Police
At the Raireshwar temple, the young Shivaji is believed to have taken the oath of 'Swarajya'. It is located near:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — Bhor, Pune district (Maharashtra)
Detailed Solution
The Raireshwar temple is located on the Raireshwar plateau, near Bhor, in the Pune district of Maharashtra, in the Sahyadri hills.
About the Raireshwar temple:
It is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
According to tradition, in 1645, when he was about 15-16 years old, Shivaji gathered his young companions (the "Mavalas", the hill people of the Maval region) at the Raireshwar temple and took an oath ("shapath") to establish "Hindavi Swarajya" ("self-rule of the people").
According to a legend, he cut his finger and offered his blood on the Shiva linga as a sign of his commitment.
The temple and the plateau are visited by many people who honour this event as the beginning of the Maratha struggle for independence.
The plateau is also known for colourful wild flowers that bloom after the monsoon.
About Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630-1680):
He was born on 19 February 1630 at Shivneri Fort, near Junnar in Pune district. Shiv Jayanti is celebrated on this date.
His father was Shahaji Bhosale, a general in the Bijapur Sultanate, and his mother was Jijabai, who strongly influenced him.
He captured his first fort, Torna, in about 1646.
He built and captured many forts, such as Rajgad, Pratapgad, Sinhagad and Raigad.
In 1659, he killed Afzal Khan, a Bijapur general, at Pratapgad.
In 1664 and 1670, he raided the Mughal port of Surat.
In 1665, he signed the Treaty of Purandar with the Mughal general Raja Jai Singh.
In 1666, he escaped from Aurangzeb's custody in Agra.
He was crowned "Chhatrapati" at Raigad on 6 June 1674.
He set up a council of eight ministers, the "Ashtapradhan".
He died at Raigad on 3 April 1680.
In 2025, twelve forts associated with Shivaji and the Marathas were inscribed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Maratha Military Landscapes of India".
Why not the other options?
- ✗Raigad was Shivaji's capital, where he was crowned in 1674.
- ✗Satara later became the capital of the Maratha Chhatrapatis under Shahu.
- ✗Kolhapur was the seat of another branch of the Bhonsle family.
Quick tip
Remember: Raireshwar temple = near Bhor, Pune (Shivaji's oath of Swarajya with the Mavalas, 1645); born at Shivneri (1630); first fort = Torna; crowned at Raigad (1674); Ashtapradhan.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Sikh Gurus & Maratha Empire Questions
View all ›- Q1.Guru Gobind Singh laid the foundation of the:
- Q2.After the death of Guru Gobind Singh, the Sikhs revolted against the Mughals under the leadership of:
- Q3.The council of eight ministers during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was called the:
- Q4.The Treaty of Purandar (1665) was signed between Shivaji and:
- Q5.In the Maratha revenue system, 'chauth' was a levy of what share of the land revenue?
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Sikh Gurus & Maratha Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Sikh Gurus & Maratha Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the ten Sikh Gurus, from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind Singh, and their contributions, the rise of the Sikh state under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and the Maratha Empire from Shivaji to the Peshwas, including Maratha administration and the Anglo-Maratha wars. Questions often ask which Guru compiled the Adi Granth (Guru Arjan Dev), founded the Khalsa (Guru Gobind Singh, 1699) or introduced the Gurmukhi script (Guru Angad Dev). On the Marathas, expect questions on Shivaji's Ashtapradhan council, his coronation at Raigad in 1674, the Peshwas, and the Third Battle of Panipat (1761). Practise the Sikh Gurus and Maratha Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.