Thanjavur Big Temple Inscriptions Reveal Shivaji-Afzal Khan Conflict and Maratha History

Historical inscriptions located on the south-western walls near the Vinayagar Temple within the Thanjavur Big Temple have brought to light significant details regarding the Maratha period. Written in Marathi, these records represent the largest inscription of King Serfoji II and vividly narrate the fierce confrontation between Chhatrapati Shivaji and Afzal Khan, a general of the Bijapur Sultanate. The text, documented in the book Bhonsala Vamsa Charitra by the Sarasvati Mahal Library, describes Shivaji using tiger-claws during the encounter and notes the subsequent resistance by Afzal Khan’s minister, Krishnaji Pant. Beyond this dramatic episode, the inscriptions trace the genealogy of the Thanjavur Bhonsala family and offer praise for Danish missionary Rev. Friedrich Christian Schwartz. Furthermore, the records highlight King Serfoji’s strategic political alliances, specifically detailing how he dispatched his army and provided financial assistance to the British during their war against the Marudu brothers. This archaeological finding serves as a crucial historical resource, preserving the military and diplomatic history of the Maratha kings in South India.