AlberthaPickard at 16:08, 7 April 2026

2026-04-07T16:08:21Z

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{{Short description|Indian architect of 17th century}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Hiroji Indulkar
| occupation = [[Architect]], <br> Maratha officer
| known_for = Building [[Raigad Fort|Raigad]] and [[Sindhudurg Fort|Sindhudurg]] forts.
}}
'''Hiroji Indulkar''' was a 17th-century architect under the [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] king [[Shivaji]]. He is credited with building [[Raigad fort|Raigad]], the second capital of the [[Maratha Empire]], and the sea fort of [[Sindhudurg Fort|Sindhudurg]].<ref name=sh>{{Cite book |last=Naravane |first=M. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cSRuAAAAMAAJ |title=The Heritage Sites of Maritime Maharashtra |date=2001 |publisher=Maritime History Society |isbn=978-81-901000-2-1 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=vh>{{Cite book |last=Joshi |first=Vijay |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xaW5BAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Hiroji+Indulkar%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA84 |title=Memories Revisited |publisher=Vijay Joshi |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=KONKAN & GOA COASTS |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Hiroji+Indulkar%22#d=gs_qabs&t=1663656591378&u=#p=jw-2eD2gO_kJ |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=scholar.google.com}}</ref> He was also entrusted with the construction of fort [[Pratapgad]] along with [[Moropant Trimbak Pingle|Moropant Pingle]].<ref name=th>{{Cite news |last=DNA (Daily News & Analysis) |date=3 April 2011 |title=An interesting piece of history |work=Athena Information Solutions Pvt. Ltd. |url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&u=wikipedia&id=GALE|A253109761&v=2.1&it=r&sid=ebsco}}</ref>

==Life==
The earlier life of Hiroji is uncertain. Some works by him are known. Such as in 1656, Hiroji and [[Moropant Trimbak Pingle|Moropant]] were entrusted with the construction of the [[Pratapgad]] fort by [[Shivaji]].<ref name=th/> For the [[Maratha Navy|navy]], Shivaji wanted a strong sea fort which is far away from Siddi's [[Murud-Janjira|Janjira fort]]. Therefore, on the order of Shivaji, in 1664 Hiroji built the sea fort of [[Sindhudurg Fort|Sindhudurg]].<ref name=sh/> In 1674 on the order of Shivaji, Hiroji built [[Raigad Fort|Raigad]] fort the second capital of the Maratha Empire in place of the old Rairi fort.<ref name=vh/>

There are two contemporary records of Hiroji's business and transaction activities:

# A letter dated back to 9 September 1675 from Pune Archives mentioning Patilki of Kikwi in Pargana [[Shirwal]] which was sold to Hiroji Indulkar, is returned to its original holder.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shivaji (Raja) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BTtKAAAAIAAJ&q=hiroji+indulkar |title=Patrāñce pratirūpadarśana |date=1988 |publisher=Sañcālaka, Purābhilekha Vibhāga, Mahārāshṭra Śāsana |language=mr}}</ref>
# A transaction record from 1686 mentions a transaction of 17 Hons under the guarantee of Hiroji Indulkar.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gokhale |first=Kamal Shrikrishna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=43gBAAAAMAAJ&q=hiroji+indulkar |title=Chhatrapati Sambhaji |date=1978 |publisher=Navakamal Publications |language=en}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
It is said that when Shivaji saw the fort of Raigad built by Hiroji, he asked Hiroji what he wanted as a gift. Then Hiroji asked the King to gift him a small tile with the carving of his (Hiroji) name on it, accompanied by a condition, that the tile should be placed at the entrance of Jagadeeshwar Temple so that whenever the King visits the Temple, his foot would touch Hiroji's name and with that, the King will visit the temple daily.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vqYiBAAAQBAJ |title=Maratha Generals and Personalities: A gist of great personalities of Marathas |date=2014-08-01 |publisher=Pratik gupta |language=en}}</ref> The tile mentioning the words "Seveche thayi tatpar, Hiroji Indulkar" (always ready for service, Hiroji Indulkar) can be seen at the footsteps of the entrance of [[Raigad fort#Major features|Jagadeeshwar Temple]].<ref name=vh/>
[[File:Hiroji Indulkar stone carving.jpg|Hiroji Indulkar stone carving|thumb]]

== In popular culture ==
*In movie [[Farzand]], Hiroji Indulkar's role was performed by Rajan Bhise.<ref>{{Citation |title=Farzand (2018) - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8396238/ |language=en-US |access-date=2023-03-03}}</ref>

== References ==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources ===
*{{Cite book |last=Desāī |first=Rameśa |title=Shivaji, the Last Great Fort Architect |publisher=Maharashtra Information Centre |year=1987 |language=English}}

[[Category:17th-century Indian architects]]

Hiroji Indulkar - Revision history

AlberthaPickard at 16:08, 7 April 2026