Indian Navy’s new ensign draws inspiration from royal seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji

 

Shivaji's royal seal – 

The jagir was already being administered in the name of Shivaji. Shahaji Raje had cast a special royal seal for Shivaji . it read :

"प्रतिपच्चंद्रलेखेव वर्धिष्णुर्विश्ववन्दिता ।।

                      शाहसूनोः शिवस्यैषा मुद्रा भद्राय राजते ।।"

                 

'This seal will grow in splendour like the new moon. This seal of Shivaji , the son of Shahaji , receiving homage from the hole world denotes the welfare of the people.'

This royal seal in a way, foretold the foundation of Swaraj.In those days most of the royal seal were carved in Persian. Shivaji's was in Sanskrit. This was a significant change. There could be no Swaraj without your own language and own religion but at same time, there should not be a hatred for other religions. The seal was a guarantee to althea Mavlas that Shivaji government was for the welfare of the people they were quick to grasp this point.

Shivaji Maharaj conquered many enemies to establish his Swaraj.

The Maratha Navy :

A navy consists of warships the English, the Portuguese, the Siddis and the Dutch had a strong naval force. Some of these people used to plunder the villages on the sea coast and torture the villagers. Shivaji created an independent navy to permanently subdue these enemies on the sea.

Shivaji Maharaj raised several dockyards to build ships of various sizes. he gained control over old sea forts by winning them in battles. he repaired sea forts like Suvarnadurg and Vijaydurg .He build a new sea fort called Sindhudurg on the Kurte island near Malvan . he also built the fort of Khanderi near Mumbai.

               The Sawaraj navy included people belonging to various sea faring communities like Koli, Bhandari and Agari. Mayank Bhandari , Lai patil, Daryasarang , Tukoji angre and Daulatkhan were some of the great men of his period , skilled in naval warfare. 

Kanohji Angre was the commander of the Maratha navy, and is credited with laying a strong naval foundation which ensured that the Marathas were a sea-faring power to reckon with.Because of the Maratha navy, the English, the Portuguese, the Siddis, and the Dutch who were the enemies of the Marathas began to fear and respect them.

Their nuisance to Swaraj was reduced. by raising an independent and strong navy Shivaji Maharaj defined his territorial waters and established domination over the coastal area .He safe guarded his sea-coast. This navy was the first of its kind in medieval India. That is why he is rightly regarded as the ‘father of the Indian navy’.

The Indian Navy –

The primary objective of the navy is to safeguard the nation's maritime borders, and in conjunction with other Armed Forces of the union, act to deter or defeat any threats or aggression against the territory, people or maritime interests of India, both in war and peace. Through joint exercises, goodwill visits and humanitarian missions, including disaster relief, Indian Navy promotes bilateral relations between nations.

The octagonal shape of the Indian Navy's symbol, with twin golden borders, draws its inspiration from the seal of the great Indian emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The rising Maratha naval power during Shivaji's rule became the first to secure India's coast against external power .Till today the Indian naval flags carried a sign of slavery, which has been replaced with a new one inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said before he commissioned INS Vikrant. The old ensign had the red Saint George's Cross, linked to India's colonial past.