Chava (Hardcover) by Shivaji Savant- Historical novel- Gyanpeeth award Winning novel-Sambhaji Raje Bhonsle (14 May 1657 – 11 March 1689) The book begins with Shivaji and Sambhaji both jailed in Agra by Moughal Emperor of India- Aurangzeb (3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707). They are informed by son of Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber that Aurangzeb plans to send Sivaji as his Army General to fight Afghanistan rebel war. If Shivaji refuses the offer, Sivaji will be killed. Sivaji plans his escape. He informs Aurangzeb that he is fatally ill and plans to gift sweets to Brahmins and the poor - as a matter of penance. Marathas come in contact with a Aligarh poet Kavi Kulesh. Shivaji gifts an elephant to him. They also come in contact with a potter who has worked for his living earlier in Sivaji's area. They understand him because of his dialect. Hiroji on aide of Sivaji appears like Sivaji. They change clothes. Sivaji escapes as Heroji. Sambhaji goes out to meet son of Mirza Raja Jai singh. Thus all move out with Maratha warriors dressed as saints. They contact Kavi Kulesh who has arranged for a boat at river Yamuna. They leave for Mathura. At Mathura, they contact a relative of their Minister in Maratha territory. Sivaji moves with his team and leaves Sambhaji at Mathura. Sivaji moves towards Allahabad Sangam of three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraaswati. They plan to move further towards Maratha territory. Sivaji reaches his fort where his mother is waiting for him. Next step is to bring back Sambhaji. Shivaji sends a messenger to Mathura. The messenger carries with him sealed letter from Shivaji to identify him as genuine. Minister's relatives - and his wife towards Maratha territory by foot. At the outskirts of Ujjain, the Mughal army are informed that Sambhaji is moving out towards Maratha kingdom with Brahmin family. The army arrests them. During Mughal period, Brahmins did not share their meals with other caste people. In order to save Sambhaji, the couple inform the army men that Sambhaji is their son and they share their meal in the same plate. The army is satisfied with the bluff and leave them to travel. Soon Sambhaji reach Maratha territory and to their fortress. Three of them are welcome and gifts are provided to the Mathura couple. The guests leave for Mathura. Initial chapters of this book, depict the life of Sivaji and Sambhaji together. Shivaji planned his moves based on the thorough knowledge of the hills, ravines, rivers, rivulets of Maratha Territory. Major victories of Shivaji were when he caught the Moughal army travelling between a ravine where there is single outlet. Villain of the book is Soyarabai Second wife of Shivaji mother of Raja Ram. She wishes yo see her son crowned as King of Marathas after Shivaji. Sad of part the book is "The 1687 Battle of Wai saw the Maratha forces badly weakened by the Mughals. Sambhaji fought an open land battle with less army whilel the Moughals were under Aurangzeb, well planned, all lots of arms and amunition and gunnery. The key Maratha commander Hambirao Mohite was killed and troops began to desert the Maratha armies. Sambhaji's positions were spied upon by his own relations, the Shirke family, who had defected to the Mughals. Sambhaji and 25 of his advisors were captured by the Mughal forces of Muqarrab Khan in a skirmish at Sangameshwar in February 1689." Accounts of Sambhaji's confrontation with the Mughal ruler and following torture, execution and disposal of his body, vary widely depending on the source, though generally all agree that he was tortured and executed on the emperor's orders passed in counsutation with moulvis. The captured Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash were taken to Bahadurgad in present-day Ahmednagar district, where Aurangzeb humiliated them by parading them wearing clown's clothes and they were subjected to insults by Mughal soldiers. Accounts vary as to the reasons for what came next: Mughal accounts state that Sambhaji was asked to surrender his forts, treasures and names of Mughal collaborators with the Marathas and that he sealed his fate by insulting both the emperor and the Islamic prophet Muhammad during interrogation and was executed for having killed Muslims.[28] The ulema of the Mughal Empire sentenced Sambhaji to death for the atrocities his troops perpetrated against Muslims in Burhanpur, including plunder, killing, rape, and torture. Aurangzeb ordered Sambhaji and Kavi Kalash to be tortured to death; the process took over a fortnight and included plucking out their eyes and tongue, pulling out their nails and removing their skin. Sambhaji was finally killed on 11 March 1689,[ reportedly by tearing him apart from the front and back with wagh nakhe (metal "tiger claws") and beheading with an axe at Tulapur on the banks of the Bhima river near Pune. This is a good read book for all. It has already been translated in to many Indian languages for the benefit of readers.