"Between 1659 and 1663, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj stunned Hindustan with remarkable military achievements. These included his confrontation with Afzal Khan at Pratapgad in 1659, his escape from Panhala in 1660 and his raid on Shaista Khan in Pune in 1663. These victories strengthened his position as a Maratha ruler and demonstrated his brilliance against the Adil Shahis and the Mughals.

The legacy of Pratapgad endures. In 2022, the Maharashtra administration demolished unauthorised structures around Afzal Khan's tomb following legal proceedings. Meanwhile, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London loaned its Wagh Nakh (Tiger Claws) to Maharashtra for a three-year exhibition, while Baji Prabhu Deshpande's Dandpatta (gauntlet sword) was declared Maharashtra's state weapon in 2024."