156 CHAPTER lY : THE SWAMI AT DHAYAD3HI. i) The Chhatrapati ii) The Peshwa iii) The Nobility iv) The Dependents. V) His iiind* c: n .. ^ i CHAPTER IV. THE SWAia AT DHAVADSHI, i) The Chhatrapatl* The eighteenth century Maratha society was religious minded and superstitious. Ilie family of the Chhatrapati was n6 exception to this rule. The grandmother of the great Shivaji, it is said, had vowed to one pir named Sharifji.^ Shivaji paid homage to the Mounibawa of - 2 Patgaon and Baba Yakut of Kasheli. Sambhaji the father of Shahu respected Ramdas. Shahu himself revered Sadhus and entertained them with due hospitality. It is said that Shahu»s concubine Viroobai was dearer to him than his two (^eens Sakwarbai and Sagimabai. Viroobai controlled all Shahu*s household matters. It is 1h<xt said/it was Viroobai who first of all came in contact with the Swami some time in 1715 when she had been to the Konkan for bathing in the sea and when she paid a visit to Brahmendra Swami.^ The contact gradually grew into an intimacy. As a result the Sv/ami secured the villages - 1. SMR Purvardha p . H O 2. R.III 273. 3. HJlDH-1 p. 124. 158 Dhavadshi, Virmade and Anewadi in 1721 from Chhatrapati dhahu. Prince Fatesing»s marriage took place in 1719. life do not find the name of the Swami in the list of the invitees,^ which shows that the Swami had not yet become very familiar to the King, After the raid of Siddi Sad on Parshurajs the Swami finally decided to leave Konkan for good. The Siddi maltreatment became unbearable to the Swami in his senility. He wanted a peaceful and secure place v^iere he would be able to carry on his business of usury and his religious worship unmolested by anybody. The nearness of the King was the greatest security. He had secured Anewadi, Virmade and Dhavadshi from the Chhatrapati as inam. He had a close contact with the Queens - Viroobai, Sakwarbai & Sagunabai. The proximity of Meruling to Dhawadshi reminded him of Parshuram. Meruling was a place as secluded and quiet as that of the latter. Dhavadshi was in many respects advantageous to the Swami. In the Konkan the Swami's villages were always subject to the ravages of the - neighbouring states of the Angres, the Pratinidhi of - Vishalgad and lastly the Siddis. Here he remained un­ disturbed from the ravages of other powers. Maratha noblemen could come to him whenever they visited Satara. He could appeal directly to the Chhatrapati immediately whenever 158 he had a complaint. He could guard the interests of the Peshwa at Shahu*s court and keep Bajirao informed of the happenings in the Satara court and get things done through the Queens. Though Sv;ami went for his yearly samadhi to Parshuram for a year or two after his arrival to Dhavadshi he now began to take interest in the new order of things. At Dhavadshi the Swami built his matha many times the size of Parshuram. Day by day his establishment went on increasing and the monthly expenses rose from its.3000 to 5000.^ On the Kalkai's nala the Swami built a building to be used as a residence for himself and his dependents, Bhagwats and Tambes. On the outskirts of the village, temples of the local deities were built. Opposite his residence a bangalow was built which was reserved for the royal family whenever they would come to Dhawadshi. A well is shown today which is called bangala wihir reminding us of an old mansion used as a royal residence. Though water was plenty in Dhavadshi, it was not within easy reach of the villagers and the cattle. The Swami,therefore, decided to build a permanent big tank which would sufficiently supply water to all. With the building of wells and ICO tanka orchards and guardens were planted. With these gardens full of flowers and fruit, Dhavadshi became a lovelier place than before and the Swaioi soon forgot his troublesome days in the Konkan. When the Swami started from Gothana in March 1723^ after bidding farewell to Kanhoji he first went to Goa. Halting at Kolhapur he paid devotional respects to the goddess Amba. En route he saw Udaji Chavan* with whom he was quite friendly. He had intended to see the Ghorpades also, but being troubled by the heat he proceeded to Pali whence he soon reached Dhavadshi. The Swami describes his first visit with 3hahu in the following words. "The extreme heat and want of cow*s urine compelled me to return to Pali where I had an attack of fever. After two days Shahu came to see me hearing of my illness. When he came I was super- -vising the building of the tank at Dhavadshi. Dismounting at an arrow’s distance, he ca m e v^alking towards me & humbly paid me the obeissance. We had a free talk for some time. I honoured him with the shawl I was wearing. He presented a Turkish horse to me. We then came to our residence . Meals were ready and the King and the Queens were served the meal. X gave the royal family a warm send off after presenting them clothes."