SINDHUDURG: SPONSORED BY SURTI SPOILS.............
‘You think we should get our signboards translated in Gujarati, to make Surtis aware of the state language?”I was solicited at a party last Saturday.
‘How would that help the language?”I questioned.
‘No, I mean to Roman Gujarati like Ahmadabad’s advertising boards that write ‘Na hoy!’ in English and ‘jhed blue’ in Gujarati.
‘You mean Jade Blue? Yes? But how will that promote the state language?”
‘Hmm.....our traders are lucky we don’t insist on them to change shop names to ‘Dhiraj Na poiraao,’ ‘paschim baju’ and so on, to benefit the vernacular verse. Why don’t you write a piece about how tolerant Surtis are?’I was then asked.
’I did one, on how we always have welcomed migrants from all over the country ,the world and have even adopted many of their customs.’
‘And which other city in the world would proudly, with great respect, have a statue on its main road of a warrior who had once sacked the very city?’
‘None that I know of. Shivaji, Chatrapati is considered one of the greatest conquerors in the history of Indian warfare. He was also known to be an intelligent and just ruler who showed respect to all places of worship, preists of all religions and protected women and children.’
‘Did you know Shivaji raided Surat 16 times?
‘Well, he was known to be a master strategist and a brave warrior. History says he plundered Surat twice, once in 1664 and then in 1670.The first time was considered as an act of revenge because Shiasta khan had looted Maratha territory. The Mughals who then ruled Surat were not prepared for his invasion, so Surat was sacked .It was the richest port and also the pride of the Mughals. The Mughal governor, Inayat Khan was known to be corrupt, though Aurungzeb had ordered an army of 5000 to be appointed, he had hired only 1000 soldiers to defend Surat and pocketed the rest of the money. He locked himself in the fort of Surat and failed to protect the town as well as the Mughal and Portuguese trading centres; but the British governor George Oxenden and his men, put up a brave fight, thus protecting the English factory from invasion.
‘Shivaji looted Surat and jumped his horse over the river, dumped all the riches in the Tapti.’
‘He knew better than to do that. The loot was stored in the cellars of the Raigadh fort. Most of the money [more than a crore in the first raid of 1664] went towards creating a standing army and navy that was disciplined and well paid. A large part of it also went in the making of the fort that is considered Maharashtra’s glory-Sindhurdurg; meaning the fort in the Sea. Nestled at the foot of the Sahyadri mountain range, on the Konkan coastline, surrounded by the Arabian Sea on three sides. It took 4000 mounds of iron for casting .Its foundation stones were laid down in lead which had to be brought in by boats since sea was the only route of access.Sindhurdurg has many temples, wells, a sweet water lake and a secret passage to escape from within it. It is, also, the only place where a temple of Shivaji stands.’
‘So, you are saying that this grand architectural wonder-Sindhudurg was made by the money that belonged to the rich traders of Surat?’
‘Well yes, but after the plunder, to the victor went the spoils.’
‘Do you think we should approach Mr. Raj Thackeray with this detail? I mean, he does so deeply understand the glory and pride of a state and its people. He says he fights for the cause of justice to history.'
‘Yes, but what do you want to ask of him?’
‘Why, renaming Sindhudurg of course! I am sure he would agree to at least a Gujarati signboard, with a brief history; for the benefit of Surti tourists.’
Needless to say, I was speechless.