Alternative Agenda for Rewriting the History of the Iviarathas
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234 Chapter 4 Alternative Agenda For Rewriting the History of the IVIarathas Readings of the histories of different nations in English gave an impetus to the young intellectuals of Maharashtra to think of their own history. In this respect, their thinking came to be guided by the principle of the writing of 'scientific history' that the past of any society should be presented 'as it actually was' ! For this, any history must be based on documents with which the historian works. The documents are of various forms viz; stone-inscriptions, copper-plates, coins, paper-documents, etc. In fact, they are a trace of the past. The next question arises is that where they are. The problem was basic and very genuine. However, the efforts of the orientalists had already paved the way for the collection of the source material. One may take into account a close relationship that existed between Balshastri Jambhekar and the orientalists in Bombay. Balshastri collected a copper-plate, the content of which was related to the watan of a low-caste priest. Balshastri published its text in the Digdarshan magazine, which was in two scripts viz, the Modi and the Balbodh Marathi.^^ This may be the first effort in the collection and publication of a document, by a native Marathi intellectual. Following the lead given by the European orientalists and Balshastri Jambhekar, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad devoted himself to the collection of manuscripts in Sanskrit, Magadhi, Pali, Arabi etc. During his travels through different parts of India he copied and examined stone, rock and temple inscriptions. His collection included coins, copper-plates, paintings, technical tools and instruments. The greatness of these efforts was beyond doubt. But most of the part of this treasured possession was related to the history and culture of Ancient India. In the context of the early history of Maharashtra, the collection contained the source-material useful mainly for constructing the 235 historical account of the times of the Satavahanas, the Chalukyas, the Rashtrakutas, the Kalchuris and of the Yadavas. His collection lacked the source material required for rewriting the history of medieval Maharashtra. It is possible that attitude of the British authorities towards the history of the Marathas deterred him and his likes from making an effort in that direction. And the Government was not ready to change its policy in respect of the opening of the Pune Daftar to native scholars. Inspite of this, however, Kashinath Gangadharji Kshatri Published the Rajyavyavahar Kosh of Raghunathpant Hanumante in 1860. In doing so, his main purpose was that of the enrichment of the Marathi language.'^ It must be noted that Kashinath Gangadharji was not moved by the idea of publishing historical documents. Be as it may, the fact remains that a historical work related to the Marathas was published. Lokhitwadi took interest in the study of various aspects of history, besides the one political. His articles explaining some of the aspects of the administrative system of the Marathas appeared in Induprakash. He published the inscriptions on the seals of Pralhad Niraji and his successors to the office of the Pratinidhi;^ ^ of Shivaji and his successors to the throne (gadi) of Chhatrapati at Satarap ^ of Shamrajpant and his successors to the office of the peshwap ^ and of various other sardars and ministers.^ ^# At times he * 'Rajyavyavahar-kosh', the work of which had been entrusted by Shivaji to Raghunathpant Hanumante with the purpose of replacing the Persian terminology by Sanskrit one. # Sardars and ministers such as Shankarji Narayan, Haibatrao, Dhanaji Jadhav, Ratansingh Jadhav, Malegaonkar, Fattesing Bhosale, Fattesingh the Second, Raghoji Angre, Tulaji Angre, Udaji Chavan, Trimbak Krishna, Raghuji Bhosale, Gamaji Sadashiv, Yashwantrao Holkar, Satarkar Raje and Shamrao Abaji Lokhitwodi; Nibandh-sangriha, pp. 308-10 Priyolkar, A. K; (ed.), Lokhitwadikrit Nibandhasangriha (Bombay, Popular Prakashan, 2"'^ ed; 1967), Letter No. 120, pp. 308-10 (Herein after referred to as Nibandhsangriha) 236 discussed the opening seal and the closing seal impressed on the official documents issued from the office of pratinidhi Parashuram Trimbak and of Chhatrapati Shivaji. He gave information about various shapes of seals such as circular, square, octagonal etc. He gave a long list of forts and mahals which were in possession of the pratinidhi. He also described the saranjam in detail given to the pratinidhi by Bajirao the second. This type of original administrative information about the Marathas was published for the first time by Lokhitwadi. His service in the office of the Inam Commission probably enabled him to collect this information. In the absence of proper training of the methodology of research in history, he failed to realize the importance of publishing this original source material. Afterall he was not the product of the University education. In another letter, Lokhitwadi gave brief account of the Pune Dafter.