* 1 Hajwade gives the date as March 1727. Athley thinks that it must be one year later because the Swami extended his stay due to the oath of Kanhoji. I concur with Athley. 2. R.III 175. * A hamwm fmtm Atkmml Jk a fittrftlflHBL ftf I n UI The Svaml passed most of his time in supervising the different building worlcs at Dhavadshi, Anewadi and Vinnade were also beautiful places from the point of view of natural scenery, as they were situated on the bank of Krislma, At Virraade the Svami had his mango plantation and a dharmashala near the Ganapati temple* His place "this, riuer. of yearly Samadhi was near U A e GanarmM It is a quiet and lovely spot. Nothing remains today of the dharmashala built by the Svami. Having taken experience in many building works the svami* s parties of stone-cutters and diggers became so efficient that they were demanded by all, Viroobai demanded them for building of a well at Nimb. Shahu sent for his diggers for building a palace at Satara.^ After the swami*s arrival at Dhavadshi, attwiding to the frequent petty complaints of and against the Svami became the routine of the chhatrapati's family. The swami was not free from worries even at Dhavadshi. His quarrels with the Patils of Virmade and Dhavadshi took such a serious turn that he had to complain to the king a nd Viroobai against them. As his relations with the local officers i.e, Patils became strained the Patils created trouble for him in alra4st every walk of life. The ST^imi needed rafters for building the temple of Hanuman. The 102 Patll of Dhavadshl refused to give the vood and asked him not to build the temple.^ He gave a good beating to Itlr- Shlkar (Shahu's game officer) because h e inade a report about the Patll to the chhatrapatl and the svaml. He set some ghosts on the resid^ce of the Svami* Some children and cattle in the families of the Swami*s clerlcSj^ The swaml sent for an exorcist from Suvamagurga and fixed the ghosts, confession was demanded from Ambaji Patll but he refused to give the confession. The Svaml regarded him a rogue. The Patll collected Es.500 from the village. The swaml got fed up and complained to the chhatrapatl, " He is of no use to me. Whom shall I tell my grief? If Ambajl is not 2 punished I shall leave this place and go else where. " Wethblgarl < forced labour ) was common among the nobility of that time. Bawajl and Yamajl shlvdeo carried on wethblgarl in the villages of the swaml. The swaml had to lodge a complaint against them with shahu.*^ Shahu sent for them and gave them warning. The swaml needed wood for the maintenance of his karkhana (parties doing building work). His men felled dovm trees in the villages Daverkhol and Korghar. Yamaji Shlvdeo prohibited them to cut vood from those villages. The svaml therefore complained to Viroobai saying,”If I am not to cut wood in your state,am I to bring it from heaven? liaraajl shlvdeo demands 50^ from 1. DCHM 1 2 / 2 X 7 2. PBCL 254 3. Ibid 1 10 0 the poor charcoal burner. We are not hewing trees which are " 1 useful such as mango teak and bibvl. We cut trees which are uselo&s. Viroobai ordered him to leave those villages and asked him to cut wood from open jungle not in the 2 vicinity of any village. Keroji Patil of Virmade was deadly against the swami, AS he served the Queens, he had influence with them. It appears that offences were not committed by one side alone* The swami had his share also in these petty quarrels. Once the swami undertook to supply rafters to the Pratinidhi. He sent Kero^i Sonavani (Patil) to Fatesing under some pretext and directed Pratinidhi*s people to cut wood from Kero4i*s compound, Keroji brought this to the notice of Viroobai who mildly upbraided the swami by ordering him not to disturb the private estate of Kero^i. Virmade being his inam village the swami had legal powers in that village. In a dispute between Kero^i and Yesaji the swami was asked to give decision, Yesaji was convicted and a confession was demanded from him in writing.