundings, water supply, fulfillment of basic human needs, protection, structure, construction…
Continue reading from Part XVII The government levied taxes in two ways, one as a grade of land and two as a crop harvested. The farmer who cultivates the fallow land and harvests the crop will be exempted from tax for the first five years. In the next few years the 1/8 part of the…
Continue reading from Part XVI Chauthai (Quarter): Currency, trade taxes, land revenue etc. were then the main and permanent sources of income of Chhatrapati. But the Maharaj’s Gangajali used to cover from a income gain through Chauthai compair to the income from revenue and taxes. Although its form is irregular, jbut it is permanent. Chauth…
