After 350 Years, Chhatrapati Shivaji’s “Bagh Nakh” Back In India

The historic wagh nakh, the tiger claw-shaped weapon reportedly used by Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to kill Bijapur Sultanate general Afzal Khan in the 1659 Battle of Pratapgarh. It has been put on display at the Satara Museum on July 19, for the next seven months.

From London to India

The weapon, brought to India from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on July 17 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Maratha ruler’s ascension to the throne, received a grand welcome in Western Maharashtra’s Satara. The Chief Minister praised Mr. Mungantiwar’s efforts to bring the weapon from London.

Event attendees

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Culture Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, and members of the royal family of Satara, attended the event. The wagh nakh was encased in a bulletproof cover, and security was heightened.

For nine months each in Nagpur and Kolhapur

Sources said that after its seven-month display in Satara, the wagh nakh will be exhibited for nine months each in Nagpur and Kolhapur, before being housed in a Mumbai museum. It is on a three-year loan.

Used by Shivaji Maharaj

Amid controversy over its authenticity, Mr. Mungantiwar told that the weapon was indeed used by Shivaji Maharaj to kill Afzal Khan.

Claim of Historian

Maharashtra historian and author Indrajit Sawant claimed that the original wagh nakh used by Shivaji Maharaj was already in Satara, and the artifact brought from London was a replica.

About wagh nakh

The wagh nakh or bagh nakh is a weapon shaped like a tiger’s claws. The wagh nakh has four or five claws. The metal weapon is worn on the knuckles and the ‘claws’ are sometimes tipped with poison.

About Battle of Pratapgadh

The Battle of Pratapgad took place on 10 November 1659, at Pratapgarh Fort in Satara. The battle was fought between the Maratha forces led by Shivaji and the Bijapur troops under General Afzal Khan. The Marathas emerged victorious, marking their first significant military triumph against a major regional power. In the aftermath of this victory Shivaji captured 65 elephants, 4000 horses, 1200 camels and 10 Lakh rupees of cash and jewelry.