Tanaji Malusare

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Bust of Tanaji on top of Simhagad Fort

Tanaji Malusare (Marathi: तानाजी मालुसरे), also known as Simha (Lion), was a renowned warrior and military leader in the army of Chatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhonslé, founder of the Maratha Empire in 17th century India.

Tanaji was one of Shivaji's closest friends; the two had known each other since childhood. In 1670, at Shivaji's request, he pledged to recapture the fortress of Kondana near Pune. According to many accounts, he received the summons at his son's wedding, and immediately left the festivities.

1 Capture of Kondana / Sinhagad fort
2 Tanaji uses a Giant Monitor Lizard to climb up the sheer steep fort wall
3 "The fort is gained, but the lion is lost"
4 See also
5 References

[edit] Capture of Kondana / Sinhagad fort

Kondana was a well-defended stronghold located atop steep cliffs. It was strategically placed in the middle of three forts, Rajgad, Purandar, and Torana. It was considered nearly impossible to capture it by force. Shivaji had earlier controlled Kondana between c.1650 and 1660. After strengthening its defences, Shivaji had been forced to cede it to the Mughals as part of the treaty of Purandar signed with Raja Jai_Singh_I of Jaipur, an important officer in the mughal army. At that time, Kondana was garrisoned by over a thousand Rajput soldiers in the service of the mughals, led by Udai Bhan, a relative of Mirza Raja Jai Singh. Capturing this fort was necessary for reestablish de facto control over the surrounding region.

With almost all his troops, Udai Bhan had a roaring party on top of the overhanging cliff. Tanaji mounted a surprise attack. With a band of about three hundred men, he approached the fort at night from the base of its highest and sheerest cliff -- this part of the fort was considered so impregnable that it was lightly guarded.

[edit] Tanaji uses a Giant Monitor Lizard to climb up the sheer steep fort wall

Shivaji's general Tanaji Malusare used Shivaji’s famous pet monitor lizard which is locally known as ghorpad named "Yeshwanti" with a rope tied around its shoulder for climbing up the walls of the Sinhagad fort from it’s steepest and the least guarded side in the dead of a moonless night during the Battle of Sinhagad. Once he had scaled up himself after the giant lizard, up the sheer steep cliff unnoticed, he threw down rope ladders for others to climb. Common Indian Monitor (Varanus bengalensis) found locally in present day Maharashtra is the species of Monitor Lizard said to have been used which is also known as ghorpad in Marathi.

These Monitor lizards are famous for their ability to cling to smooth surfaces, and were traditionally trained for this purpose by herders in the area.

Being cold blooded reptiles monitor lizards can be commonly seen clinging to verticle rock faces and old fort walls and such to warm themselves for becoming active by getting maximum exposure to early morning sun.

[edit] "The fort is gained, but the lion is lost"

Using the dropped rope ladders, an advance guard climbed to the fort and lowered rope ladders. Tanaji and some of his men scaled the walls. Tanaji was in the vanguard, and his hand was cut off. The Marathas suffered heavy casualties initially and Tanaji was himself killed in the initial part of the battle. After a pitched fight, the Marathas managed to open the gates of the fort from inside, allowing the remainder of their attacking force to enter the fort.

Tanaji's uncle, Shelar Mama and his brother Suryaji had moved close to the gates of the fort with another 300 Mavalas (Maratha Soldiers). Once inside, all his comrades mercilessly fell upon their enemies. They started slaughtering the surprised and ill-prepared and drunk Muslim soldiers.

When Shivaji learned of his friend's death, he remarked "Gad ala pan Sinha gela", meaning "We have gained the fort, but lost the lion."

Following the Victory Kondana fort was renamed Sinhagad.

Today, Sinhagad is a major tourist spot, and a historical attraction. The fort itself is in bad shape but the cliffs are as imposing as they ever were. A memorial to Tanaji's hand may be seen at the site of his attack, and the sheer cliff has become known as the Ghorpad Wall.