Tanaji Malasure was only a boy when he took an oath to support his friend, Shivaji, in fighting the Mughals. Along with their small band of faithful followers they became a thorn in the side of the Emperor Aurangazeb as they conquered fort after fort. Tanaji's prowess was tested when he was entrusted with the near impossible task of capturing Kondana Fort. The present story is based on Shivasmruti by G.S. Sardesai and Shivaji the Maratha – His Life and Times by Sir H.G. Rawlinson.

India, 1658. History blazes in the pages of Tiger Claws as passion and desire ignite India's Muslim-Hindu conflict. The adventure that began with The Temple Dancer now continues as Maya, the temple dancer, traveling by caravan to her new owner, is kidnapped by the bandit prince Shivaji, and their destinies unite. Meanwhile, in the jeweled palace of Agra, Aurangzeb---a fanatic warrior-prince with an insatiable lust for power---conspires with the Eunuch Brotherhood to overthrow his own father, the dissolute Mogul Emperor. Shivaji reforges Maya's broken sword, sparking a rebellion that will rage across India and shatter the Mogul Empire. To this day, the names Shivaji and Aurangzeb inspire fierce love and fiercer hatred. Only the vast canvas of an epic novel can truly embody them. In Tiger Claws, a master storyteller breathes new life into their history---a conflict that shaped the face of India, and our world today. With thrilling, sensual prose, John Speed weaves a rich tapestry of intertwining stories---of commoner and king, of women and the men they love, of Hindu priest and Muslim sheik, of eunuch, farang, and devadasi; a world of violence, passion, and heartbreak; of unexpected wonder and enduring love.

Tanaji Malusare was a very close friend of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and a brave and loyal Maratha Commander. He used to play the role of a 'Subedaar' (governor) for Shivaji Maharaj so that a Maratha Empire and a 'Hindavi Swarajya' could be established. Tanaji was a childhood friend of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj . He played an important role in the battle of Sinhgad in 1670. Although, there were many Commanders in Shivaji's army, Chatrapati Shivaji chose the brave Tanaji for the attack on Kodhna. 'Kodhna' became a part of 'Swarajya', but Tanaji was killed. When Chatrapati Shivaji heard the news, the words that he uttered were, 'Although, we have won the fort, but I have lost my courageous fighter.' This book presents before the readers the struggles of Tanaji Malusare's life. Ajay Devgan is making a big budget movie on Tanaji's life, which will be released in January 2020. He himself is playing the role of Tanaji.

Animals are worshipped in India in many ways: as deities—the elephant-god Ganesha and the monkey-god Hanuman; as avatars—like Vishnu’s fish, tortoise and boar forms; and as vahanas—the swan, bull, lion and tiger were all vehicles of major deities and are thus sacred by association. Some animals, like the snake, are worshipped out of fear. Birds such as the crow are associated with the abode of the dead, or the souls of ancestors, while the cow’s sanctity may derive from its economic value. There are also hero-animals, such as the vanaras, and animals which were totemic symbols of tribes that were assimilated into Vedic Hinduism. Sacred Animals of India draws on the ancient religious traditions of India—Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism—to explore the customs and practices that engendered the veneration of animals in India. This book also examines the traditions that gave animals in India protection, and is a reminder of the role of animal species in the earth’s biodiversity.

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“States fall, empires break up, dynasties become extinct, but the memory of a true “hero as King” like Shivaji remains an imperishable historical legacy…” – Jadunath Sarkar, House of Shivaji (1919) Shivaji Bhonsle was an Indian warrior king who went on to lay the foundation of the strong Maratha Empire. The first Chhatrapati, he is known to have outdone his predecessors as well as successors in giving an identity and status to Marathas. A tactful military commander and skilled administrator, he steadily built his army from a mere two thousand soldiers to almost five-fold, and also developed a naval force. He defeated Afzal Khan and Adil Shah, giving strong resistance to the Mughal forces. From forming guerilla forces to immensely contributing in the development of the civilization of Marathas, he carved a niche in all spheres of operation. Shivaji: The Great Rebel explores the lifespan of Shivaji as an Indian king who instigated a new fire in the hearts of people against the Mughal Empire and taught them to fight for their rights. It highlights Shivaji as one of the prominent rulers to inspire people to fight for Hindu pride and raise their voice against cruelty. He stood up to guard and preserve the nation's honour, and is a great source of inspiration till date.

The "Maratha period" of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when an independent Maratha state successfully resisted the Mughals, is a defining era in the history of the region of Maharashtra in western India. In this book, Prachi Deshpande considers the importance of this period for a variety of political projects including anticolonial/Hindu nationalism and the non-Brahman movement, as well as popular debates throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries concerning the meaning of tradition, culture, and the experience of colonialism and modernity. Sampling from a rich body of literary and cultural sources, Deshpande highlights shifts in history writing in early modern and modern India and the deep connections between historical and literary narratives. She traces the reproduction of the Maratha period in various genres and public arenas, its incorporation into regional political symbolism, and its centrality to the making of a modern Marathi regional consciousness. She also shows how historical memory provided a space for Indians to negotiate among their national, religious, and regional identities, pointing to history's deeper potential in shaping politics within thoroughly diverse societies. A truly unique study, Creative Pasts examines the practices of historiography and popular memory within a particular colonial context, and illuminates the impact of colonialism on colonized societies and cultures. Furthermore, it shows how modern history and historical memory are jointly created through the interplay of cultural activities, power structures, and political rhetoric.

A king who composed more than 400 songs. A princess who followed a beloved temple idol to the very end. Emperors who tamed wild cheetahs and kept zebras as pets. Queens who fought the mightiest and cruellest powers on land and sea. Determined warriors, artistic temple builders, wise administrators, prolific writers, unabashed food-lovers and expert musicians... Who were these incredible, multifaceted rulers from the past who stood out among hundreds of others? From Kattabomman to Krishnadevaraya, from Abbakka to Durgavati, from Velu Nachiyar to Shantala, and from Mahendravarman to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - what was extraordinary about them and their reign? In over 15 fascinating stories, this charmingly illustrated book takes you to the kingdoms, courts, palaces and battlefields of glorious royals, who shaped events in their own times and made their place forever in our history.

Plays about Shivaji, Raja, 1627-1680 and Muhammad Bahadur Shah II, King of Delhi, 1775-1862; translations from Hindi by Kumar Shant Rakshit and Javed Rahman respectively, with critical introduction.

From being a victim of injustice to spreading violence and spreading injustice; life takes us from one extreme to another… Often, what one hates the most, becomes that!! Opposites have a tremendous craving to meet in the form of coincidence… A negative charge can only be balanced by a positive charge… Extreme violence is expression of a mind who has lost its freedom and sanity to brutal abuse of his dignity; this can only be balanced by sustaining the dignity of the hurt soul, by affection and friendship… When hurt and burns of violence meet friendship and affection, the sanity dawns and the anger dissolves into peace and contentment… May the world find its due affection and friendship…