‘Takht ya Takhta’ is a Mughal saying which literally means ‘The Throne or the Coffin’. Wondering why I started this article with a choice of such gruesome and creepy words? That’s because this post is about to get even more scary. Let me warn you though – this is not a tale of fiction nor a tale of probability. This story is 100% real and every detail included in this happened in reality. Got a chill up your spine? Well, it’s gonna be a much rougher ride from here.
Shaniwarwada Fort
The year is 1761. In the Pune region of Maharashtra, the Peshwa of the Maratha Empire, Balaji Rao had just passed away (aged 40) after hearing the news of the death of his eldest son Vishwasrao (who died aged 20). After his death, the sixteen year old, Madhavrao, became the new Peshwa of the Maratha Empire. Since, the new Peshwa was very young, his uncle, Raghunathrao, was appointed as regent for a few years during the course of his tenure. However, Raghunathrao’s ambition was much more than just guiding his young nephew. He wanted to dethrone Madhavrao and once the Peshwa got a whiff of his plan, he got his uncle put under house arrest. Thus, temporarily ended Raghunathrao’s ambitious plans to become the new Peshwa. Come the year 1772, 27-year-old Madhavrao fell prey to tuberculosis and thus ended his 11 year long glorious reign. However, his death now gave his ambitious uncle Raghunathrao, a chance to escape and resume his plans.
Narayan Rao Peshwa aged 17
Thus, the responsibility of handling the Maratha Empire, now came down to the last of the three sons of Balaji Rao, Narayan Rao, who also was only 17 years old, at the time. Again, his ambitious uncle Raghunathrao became his regent. However, Narayan Rao sensed an ulterior motive behind the façade of a sweet and caring uncle. So, he too got him put under house arrest. By this time you all might be sensing that something is about to go seriously wrong. It is, but not because of Raghunathrao. His wife Anandibai was the main mastermind behind the bloody incident that took place on the 30th of August 1773, the last day of the Ganesh festival. Husband and wife had plotted together and decided to get rid of Narayan Rao and end his brother’s lineage once and for all. So, Raghunathrao wrote a letter to a Gardi (the word comes from the English word ‘Guard’ and means the same), named Sumer Singh. The Gardi’s were against the Peshwa right from the start and would do anything to depose the 17-year-old, anything. Raghunathrao wrote in Marathi – ‘Narayan Rao-ana dhara’, which when translated means, ‘Hold Narayan Rao’. Like I said, the wife was the main mastermind behind the bloody night that was soon to ensue. Anandibai intercepted the letter midway and tweaked one word. The changed version of the letter now read, ‘Narayan Rao-ana mara’, which when translated means, ‘Kill Narayan Rao’. So, that is the message that was received by Sumer Singh Gardi.
The letter sent to Sumer Singh Gardi
Left: Letter sent by Raghunathrao stating ‘Hold’ ; Right – Letter tweaked by Anandibai stating ‘Kill’
The gardi’s made their way into the fort at night and killed a few maids, brahmins, guards and muslims along the way. Narayan Rao fled and ran down the hallway which led to his uncle Raghunathrao’s room, screaming, ‘Kaaka mala wachva!’. Translated, it means, ‘Uncle save me!’. It is said, that the gardi’s caught up to him and Sumer Singh killed the boy in front of his uncle while he stood there watching in shock. They held him down and pulled his dead body through a gate which is now known as ‘Narayan Gate’. They then chopped up his body into several pieces, filled it in an earthen pot and secretly cremated him by the river in the middle of the night. The entire carnage took place within half-an-hour, and around 1 o’clock at night. Soon, Raghunathrao became the new Peshwa. However, he was soon deposed by the nobles of the court who put him, his wife Anandibai and Sumer Singh Gardi up on a trial. Raghunathrao was acquitted, Anandibai was imprisoned along with the killer Sumer Singh Gardi. Anandibai spent the rest of her life attempting to cleanse herself of her sins by performing a number of the Hindu rituals. Sumer Singh Gardi died mysteriously while imprisoned. Thus, comes an end to a bloody and gruesome night. The locals in the area (Pune) say that even today, on a full moon night, you can hear the echoing screams of the 17-year-old Narayan Rao, yelling, ‘Kaaka mala wachva!’, over and over again. Every king who was born in this fort, Narayan Rao’s father, two brothers and even his son (who wasn’t born at the time of his father’s murder), died young, very young. His son too committed suicide at the age of 21 years. According to Hindu rituals, a person’s body must be burnt in order to free the soul so that it can attain peace in its afterlife. However, since Narayan Rao’s body was chopped up and directly cremated, it is believed that he never attained any peace and still continues to haunt the walls of the Shaniwarwada Fort.
Raghunathrao
Sources:
https://www.procaffenation.com/ghost-peshwa-narayanrao-shaniwar-wada/
Excellent article. Learnt something new.
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Hi, lovely article learning the facts now. Keep up the excellent work. Liked your previous article as well.
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Very informative article! All the very best and keep writing 🙂
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Lovely article Srishti..nice writing. Keep writing more.
Thanks Aunty!!??
Superb likhti hai Shrishti! The flow of thought is very engaging and beautifully drafted. ??
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Excellent write up Srishti!! Very well written and engaging read!! Keep up your passion and best wishes always ?
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Hello! To find a 16 year old interested in Indian history is extremely heartening! Please keep it up.
I greatly enjoyed reading your post. It created, in vivid detail, what might have happened all those years ago in Shaniwarwada fort. Scary (and sad, if I may add)
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Very well written Srishti . Your writing is engaging and managed to hold my attention to the very end . I wasn’t aware of this story about Shaniwarwada. I only knew of it through the movie Bajirao Mastani.
Thanks
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Very well written Great insights.Well done Shrishti
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Hi Srishti,
A macabre history very well articulated! Very gripping and learnt a little more about our history. Keep your passion alive and keep them coming ?
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Quite gripping and informative. Very well written!
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Excellent…keep writing srishti..
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Very well researched and written Srishti! Keep it up
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Very well researched and written Srishti. Keep it up!
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Very well written Srishti! Could easily imagine the entire incident unfolding in front of my eyes. All of these are unknowingly great fodders for tourism too and there is sooo much u can write about being an ardent history fanatic. Keep writing. Looking forward to more
Hey Shristi!
Extremely well researched and narrated! I looked up more information on Narayan Rao and his killing, but, you have covered pretty much everything there is to know, quite succinctly.
You sure are a rare one – interested in history, a very good eye for details while researching, and an excellent narrator! Kudos! Keep enthralling us with more! I’m going to read all your posts soon. And will look forward to more.
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Hi Shrishti, very well written. It’s an excellent read. I am sure a lot of research and hard work went behind it. Keep it up.
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Really your article was so much gripping and informative …personally in my school days history was really boring ..had the chapters been like your articles history would hv been my favourite subject .
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Pretty superior post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your web publication posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.