After Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s merciless execution at the hands of Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire thought it had silenced the Maratha resistance. Aurangzeb’s commander, Zulfikar Khan, seized Raigad and imprisoned Sambhaji’s wife, Yesubai, and his young son. But rather than breaking the Marathas, this brutality only strengthened their resolve. The flames of vengeance spread across the Deccan, uniting the Marathas with a single goal—Aurangzeb’s destruction.
The Martyrdom of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj endured 40 days of inhuman torture before his execution in 1689. The Marathas, enraged by this atrocity, put aside all differences and swore to annihilate the Mughal forces. His younger brother, Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj, took the throne and continued the resistance, but the fiercest response came from Maratha warriors like Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav.
The Rise of the Maratha Vengeance
At Sangameshwar, Chhatrapati Sambhaji and 200 warriors faced an overwhelming force of 10,000 Mughal soldiers led by Muqarram Khan. Among the fallen was Malhoji Ghorpade, whose son, Santaji Ghorpade, vowed to make the Mughals pay.
One of the most daring retaliations came at Tulapur, the very place where Sambhaji Maharaj was executed. In a surprise night attack, Santaji and Dhanaji led 2,000 Maratha warriors against Aurangzeb’s massive encampment. The Mughals, numbering in lakhs, were caught off guard. Mughal historian Kafi Khan later recorded, “After Tulapur, the Mughals trembled at Santaji’s name. His very presence sent Mughal troops into chaos.” The Marathas slaughtered the Mughal forces, forcing Aurangzeb to flee in disgrace.
The Marathas seized two golden finials from Aurangzeb’s royal tent, a symbolic victory that shattered Mughal morale.
The next morning, as Aurangzeb gazed at the thousands of slain soldiers, he is said to have muttered in despair, “O Allah! These Marathas never tire, never surrender. What if we perish trying to destroy them?”
Liberation of Raigad and the Fall of Muqarram Khan
Two days later, Santaji turned his attention to Raigad, where Zulfikar Khan had imprisoned Yesubai. The Marathas, striking with precision, surrounded the fort, annihilated the Mughal troops, and liberated their people. They seized enormous Mughal treasures, horses, and elephants, securing another decisive victory.
Next, the Marathas targeted Muqarram Khan—the very man responsible for betraying and capturing Sambhaji Maharaj. In December 1689, Santaji and his forces encircled Muqarram Khan’s army and unleashed a brutal attack. Santaji himself hunted Muqarram down, striking him down in the jungle and leaving his corpse for the vultures. With his death, the Marathas had avenged their fallen king.
Aurangzeb’s Humiliation and the Ultimate Defeat
In 1691, Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj appointed Santaji Ghorpade as the Commander-in-Chief of the Maratha army. With 15,000–20,000 warriors, Santaji led lightning-fast raids across Mughal territories, raising the saffron flag over vast regions. Aurangzeb, once the most powerful emperor of his time, was now a fugitive in the Deccan, fleeing from the relentless Maratha onslaught.
For 27 years, the Marathas kept Aurangzeb on the run. Defeat after defeat crushed his spirit. Broken by humiliation and relentless Maratha attacks, Aurangzeb died in 1707 in Maharashtra—the land he failed to conquer. His dream of eradicating Hindavi Swarajya was left in ruins.
The Legacy of the Maratha Victory
The fall of Aurangzeb marked the beginning of the end for the Mughal Empire. Within a few decades, the Marathas would rise as the dominant power in India, shaping the subcontinent’s future. Yet today, some still glorify Aurangzeb, forgetting that his tyranny was met with unwavering resistance and ultimate defeat.
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj did not die in vain. His sacrifice ignited a fire that consumed the Mughal Empire. The Marathas stood unshaken, proving that true courage and resilience can defeat even the mightiest of tyrants.
This is our history. Never forget it.