 Within 20 years after this incident, the Marathas seized the fort from the Bijapur sultans.In 1676, the Marathas under Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj marched south to the Tanjore country, which had recently been attacked and captured by Chokkanatha Nayak of Madurai.That same year, Ekoji, the brother of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, took control of Tanjore, but was under threat from his immediate neighbours Madurai and Bijapur Sultans, based in Gingee and Vellore respectively.