Row Erupts Over Monk’s Claim That Tararani Was Jain
Maharani Tararani was the daughter of Hambirrao Mohite, the commander-in-chief of the Maratha empire.
Mumbai: A fresh controversy has erupted in Maharashtra after Jain monk Acharya Nayan Padmasagar claimed that Maharani Tarabai – the daughter-in-law of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and wife of Rajaram Maharaj – belonged to the Jain community. Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut has slammed the remarks calling it an attempt to alter the identity of Maharashtra.
Speaking at a Jain community event in Mumbai, the monk claimed that Maharani Tararani, the legendary Maratha queen who fought against Aurangzeb, belonged to the Jain community. He said that Tararani was born “to destroy Aurangzeb.”
“When Muhammad Ghori invaded the country, a Jain queen of Mewar drew her sword. After that, for many years, no one dared to raise an eye on our country. Taking up the sword to protect traditions and culture is called religion. Vikramaditya helped free the entire India. Aurangzeb captured and mistreated Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. At that time, another Jain queen was born, and she was Tararani,” said Padmasagar.
Maharani Tararani was the daughter of Hambirrao Mohite, the commander-in-chief of the Maratha empire. After the deaths of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Rajaram Maharaj, Tararani led the fight against Aurangzeb and later established the throne at Kolhapur. Her contributions are widely recognized as a symbol of Maratha leadership and resistance.
The monk’s remarks triggered widespread criticism across Maharashtra. Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, the descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, stated that the remarks made by a monk are utterly baseless and highly irresponsible. “It is extremely unbecoming for individuals holding the position of religious heads to make false claims concerning such great personalities. This monk, belonging to a peace-loving community, should refrain from unnecessarily stirring up controversy,” he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut asked why the ruling leaders who parade themselves as Marathas remain silent about the controversial statement. He posted on X, “What exactly is going on in Maharashtra? A Jain monk asserts that Maharani Tararani belonged to the Jain faith! Who gave them the authority to attempt to convert the religion of the Tararani? Tomorrow, they might even claim that the 106 martyrs who laid down their lives for the sake of our Mumbai and Maharashtra were also Jains!”
Another Jain monk Nilesh Chandra Vijay demanded that Padmasagar should publicly apologize to Maharashtra. “Tararani was not a Jain; she was a Maratha warrior. Hambirrao Mohite had trained her in all forms of weaponry and warfare. Nayan Padmasagarji must preserve this history and publicly apologize to the people of Maharashtra,” he said.
