London museum tells historian origin of ‘wagh nakh’ coming to Maha uncertain

Kolhapur: London-based Victoria and Albert Museum’s director Tristram Hunt has said the museum is not certain if the ‘wagh nakh’ in its possession which will soon be on display in the state is the one used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to kill Afzal Khan in 1659.
Hunt was replying to an email from city-based historian Indrajeet Sawant, head of Kolhapur-based Sahyadri Itihas Sanshodhan Kendra, sent on April 3 to know more about the weapon, its source and who had gifted it.
Maharashtra govt has signed a MoU with the museum to get the ‘wagh nakh’ which will be displayed in Satara, Kolhapur, Nagpur and Mumbai. TOI has written to the museum on Monday seeking more details of the MoU. A reply is awaited. The reply from the museum’s director on June 19 said that the person who gifted the ‘wagh nakh’ to the museum in 1971 was James Grant Duff’s great-great grandson. Duff was the political agent in the Satara court after the collapse of the Peshwa rule in 1818. Hunt’s response to Sawant also said the ‘uncertainty’ label along with the display will be used at the venues so that it will spark research.
Sawant, who said the museum has six ‘wagh nakh’, has raised questions about the authenticity of the weapon that will come to the state for display. He added that govt must not play with the emotions of the people and he expects it to revoke its decision to display the weapon.
Cultural minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told TOI, “The ‘wagh nakh’ will come from London’s museum to Maharashtra. We have ample proof to show that the one we are bringing is the same one used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The specially-made case by Duff has clearly mentioned that the ‘wagh nakh’ was used by Chhatrapati. I don’t know what intentions historians have in challenging its authenticity.” A TOI report in October 2023 said that the museum, in its description of the item on its website, said “it has not been possible to verify whether the tiger claws are the ones used by Shivaji.”
Sawant added, “Govt has paid Rs 30 crore to the museum for leasing the ‘wagh nakh’ for three years. It is spending several crores of rupees on developing galleries in govt museums for the display. The contract to develop the galleries has been given to a Gurugram-based person. That govt did not find anyone from Maharashtra to do the job is a bit suspicious.”
He added that had also written last year to the office of the chief minister, cultural minister and department of archaeology about the authenticity of this particular ‘wagh nakh’. After months, he got a reply from the archaeology department on April 5 this year claiming that the department has no knowledge of the ‘wagh nakh’s authenticity nor did it know how Duff got the weapon. The department has been making grand preparations for the display of the weapon.
Sawant added that the research shows that Chhatrapati Pratapsinh Maharaj of Satara never gave the original to Duff. He said he has no doubt that the original wagh nukh is still with the Satara royalty.
The historian referred to Lucius Cary, governor of Bombay between 1848 and 1853, better known as Lord Falkland and his wife, the Viscountess Falkland, who travelled to Satara. In her accounts published in 1857, the Viscountess mentioned their meeting with the raja and ‘ranees’ of Satara. “The ‘ranees,’ she said, showed her “several varieties of ‘wagnuks’, and the very one which Sivaji stuck into Afzool Khan’s side,” she said.
Sawant has extensive research in Maratha history and has authored ‘Shodh Bhawani Talwaricha’, one of the three jewelled swords that were in Shivaji Maharaj’s possession.