Shivaji of Thanjavur

Raja Shivaji (Marathi: तंजावरचे शिवाजी) (fl. 17 March 1832 – 29 October 1855) of the Bhonsle dynasty of Thanjavur in India, was the son of Raja Serfoji II and ruled the fortress of Thanjavur and its surroundings from 1832 to 1855. He was the last Raja of Thanjavur known to wield any authority.

Raja Shivaji was the only surviving son of Serfoji II when the latter died in 1832. The missionary Heber describes the young Shivaji as a 'pale and sickly child'. However, his health seemed to have got better as he grew up for he is known for his physical and mental attainments. He contributed to the expansion of the Saraswathi Mahal Library and gave many useful books. One Varahappaiyar prepared the catalogue for all the manuscripts in the library.

'Arrest' of the Kanchi Mutt

But Shivaji is mostly known for the incident related to the 'arrest' of the Kanchi mutt. The earrings (tatankas) of the Goddess Akhilandeswari in the Jambukeshwarar Temple was replaced with new ones in 1843-44. So, the Kanchi mutt, then based in Kumbakonam, shifted to Trichy with all the retinue in order to conduct a Tatanka-Pratishta ceremony for consecration of the earrings. But a lawsuit delayed the ceremonies and the court case along with the rituals that followed incurred great debts on the part of the Mutt that they were unable to shift the Mutt back to Kumbakonam. At this juncture, the administrator-in-charge of the ceremonies, a young Brahmin, went to court of Shivaji and requested that the retinue should be allowed to stop at Thanjavur to receive donations from the people. But the Raja staunchly refused.

Shivaji

Shivaji Bhonsle (Marathi [ʃiʋaˑɟiˑ bʱoˑs(ə)leˑ]; c. 1627/1630 – 3 April 1680), also known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian warrior king and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out an enclave from the declining Adilshahi sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the Maratha Empire. In 1674, he was formally crowned as the Chhatrapati (Monarch) of his realm at Raigad.

Shivaji established a competent and progressive civil rule with the help of a disciplined military and well-structured administrative organisations. He innovated military tactics, pioneering the guerrilla warfare methods (Shiva sutra or ganimi kava), which leveraged strategic factors like geography, speed, and surprise and focused pinpoint attacks to defeat his larger and more powerful enemies. He revived ancient Hindu political traditions and court conventions and promoted the usage of Marathi and Sanskrit, rather than Persian, in court and administration.

Shivaji's legacy was to vary by observer and time but began to take on increased importance with the emergence of the Indian independence movement, as many elevated him as a proto-nationalist and hero of the Hindus. Particularly in Maharashtra, debates over his history and role have engendered great passion and sometimes even violence as disparate groups have sought to characterise him and his legacy.

Sivaji (film)

Sivaji is a 2007 Indian Tamil action-masala film directed by S. Shankar and produced by AVM Productions. Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran play the lead roles, with Suman, Vivek and Raghuvaran playing other significant roles in the film. A. R. Rahman composed the soundtrack and background music, while Thotta Tharani and K. V. Anand were the film's art director and cinematographer respectively.

The film revolves around a well-established software systems architect, Sivaji, who returns home to India after finishing work in the United States. On his return, he dreams of giving back to society with free medical treatment and education. However his plans face a roadblock in the form of the influential businessman, Adiseshan. When corruption also arises, Sivaji is left with no option but to fight the system in his own way.

The film was initially scheduled for release on 14 April 2007 (Tamil New Year), but due to post-production delays, it was released worldwide on 15 June 2007 in Tamil, and subsequently released in Telugu as a dubbed version on the same date. The film was also dubbed in Hindi, which released on 8 January 2010. The film was positively received by critics, and became a commercial success worldwide. It went on to win a National Film Award, three Filmfare Awards and two Vijay Awards.

Shivaji (disambiguation)

Shivaji (1627–1680) was an Indian warrior king and founder of the Maratha Empire.

Shivaji or Sivaji may also refer to:

People

Rulers

Actors

Thanjavur

Thanjavur, formerly Tanjore, is a city in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Great Living Chola Temples, which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, are located in and around Thanjavur. The foremost among these, the Brihadeeswara Temple, is located in the centre of the city. Thanjavur is also home to Tanjore painting, a painting style unique to the region.

Thanjavur is the headquarters of the Thanjavur District. The city is an important agricultural centre located in the Cauvery Delta and is known as the "Rice bowl of Tamil Nadu". Thanjavur is administered by a municipal corporation covering an area of 36.33 km² (14.03 sq mi) and had a population of 222,943 in 2011. Roadways are the major means of transportation, while the city also has rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli International Airport, located 59.6 km (37.0 mi) away from the city. The nearest seaport is Karaikal Port, which is 94 km (58 mi) away from Thanjavur.

Thanjavur (State Assembly Constituency)

Thanjavur is a state assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur will be one of 17 assembly constituencies to have VVPAT facility with EVMs in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, 2016.

Madras State

Tamil Nadu

References

Thanjavur (Lok Sabha constituency)

Thanjavur is a Lok Sabha (Parliament of India) constituency in Tamil Nadu.

Assembly segments

Thanjavur Lok Sabha constituency was previously composed of the following assembly segments:

In 2007 the Election Commission of India revised and redrew this Thanjavur Lok Sabha constituency to include the following new state assembly constituencies -

The 2009 elections were conducted based on the above demarcation.

Members of Parliament