^ ^ He gave information regarding various types of documents preserved in the Pune Daftar. He referred to the use of these documents in reconstructing the administrative and economic history of the Marathas in the 18"' century.^ Here, he specifically referred to the letters by Chimaji Appa to the Peshwa after the capture of Vasai (Bassein) and to the letters regarding the Panipat, Srirangpattan and Gujarath expeditions. He further made a request to Director Howard to inquire into 'the Jabsali Patre', because the destruction of which, * He was appointed subassistant- Inam Commissioner on 10"' February 1850. The government appreciated his honest services in a Resolution bearing the number 1955, dated P' November 1855. Then, he was promoted to the post of Assistant lamam Commissioner. His services in the office of the Inam commission continued till 11"' of March 1861. Nibandh Sangriha, p. 13 # Lokhitwadi informed that documents in the Pune Duftar will throw light on the information regarding the dates of the newly conquered provinces and their income, the assignments of new saranjams, the administration efforts, the correspondence between sardars on expedition and the office of the Peshwa, between the Chhatrapati at Satara and the Peshwa himself. Nibandha Sangriha, Letter No. 116, dated Sept; 1864, pp. 297-299 237 he claimed, meant half the history would never become knownA^ He was well aware of the fact that the use of these historical documents can change the image of the Marathas created by the colonial writers. In this context he made mention of Duff and Briggs and pointed out that they too made use of the documents preserved in the Pune Daftar. He also referred to the translations of some of the documents published by Briggs in the Journal of the Asiatic Society. Briggs, on the basis of them, told the Europeans that they should realize that the Marathas were not like the wild beasts.^^ This and other letters on the Pune Daftar brought to the notice of the public, three important facts: In the first place the Pune Daftar contained a treasure of historical documents; secondly, because of the policy of the government, the doors of the Pune Daftar remained closed to the native scholars; and thirdly, the implied logical outcome was well suggestive that the Pune Daftar should be opened to the native scholars and that they should be allowed to make use of these documents in writing history of the Marathas. The first extant vernacular work prepared on the basis of private source material appeared in 1866. The book entitled 'Shivaji Maharaj Yanche Vanshacha Va Pratinidhi Ani Ashtapradhan Yancha Itihas' was written by Vishnu Gopal Bhide.^ '' In this book he described the migration of a branch of Sisodiyas of Chitod into the Deccan, the political activities of Maloji and Shahaji, the foundation of a new Kingdom by Shivaji and the establishment of a new gadi at Satara. Interestingly enough, he gave a long- list of forts, of parganas and provinces, of various officials and diplomats, of twelve Mahals and eighteen Karkhanas. He also gave details about infantry and navy, the offices of the Pratinidhi and eight ministers. With their successors, their duties, their assignments with income and conditions in regard to the troops to be maintained by them. 238 The author of this work was conscious of the importance of original sources in the writing of a historical work. Although, the author made use of the Satara Daftar and other sources, in the absence of proper training of the research methodology of history, he failed to mention the particular sources with their details. It seems that he might have used 'the Chitnisi Bakhar.' Prof. D. V. Potdar made mention of this work as one of the two noteworthy Marathi historical works produced during this period.^ ^ On 14"'' March 1867, Vishvanath Narayan Mandlik spoke at the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society on 'Materials for a history of the Marathas'.^ * It is not an accident that Mandlik chose to speak on this topic. One can notice the direction in which the winds were blowing in the field of history. Mandlik hoped that some of the old Bakhars may be found in the private libraries of the native princes. In this paper he described the efforts made by him to secure historical documents from the Phadnavis family. He told that in 1866, he got a copy of the life of Ramdas. He expressed that although the Bakhar contains some anecdote, he insisted on its publication for it "gives us a view of men and of the things as they existed in Maharashtra more than two hundred years ago."^ ^ For mandlik the publication of documents remained the main concern. Mandlik described the Pune Daftar as 'the best place to look for the sources of Maratha History.'^ ^ He insisted that the documents from the Pune Daftar 'ought to be indexed and published.' He opined that the diaries of the old Maratha Sardars should also be published.