Sambhaji returns safely to Rajgad after remaining hidden in Mathura

Following their dramatic escape from house arrest in Agra on August 17, 1666, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj faced the immediate challenge of navigating hundreds of miles through enemy-controlled Mughal territory. Recognizing that riding fast and taking circuitous routes with a nine-year-old child was extremely dangerous due to the intense imperial manhunt, Shivaji decided to separate from Sambhaji temporarily for the prince's safety.

Upon reaching Mathura, a holy city under Mughal jurisdiction, Shivaji sought refuge with a family of trusted Deccani Brahmins—Krishnaji, Kashi, and Visaji—who were relatives of his minister Annaji Datto and spiritual preceptor Kavindra Paramanand. In a remarkable act of courage, these priests agreed to shield young Sambhaji. The prince was disguised as a local Brahmin boy, given the name 'Ramdas', and integrated into the household. To eliminate any suspicion from Mughal informants conducting door-to-door searches, the Brahmin family treated Sambhaji as one of their own sons, even partaking of meals together from the same plate—an act that broke strict traditional caste rules of the era but saved the prince's life.

Meanwhile, Shivaji took a long, roundabout escape route traveling through Varanasi, Gaya, Cuttack, and Hyderabad to throw off imperial trackers. To mislead Mughal intelligence, Shivaji deliberately spread false rumors across Northern India that young Sambhaji had fallen ill and died during the arduous trek. Believing the crown prince was dead, Mughal officials eased their search intensity in the central and northern provinces.

Once Shivaji reached his capital at Rajgad safely in September 1666 and confirmed that Mughal search parties had stood down, he dispatched trusted diplomats Niraji Raoji and Keshava Trimbak to Mathura. They safely escorted Sambhaji back across central India. On November 20, 1666, Prince Sambhaji arrived at Rajgad Fort, reuniting with his grandmother Rajmata Jijabai and father Shivaji. The prince's safe return lifted a immense emotional and political cloud over the Maratha state, ensuring the continuity of the royal lineage and demonstrating the deep loyalty of network allies who risked total ruin to protect Swarajya.