Introduction
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INTRODUCTION The Great King of Kolhapur Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj (also known as Shahu IV) (26 June 1874 – 6 May 1922) was the first Maharaja of the Indian princely state of Kolhapur between 1894 and 1922. He was also known as Rajarshi Shahu Chhatrapati and Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. An ideal ruler, progressive leader and a foresighted social reformer Born in the Ghatge family of Kagal in Kolhapur district, Shahu Maharaj was given the name Yashwantrao. After the death of Shivaji IV, the king of Kolhapur Princely State, the young child Yashwantrao was adopted by Anandibai, the King's widow, and subsequently coroneted King in 1894.Revolutionary Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, The King of common people .Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj was a true visionary social reformer. His simple living, remarkable efforts for the welfare of backward classes and his genuine contributions to educational, social and even agricultural reforms like water harvesting will always guide us towards doing better things for our nation. The Practice of Reservation was first introduced in modern India by Rajarshi ShahuMaharaj in his own kingdom from 26 July 1902. The idea of reservation came from Mahatma JyotiraoPhule, but the task of implementing this idea was undertaken for the first time by his intellectual heir and follower Shahu Maharaj. He declared his intention of implementing 50% reservations (excluding four jatis of Brahmins, Parsi, Shenvi, Prabhu) in his Kolhapur kingdom on 26th July 1902. Out of some 664 princely states that existed at the time in India, only two kingdoms was just and fair to BahujanSamaj : (1) Karvir (2) Baroda. Both belonged to Marathas. ChhatraptiShahuMaharaj was a reformer in deeds and not just in words. Besides he was intelligent and smart. The following incidents from his life shows this brilliantly: (a) As soon as implementation of 50% reservation for all the Bahujans declaration was made by ShahuMaharaj, one clerk named Adv. Ganpat Abhyankar from Sangli province of Patwardhan administration came to Kolhapur to meet ShahuMaharaj and opposed reservations. ChatraptiShahuMaharaj was a reformer in deeds and not just in words. Besides he was intelligent and smart. He understood the communalistic plot of Adv. GanpatAbhayankar. He took Adv. Abhayankar to the stable where horses are tied. All the horses were eating their food like harabras/chanas from their containers tied to their mouths in a very relaxed manner. Just then ShahuMaharaj ordered to open the mouths of horses and pour their food at one location on a mat. Then he ordered to untie all the horses. Adv. GanpatAbhayankar was witnessing this scene attentively. Just when the guards untied the horses then those horses that were powerful, strong, heavy and healthy, plunged on the food, while those horses which were weak, sick, small, and miserable stood afar and only kept watching. What were they watching? Horses that were powerful, were not even eating properly. All that they were eating was what already was in their mouth because the relentless struggle and fight with equally strong fellow horses kicking from behind made sure that no one comes closer to the food. The weak horses thought of not entering into the rush of the heavy powerful horses because anyway they were not going to get anything. At this moment, ShahuMaharaj spoke to Adv. GanpatAbhayankar pointing towards the weak horses, “Abhaynkar, what do I do with these weak horses? Shall I shoot them? I knew this would happen. That’s why I have tied each horse’s share of food to their mouth so that nobody else will put their mouth in their food. This is called ‘Reservation’.” At this Adv.Abhayankar hung his head down. He got the answer to his question. ShahuMaharaj continued, “Abhayankar, Jatis do not exists amongst humans. They exist amongst animals. But you allied this system of animals to humans, so I applied the human system to animals.” Abhayankar was completely at a loss of words and kept his mouth shut.(b) HonorableBhaskaraoVithojiraoJadav topped metric in Bombai in 1888. Then topped in B.A. Exam of Bombay University. He then passed his M.A first class and then passed his LL.B. in 1997. Having a child of Marathas topped B.A. in Bombay University gave immense joy to the ShahuMaharaj and he distributed sugar from the top of an elephant. In 1895 ShahuMaharaj facilitated BhaskarJadhav by appointing him to the top most post of his kingdom –‘Assistant Sarsubhe’, which is the equivalent of today’s District Magistrate. A council of regency was appointed by the British government of India to oversee affairs of state during Shahu’s minority and during that time he was tutored in administrative affairs by Sir Stuart Fraser. Shahu was invested with ruling powers upon coming of age in 1894. There is one college named Rajaram college built by Shahu Maharaja. Maharashtra is a place of famous great people. From saint Qabirto saint Tukaram and from