Strategies of Shivaji

In times of fictionalising the past by all and sundry, here is an opportunity for history buffs to know about the Marathas through credible study. It is well known that Chhatrapati Shivaji carved out an independent state by challenging the might of the Mughals, but it is intriguing how he used the topography of the Deccan advantageously to outsmart his enemy. This weekend, Katha Project will organise, The Battle Strategies of the Marathas, a talk where Dr Sonali Pednekar, associate professor and head, department of history at VG Vaze College, will discuss these strategies that also led to the rise of the Peshwas and what ultimately caused their decline.

Rs 20k, for starters
Just like a sale for clothes would announce prices starting at '999 only, an email came to us saying SH Raza’s painting was for '20,000. On opening the mail we discovered that the bids ‘start’ at the mentioned cost. For those interested, Astaguru.com will begin its first series of three online auctions on March 6. The auction features 100 lots that include works by FN Souza, Ram Kumar, MF Husain, VS Gaitonde, Somnath Hore, Ganesh Pyne and more. The contemporary art auction will have works by Thukral & Tagra, Sudarshan Shetty and Subodh Gupta. One of the highlights is a painting by Rabindranath Tagore estimated at Rs 1 crore.