Question

Who lost fingers in the raid of Lal Mahal done by Shivaji Maharaj?
A. Aurangzeb
B. Firangoji Narsala
C. Shaista Khan
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint Shivaji Maharaj was an Indian Maratha warrior-king and one of the greatest rulers of the Maratha clan. He was the first Chhatrapati (emperor) of the Maratha Empire. Shivaji stayed at the Lal Mahal as a child till he raided and captured his first fort that formed the nucleus of the Maratha Empire. Later the Lal Mahal was captured by the Mughals and was raided by Shivaji to get it back.

Complete step by step solution
Aurangzeb sent one of his most able ministers, Shaista Khan to defeat Shivaji. Shaistakhan arrived in Aurangabad in January 1660 and seized the city of Pune which was the center of Shivaji’s realm. He destroyed many temples in Maharashtra and also captured various Maratha forts after heavy fighting with the Marathas. Shaistakhan ruled the region brutally for more than 3 years.
Shaistakhan lived at the Lal Mahal which was also Shivaji’s childhood home. On 5th April 1663, Shivaji entered Pune with 400 soldiers disguised as bridegroom’s procession members for a marriage that was to be held in the city.
At midnight, Shivaji and his forces quickly entered the palace quietly by making a hole in the kitchen. They then dug a hole in Khan’s bedroom, quickly but quietly. Shaista Khan was unprepared for this sudden attack and tried to escape through the window to save his life. However, Shivaji had entered his chamber and managed to cut off his fingers as he tried to escape. Shaistakhan suffered a great deal of humiliation and due to the loss was transferred by the emperor Aurangzeb to Bengal.

Hence, the correct answer is C.

Note Lal Mahal was built with the idea of rejuvenating the city of Pune. Shivaji grew up here with his mother and stayed in the Lal Mahal till he captured the Torna fort in 1645. Towards the end of the 17th Century, the Lal Mahal had been ruined and was eventually razed to the ground due to the various attacks on the city.