chatrapatishivajito Jyotirao and chatrapatishahumaharaj. It realize as a lustrous leadership of noteworthy wayfaring. ChatrapatiShahuMaharajcalled as a great era man priority. That era was an era of British emperor .and Peshwa means the spire injustice authority of Brahmin.ChatrapatiShahuMaharaj was the first loyal man who raised his voice opposed to unequality and untouchability. RajarshiShahu Maharaj Birth and Young, Early Life He was born Yeshwantrao in the Ghatge family in Kagal village of the Kolhapur district as Yeshwantrao Ghatge to Jaisingrao and Radhabai in June 26, 1874. JaisingraoGhatge was the village chief, while his wife Radhabhai hailed from the royal family of Mudhol. Young Yeshwantrao lost his mother when he was only three. His education was supervised by his father till he was 10-year-old. In that year, he was adopted by Queen Anandibai, widow of KinghShivaji IV, of the princely state of Kolhapur. Although the adoption rules of the time dictated that the child must have Bhosale dynasty blood in his vein, Yeshwantrao’s family background presented a unique case. He completed his formal education at the Rajkumar College in Rajkot and took lessons of administrative affairs from Sir Stuart Fraser, a representative of the Indian Civil Services. He ascended the throne in 1894 after coming of age, prior to which a regency council appointed by the British Government took care of the state affairs. During his accession Yeshwantrao was renamed as Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj. ChhatrapatiShahu was over five feet nine inches in height and displayed a regal and majestic appearance. Wrestling was one of his favourite sports and he patronised the sport throughout his rule. Wrestlers from all over the country would come to his state to participate in wrestling competitions. He was married to LakshmibaiKhanvilkar, daughter of a nobleman from Baroda in 1891. The couple had for children – two sons and two daughters. RajarshiShahuMaharaj for the Public :- The work ofChatrapatiShahuMaharaj was very good. He makes the people watchful with the help of his work. Shudra people had taken a moral lesson from the literature. The result of their action means they honor him and gave him thankfulness ‘Lokraja’ ChhatrapatiShahuMaharaj of Kolhapur; the most popular Maratha King with a revolutionary vision. He was a social reformer to work for rural and low-caste indigent by providing them free education along with hostel facility in Kolhapur state. Even in today’s era, his foresight can be seen everywhere while considering development of Kolhapur, Maharashtra and India as well. This website is a small initiative to spread the greatness of the visionary king. After 100 years, when not a single thought of ChhatrapatiShahuMaharaj has become anachronistic, his vision & strategies are still as fresh as the blooming flower in the midst of nature. During a short life span and his tenure as a Chhatrapati, he has marked his works in the history of our nation. Kolhapur; a branch of a royal Maratha kingdom of ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj; is blessed by the goddess of health, wealth, prosperity and peace Shri Mahalaxmi (Ambabai) who is also known as the mother of this universe. Kolhapur is the land where you find nature that is exquisitely beautiful, animals that are rare, and people who are proud and inviting. It is the land of the mighty river Panchaganga (Confluence of five rivers) and an Indian Gaur (Bison) who resides in Western Ghats. Kolhapur is a beautiful and diverse region with an incredible range of cultures and landscapes located in the world famous Western Ghats of India. It shares its borders with Karnataka, Goa & Konkan. All along this region you will find many green ways passing through Western Ghats. Satara lies to Kolhapur’s North and Sangli to East. Previously Kolhapur was a separate Maratha Empire for many decades and a princely state during British government. Kolhapur became a part of Independent India and was absorbed into it during 1947 to 1949. It is known for its rich biodiversity. Kolhapur has successfully conserved its bio diversity, along with the tiger and numerous species of birds, and it provides large number of Indian Bison. But apart from all other things anything about Kolhapur is shortened without mentioning ChhatrapatiShahuMaharaj’s name. Truly, he was an architect of modern Kolhapur. ShahuMaharaj is credited with doing much to further the lot of the lower castes. He did much to make education and employment available to all: he not only subsidized education in his state, eventually providing free education to all, but also opened several hostels in Kolhapur thereby facilitating the education of the rural and low-castes. He also ensured suitable employment for students thus educated, thereby creating one of the earliest known Affirmative action programs in history of India. Many of these measures were effected in the year 1902. Shahu’s other initiatives included restricting Child marriage in his state and the encouragement of intercaste marriage and widow remarriage.