Keshashilpigalu -Venkatachalapathi. DVG.

Chapter -25 Khandoji & Thimmoji         The Barber Leaders of the Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, founded in 1336 CE by the brothers Harihara and Bukka of the Sangama dynasty, emerged as one of the most powerful and culturally vibrant empires in Indian history. For more than a century and a half, it dominated large parts of South India, acting as a formidable bulwark against repeated foreign invasions while simultaneously nurturing art, architecture, literature, temple-building traditions, and efficient systems of administration. After the Sangamas, the empire briefly came under the Saluva dynasty for about two decades, followed by nearly eighty years of rule under the illustrious Tuluva and later the Aravidu dynasties. Among the Tuluva rulers, Sri Krishnadevaraya occupies a towering position in history. His reign marked the zenith of Vijayanagara power, territorial expansion, and cultural prosperity. The empire extended over most of South India, an...

Shiva Kashid The Siege of Panhala and the Supreme Sacrifice of Shiva Kashid The killing of Afzal Khan in 1659 CE by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj marked a decisive turning point in Deccan politics. Following this historic victory at Pratapgad, Shivaji Maharaj captured several strategic forts, including Panhala Fort (also called Panhala or Panhala Gad ), located about 20 kilometers northwest of present-day Kolhapur . This success deeply humiliated the Adil Shahi Sultanate of Bijapur , which now sought revenge at any cost. The Adil Shahi Counter-Offensive In 1660 CE , the Adil Shahi ruler Ali Adil Shah II , determined to crush Shivaji Maharaj, dispatched his most experienced and ruthless general, Siddi Johar (Siddi Jauhar) , to lay siege to Panhala Fort. Siddi Johar, originally from the region corresponding to present-day Andhra Pradesh, commanded a massive force—estimated in traditional sources to number in the hundreds of thousands , including infantry, cavalry, artillery, and sieg...

Jivaji Mahale            Jivaji Mahale: The Loyal Shield of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jiva Mahale (also known as Jiva Mahala or Jivaji Mahale) occupies an honored place in Maratha history as the trusted bodyguard and life-saver of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj , the founder of the Maratha Empire. His courage, presence of mind, and unmatched loyalty during one of the most decisive moments in Indian history changed the course of the Deccan and ensured the survival of Swarajya. Early Life and Association with Shivaji Maharaj Jiva Mahale belonged to the Navik (Nai or barber) community , a group traditionally associated not only with grooming but also with martial service, intelligence gathering, and personal protection in medieval India. Members of this community often served as palace attendants, messengers, guards, and body-servants—positions requiring absolute trust. According to tradition, Shivaji Maharaj first noticed Jiva Mahale during a social gath...

Acharya Upali        Upāli was born into a barber family in Kapilavastu , the capital of the Shakya kingdom in ancient India. During this period, society was rigidly divided by caste, and Śūdras and service communities were generally denied access to formal education . As a result, Upāli’s parents guided him into the hereditary profession of barbering so that he could earn a livelihood with dignity. Upāli mastered his profession with exceptional discipline, humility, and precision. His skill and integrity earned him a position as a barber in the royal palace of Kapilavastu , where he served the Shakya princes for many years. Though socially considered inferior, Upāli developed inner refinement through sincere work, self-control, and service. When Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became the Buddha , he later returned to Kapilavastu to share the Dhamma. On one occasion, the Buddha summoned Upāli for barber service. Obeying the Buddha’s request, Up...

The Nanda Dynasty: Rise of the “Barber Kings” of Magadha In the fourth century BCE , the powerful kingdom of Magadha —one of the most influential Mahājanapadas of ancient India—came under the rule of the Nanda dynasty , a lineage that occupies a unique and controversial place in Indian history. Several Indian literary traditions, Puranic sources, Buddhist texts, and Greek historians describe the Nandas as rulers of humble social origin , often identifying them with the barber (Nai) community . For this reason, the Nanda rulers are sometimes remembered as the “barber kings” of ancient India. Origins and Founder: Mahāpadma Nanda The founder of the dynasty, Mahāpadma Nanda , is traditionally dated to around 345 BCE (some sources place his reign slightly earlier, c. 403–329 BCE). According to the Puranas , Mahāpadma Nanda overthrew the last ruler of the Śiśunāga dynasty , commonly identified as Kakavarna (or Kalāśoka) , and exterminated the remaining royal family, thereby establishing ...