Who else is the man here?!
What metal were men like ‘Tanaji Malsure’ made of i thought to myself… eventually recognising the fallacy of the question
One of my annual solo-trips took me to Singhagad a couple of years back.
On seeing this bust of Tanaji, i wept. “What metal were you men made of”, i silently asked him… as if alluding to the fact that a man was asking another man this question.
“Who else is a man here?”
Just then i remembered the story of Meerabai, the famous 15th century devotee of Krishna. She had entered a Krishna temple’s Garbha-Griha (the seat of the Deity) where only Brahmin-men were allowed entry for the Pooja rituals. When the head priest heard, he ordered Meerabai to vacate the Garbha-Griha of the Lord, saying, “Only men are allowed here”. And Meerabai had famously asked “Who else is a man here?” reminding the men priests that if they were in love with Krishna, then they couldn’t have held to their identity as men.
And remembering this story of Meerabai, i whispered to Tanaji and myself, ‘who else is a man here’… who amongst us men present in the sanctum of Tanaji, can claim to be man.
And i wept… asking him to bless me from wherever he was so that i may continue his fight….
…till we get the ‘Hindavi Swarajya’ that is King wished to see India be turned to.
A year later i was back at Singhagad, this time as a tour-guide to a dear friend from Bangalore. And as we entered the Samadhi sanctum of Tanaji, i saw a woman stand in front of his bust as if she was speaking to him.
I stopped walking to ensure she does not notice me standing nearby.
She wept and talked to him… in Marathi. I understood nothing.
But i wept with her. I understood her emotion; the feeling of what she must have been saying to him to was clear to me.
This story that had to be told was clear in my head. I wanted to share the moment with readers in the hope of inspiring them to visit Singhagad…and learn about the sacrifices these stalwards, these men, made for keeping our civilization, our Dharma, alive.
Weeping silently i took out my phone camera… she realised she was weeping too loudly; she realised that i and some other people were standing and watching her. A tad embarrassed she walked away wiping her wet face.
I went upto her and as i hugged her gently, i told her that i had a similar breakdown a year back. “क्या करें यहाँ आके ऐसा हो ही जाता है न”, she said weeping and wiping her tears.
For those among the readers unaware of the story of Tanaji Malsure, here’s a short intro with pictures of wall-paintings at the sanctum.
The Story of Tanaji and Kondhana
Kondhana Fort was renamed Singhagad by Shivaji in honour of his General, Tanaji Malusare, who wrested the fort back from the Mughals.
Tanaji had launched an audacious surprise attack with 300 commandos on a garrison of 1200 men of the Mughal force (including, sadly, the Rajputs) stationed on the fort.
The climb was made from this area (see pic below) — a part of the fort left unguarded by the Mughal army, assuming the area was impossible to climb.
- Jijau, Shivaji’s mother, demands that Shivaji win back the fort from Mughals
- Shivaji is deeply worried because he knows it is nearly a suicide mission
- Tanaji leaves his daughter’s wedding preparations to meet his King — Shivaji Maharaj — to urge him to let him lead the campaign to win back Kondhana
4. A few dozen commandos made the climb, few fell and died. The ones who reached fought their way to the nearby gates to let in the remaining soldiers waiting at the gates.
5. The 250–300 odd men fought off a 1200 strong Mughal garrison.
6. With his left arm cut off and tied in cloth, Tanaji continues to fight the Rajput Commander of the Mughal Army, and kills him.
7. And dies in battlefield.
Some more pics from the Samadhi.
