When little Shivaji got one year old, famine had taken deep roots in the region. Villages were getting empty. livestock that were impossible to breed in such conditions were roaming all over the scorched land. vagabond were seen leaving villages. Grains had become wealth. Not even dogs cared about the gold. Hungry mobs were running amock everywhere. people who had lost hope in living and were ready to embrace death were prepared to do any kind of savagery to get a fist full of grains. the whole region had become unsafe. The birds had already left. left were only vultures and eagles, they could be seen roaming around the sky. in the whole region if somebody was seen healthy, then it was them! there was no shortage of dead people or animals. And the emperor's expedition was creating more chaos in the south with the famine. remaining villages which had resisted the famine were getting crushed by the Mughal's expedition. in mere two years, the whole region was devastated.
Vishvas-rao had prepared the fort strictly. The fort's gates were always closed. anyone who wished to enter had to go through a strict search before entering. Fort's other tanks were already empty, only the 'Ganga and Jamuna' tanks were half full. The usage of water was restricted to a minimum. The storehouse and Lumber room was kept safe with all might.
Shivaji got two years old. his birthday was celebrated in winter. Winter left, and summer came. everyone was waiting for the rain, they were praying for a miracle...
Then one day, in the second phrase of the day. Clouds were seen in the east. The wind slowly stopped. a flash of thunder roared in the skies; clouds rumbled. Everyone with little Shivaji was looking at the clouds from the edge of the fort. A cyclone with the vortex of dust moved by, cool gust came from the East. Shivaji asked.
"has rain come?"
"yes, sire."
Thunder flashed again. The sky quivered. Shivaji grasped onto his mother. Jija-bai went inside with Shivaji. the curtain of rain was closing in. Ice pallets started falling. everyone under the fort got in cover. Ice pallets were flying all over. Shivaji was running around to gather them. rain began pouring down after the ice pallets. Gutters started overflowing. water began to amass at different places over the mansion. but no one minded that. the atmosphere became dreamy by the scent of the soil.
Everybody went out of the mansion after the rain stopped. the face of the land had changed greatly with just one downpour. Rainbow had appeared in the east. Shivaji pointed and said.
"Mother, see that!"
"dear, that's a rainbow."
Shivaji muttered, but couldn't say it. he blushed.
After some more downpours, Jija-bai said to Vishvas-rao.
"The crisis has passed. This year, the rain will be plentiful, it seems."
"it seems indeed."
"There was no rain, but now there is. what else is the problem?"
"Milady, rain is plenty; but the villages are deserted, who will do the farming?"
"Junnar's most people are on the fort."
"then let us empty the fort."
"Also, it is our responsibility to look after the lands and property of those who left the region, until they return. we will do what we can until then."
Festivities began all over the fort. Royal palanquin's left below the fort. the Mansion at Junnar became busy. tears came out of Jija-bai's eyes after seeing the dried grass. The remaining animals at hand were gathered. The fort's Blacksmith who used to create top-class weapons now began making farm tools. Farm tools such as barrow, shovels, and cutlass were being made in the workshop. one day, seeing that it was of good fortune, the ground was plowed after the ceremonial worship of the earth. The dried soil comes over the ground. rivers were filled with rainwater.
Seeds were sowed. greenery began emerging on the black soil. The hills and mountains were once again ornamented with the lush lair of grass and vegetation. waterfalls once again started flowing through the mountains.
The people who were depressed came back with hope. seeing the green lair of vegetation swaying in the wind they joined the cause happily.
Shivaji would go along with Vishvas-rao stubbornly every time he went outside. in the heat and the rain, he would ride in front of Vishvas-rao on his horse. he would watch the growing fields happily.
Jija-bai would say.
"is he going to become a farmer or what?"
"What's wrong with that? Masters like us are everywhere. it's hard to find a Farming oriented ruler."
Jija-bai laughed with satisfaction.
Uma-bai wanted to leave after seeing the region getting stable. she did not speak much and one day she left for Verul after giving Jija-bai and Shivaji-raje some blessings.
Jija-bai again returned to the fort in a year. Shahaji again tried to return to Neezam Sultanate. Mughals had captured Daulatabaad, but Shahaji did not get discouraged. The Lord of Bijapur and the Mughals had joined hands. it was not easy to stand against such power. Nizam Sultanate was finished off. Shahaji raised his own army; and began fighting the Mughals. It was the first time when a warlord rebelled and fought against the Mughal Empire. The Moghals suppressed the rebellion in just two years and Shahaji had no choice but to join under the Bijapurkar's. six years passed In all this. after a long period of six years, Shahaji finally obtained some stability.
During this period, Shivaji was growing up at the Shivneri Fort; he wandered around the fort, he was taking in the surrounding area of the region and the Lenyadri Mountain range. The priest taught him words.
Seven years passed; a letter came from Bijapur, Cavalry came with the letter, Royal Palanquins and huge bulls with it.
Jija-bai opened the scroll. Shahaji-raje had received the lordship of Pune city, he had sent an extremely trustworthy, clever, observant and witty person called Dadoji Kondadev. The order was to move to Pune with Dadoji.
Jija-bai asked for Dadoji, he bowed after arriving. Turban on his head, Angarkha on the upper body, Dhotar on the lower body (Indian clothing for men specific to Maharashtrastra state.) wide forehead and sharp gaze was giving him a air of dignity. Jija-bai greeted. she said Shivaji.
"Raje, give greetings to Dadoji."
Shivaji-raje did as instructed, Dadoji said.
"Milady, it is us that should greet, not sire."
" There is a difference between others and yourself. do you think I do not know? to have gotten the responsibility to escort us, you must be well trusted."
"Milady, when do we leave?"
"Whenever you say. for now, where is swari?"
"The lord is entangled in the Karnatak expedition. otherwise, he would have come himself."
"in the end, he had to be in the service of those who burned our city."
"Milady, politics does not have just one side, it has many dimensions. it changes with the situation. The Murar Jagdev who burned Pune city had become good friends with the lord, alass, the gears of politics changed again and he fell by the hands of Aadil Sultanate. he was killed quite cruelly."
"and Swari?"
"No one has as much influence in the Aadil Sultanate as much as the lord. Raje has the permission for 12,000 soldiers, he has the Title of 'Raja' ( King in literal words but 'Lord' in this context ). He also has lordship over the Pune region. With Prestige and comfort, Raje is staying in Bangaluru ( today's Bangalore, south India.)
He is shaking the whole of Karnataka State with his valor.
Jija-bai prepared to leave in two days. everyone on the fort had become familiar in the stay of seven years. her heart was shuddering to bid farewell to people like Vishvas-rao, and Lakshmi-bai. She gave tips to everybody in the fort at the hands of Shivaji. With a Fullfiled heart, Jija-bai with Shivaji visited the Shivai shrine. Vishvas-rao - Lakshmi-bai bid them farewell.