The historic ‘wagh nakh,’ a weapon resembling tiger claws famously wielded by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to defeat Bijapur sultanate’s General Afzal Khan in 1659, is poised to return to Maharashtra from London in November, announced state culture minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. He also mentioned ongoing efforts to repatriate the renowned ‘Jagdamba’ sword of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king from a London museum.
Mungantiwar is scheduled to travel to the UK later this month to formalize an MoU for the wagh nakh’s return. He shared, “In the first phase, we are bringing the wagh nakh. It should be brought here in November.” The intention is to commemorate the historic event when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used the wagh nakh to vanquish Afzal Khan. The ‘wagh nakh’ is expected to find its home in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Sanghralaya (museum) in south Mumbai.
The pivotal slaying of Afzal Khan is a significant chapter in Maratha history, where the Marathas, despite being outnumbered, outmaneuvered Khan’s formidable army using guerrilla tactics. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s use of the ‘wagh nakh,’ a sharp, iron weapon resembling tiger claws, to vanquish Afzal Khan, an event that unfolded at the base of Pratapgad fort in the present-day Satara district, has become a cherished part of folklore. Minister Mungantiwar noted, “When Afzal Khan stabbed Shivaji Maharaj in the back (during the meeting), Shivaji Maharaj used a ‘wagh nakh’ to kill the cruel, demonic Afzal Khan.” He emphasized the weapon’s enduring significance as a source of inspiration, particularly in this year commemorating the 350th anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation.
According to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, the current custodian of the ‘wagh nakh,’ the weapon once belonged to James Grant Duff (1789-1858), an officer of the East India Company serving as the Resident (political agent) of the then-Satara state. It was a gift to Duff from the Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha empire at the time.