Last Updated:
That historical incident of the 17th century still thrills people, when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the symbol of Maratha self-respect, was put under house arrest in Agra Fort by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. This story, which started after an alleged insult in the court, became an example not only of imprisonment, but of courage, strategy and amazing cleverness. After about 99 days of detention, Shivaji Maharaj made such a plan, which surprised even the Mughal security system. His escape from Agra Fort by hiding in fruit baskets is counted among the most interesting incidents in Indian history.
Agra. Agra in Uttar Pradesh was ruled by the Mughals for many years. Mughal emperors ruled from Agra Fort. An important incident related to this historical fort is the detention of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. According to senior historians, in the year 1666 AD, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb had deceitfully put Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji under house arrest in a mansion located in Kothi Meena Bazaar of Agra Fort. It is said that on 12 May 1666, after not getting proper respect in the court and registering a protest, Shivaji Maharaj was imprisoned.
Insult in Diwan-e-Khas, controversy increased
According to Professor Anurag Paliwal, senior historian of Agra, when Shivaji Maharaj reached the Diwan-e-Khas of Agra Fort to meet Aurangzeb, he was not given the expected respect. Feeling neglected in the court, Shivaji Maharaj protested against this. Angered by this protest, Aurangzeb ordered his arrest. After this, Mughal soldiers imprisoned Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji under strict surveillance.
clever escape plan
According to historians, Shivaji Maharaj was not only a brave warrior but also an extremely intelligent and strategist. During detention he started pretending to be ill. During this time, permission was taken to send baskets of sweets and fruits to the court. On 17 August 1666, Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji managed to escape from the Agra Fort, dodging the tight security by hiding in baskets filled with fruits and sweets. It is said that he remained under house arrest for about 99 days. After leaving Agra, he succeeded in reaching Raigarh in Maharashtra via Mathura and Kashi (Varanasi) in disguise. This incident is considered a wonderful example of courage, strategy and cleverness in Indian history.
About the Author
I have been working in the media industry for the last 4 years and currently working in News18. Before this, I had also worked in an MNC. I cover the beats of UP, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Along with the news, I…read more