Jijabai

Jijabai Biography

Rajmata Jijabai was a religious personality better known as the mother of Chatrapathi Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. She was the first wife of Shahaji Bhosale, a nobleman and military commander under the Adil Shahi sultans of Bijapur. She is known for her support to both her husband and sons in establishing Hindu empire in the country, when it was fully dominated by Mughals. She also played a pivot role in bringing up young Sivaji in a religious atmosphere.

Jijabai was born on 12 January 1598 in Buldhana district of Maharashtra State. She wedded at a younger age to Shahaji Bhosle and had 8 children of whom only 2 sons survived. She was unhappy that both her father and her husband were serving under Muslim sultans. In those days all Hindu leaders were forced to work under Nizam. Jijabai was one of the main administrators of the city and she was well educated as well. She was very religious and young Shivaji was very much attached to his mother. He was brought up in a religious background by his mother who taught him both the great epics. He was deeply interested in Hinduism and was closely associated with saints during his life time.

She wholeheartedly supported her husband’s intensions to establish a Hindu empire. But when he was defeated by the combined forces of Mughals and Adilshahi, he was forced to leave Pune. He married again and deputed her as queen regent. Shivaji lived with his mother in Pune. It was under the deep influence of his mother and great stories of warriors she taught him, Shivaji took oath of ‘Swaraj’ and conquered many forts establishing the Maratha empire. However she died soon after coronation of Shivaji on 17 June 1674.

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Updated: September 24, 2017