is driven out of the village by his uncle and soon after he joins Shivaji’s forces and becomes one of his loyal soldiers. Kumkum/Kunku – Daughter of village elder Biththal Patil and Sadashib’s childhood friend, his only well-wisher in the village. It is on her advice that Sadashiv sets out to join Shivaji's forces. After the first story of the series, they again meet each other in the story, 'Sadashiber Hoi Hoi Kando'. Shivaji – The national hero of Maharashtra, but during the narration of the stories he was considered as a bandit by the commoners. Shahji Bhonsle – One of the feudal lords of Bijapur, Shivaji's father. Jijabai – Shivaji’s mother and the wife of Shahji Bhonsle. She is the prime inspiration behind Shivaji’s long-cherished dreams of an independent Maharashtra. She takes care of Sadashib as her own son. Tanaji – Tanaji Malsare, Shivaji’s minister and childhood companion. Jesaji – Jesaji Kank, another childhood pal and minister of Shivaji. Ratnaji – Shivaji’s childhood friend and the spy of him. Disguised as a foot soldier of Bijapur. Sakharam – The miser and heartless uncle of Sadashib whom he strongly despises. Biththal Patil – One of the village elders of Sadashib’s native village and Kumkum’s father. Sadashb stole his ailing horse when he was escaping the village. Incomplete Stories Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay was advised and motivated to write about Shivaji through the view of a young soldier by his friend and fellow author, Rajshekhar Basu. There were four more drafts or incomplete stories obtained from Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay's notebook, which are — Sadashiber Roktarokti Kando Sadashiber Kelenkari Kando Sadashiber Bidghute Kando Sadashiber Mahamari Kando It is understood that he wanted to script the entire history of Shivaji’s rise to the behest of glory and success through this series, but he could not finish them due to his untimely death in 1970. Adaptations The five Sadashib Stories have been translated into English by Sreejata Gupta in the book 'Band of Soldiers: A Year on the Road with Shivaji'. Sadashib was adapted as comics in the 1980s for the Anandamela edited by Nirendranath Chakravarty, illustrated by Bimal Das and adapted by Tarun Majumdar. Radio play by Akashbani. The Sunday Suspense series of 98.3 Radio Mirchi (Kolkata) adapted all the Sadashib stories, portraying RJ Somak as the protagonist. Bibliography Byomkesh Bakshi 1932 Satyanweshi aka The Truth-Seeker 1932 Pother Kanta aka The (Thorns in the Path) Gramophone