Who was Chimaji :-History and facts about the Great Maratha Warrior

Peshwa Bajirao  TV Series that is based on the journey of Peshwa Bajirao I and  getting aired on Sony TV has been successful to raise the curiosity in the viewers mind about the different characters shown in this TV serial.

The child Chimaji is being played by Very Talented Child Actor Ayaan Zubair Rahmani

Currently in Peshwa Bajirao we are getting to see the childhood phase of Baji or Bajirao. From this stage only he has developed Courage, cleverness,intelligence and most important leadership.

He is leading a group of kid, and they all have strong faith on their baji.

But apart from them their is a kid, who always indulges in his study and can give instructions to Baji also and he is none other than Chimaji :-Younger brother of Peshwa Bajirao I or baji.

Child Actor Ayaan Zubair Rahmani is currently seen playing the role of child Chimaji. We have already seen him as Salim in the Balaji Telefilms’ serial Jodha Akbar. He was also seen in Chakravarthin Ashoka Samrat, Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchaan Hai and Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman.

The little Chimaji is very interested in his studies and yes he is a obidient son of his mother and enjoy’s Baji getting scolding from mother Radha Bai.

So this all about the little Chimaji.

Lets see  who was Chimaji according to History and His Contribution’s for mother India

Shreemant Chimaji Ballal Peshwa or Chimaji  was the son of Balaji Vishwanath Bhat and the younger brother of Bajirao Peshwa of Maratha Empire. He was an able military commander.who liberated the western coast of India from Portuguese rule. The high watermark of his career was the capture of Vasai fort from the Portuguese in a hard fought battle.

It was Chimaji who liberated western coast of India from Portuguese

According to Wikipedia

While Portuguese naval supremacy had been weakened by the British, French and Dutch Navies, they still maintained a strong presence on the western coast of India, from the Gujarat coast, through the Konkan, down to northern Malabar. They maintained well defended fortresses all along the coast located in islands and harbour mouths. From their headquarters in Goa they ran a theological Christian state all along the western coastal region from Daman and Diudown to Mangalore. To further the spread of Christianity, Inquisition was promulgated throughout the Portuguese possessions in India, and a program to annihilate Hindus through conversion or massacre commenced. Hindus were subjected to torture frequently surpassing even the barbarity of contemporary Islamic rulers.

And Then

It was in this milieu that the Marathas arose, ignited by the call of swaraj given by Shivaji,to restore the land of India to the sons of the soil. While Bajirao was waging war against the Mughal Empire, Chimaji Appa concentrated his energies towards the Western Ghats. Vasai (formerly known as Bassein) was the ultimate objective of the war, as this was the capital of the provincial government of Portugal’s northern Indian possessions.

 

During February 1739, Chimaji Appa invested Bassein Fort. He first occupied Versova fort., Dharavi and blockaded Bassein Creek. Then mines were laid at various points under the fort walls and detonated, causing a breach in the wall. As the Marathas including Ranojirao Shinde and his cousin grandfather Janojirao son of Shrimanat Changojirao poured into the fortress, the Portuguese fought on desperately and viciously, using their technically advanced weapons and artillery, they caused high casualties among the Marathas. Inch by inch the fort was secured and resistance contained in small pockets. At this stage the tower of Saint Sebastian collapsed in an explosion, and Portuguese morale plummeted.

All resistance ceased immediately. On the 16th of May the Portuguese army surrendered. Portuguese Captain Caetano de Souza Pereira signed the surrender as most of the top army officers were already dead.

A man of Character Chimaji

Chimaji was a man of character during all the war and  victory. After the war against Portuguese, all surviving Portuguese were given a safe passage from the city. According to Legends he acted same as great  Shivaji Maharaj by returning with honor a woman of Portuguese governor’s household who was presented to him as a spoil of war. Portuguese were given eight days to take all their movable property and move out.

Chimaji Appa and Story of  Bells

Chimaji Appa collected five large bells after the victory against the Portuguese from Vasai Fort.

Later He offered the bells at Bhimashankar , at Menavali in front of a Shiva Temple on the banks of the Krishna river, Banshanker temple, Omkareshwar Templeand Ramlinga temple .