MrJazsohanisharma

Traveling through Indian history



The Empire of Maratha

Different leaders of Maratha (also known as Rastriks or Maha-rathis or Mahrattas) during the Middle Ages (before the 12th century) include Satavahana, Rashtrakuta, Yadhav-Jadhavs, and re-united in the 17th century under the governance of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Shivaji Maharaj, born in Marathas ' Bhosale clan, secured a lifelong struggle for an autonomous state. And thus created an empire that lasted until India's independence in 1947. The state thus founded by Chhatrapati Shivaji reached its zenith in the 18th century under the tutelage of the Peshwas, extending from the Indus in present-day Pakistan to the eastern Orissa and from the Punjab to the southern central Karnataka. 

Thanjavur's kingdom in today's Tamil Nadu was also governed by a Maratha dynasty, though outside the primary Maratha empire's ambit. At its peak, the Maratha Empire created a protectorate over the mughal emperor and over the countless Gujarat, Rajasthan, Central India and elsewhere chieftains of Rajput. They also succeeded in bringing Punjab under their control and ending Muslim Rule over there and keep the Sikhs ' field open.
This vast empire gradually declined after Panipat's third fight (1761); by 1818, the British East India Company had dropped all of today's India. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj gave the people of all castes in Maharshtra a chance to battle with enemies. Everyone was a Maratha for him, who aided the liberty. So all his troops, his Muslim soldiers included. It should be noted that Peshavas, also known as Maratha, who were Chitpavan Bramhins. Also known as a Maratha was Ahmednagar Chandbibi's Muslim Queen. Bramhins later stopped calling himself Maratha. Today in Maharashtra a specific, politically strong community calls itself Maratha.

They have a total of 96 clans. Most of the clans are newer (Didn't exist before Shivaji Maharaj) and there are only a few old clans that I'd like to mention here: Yadav / Jadhav, Morey, Kadam (Kadamb), Salunkhe, Rathod, Chavan, Shinde, Shelar, Sawant, Pawar, Kalchuri, Sisodia, etc. Maharashtra's cultivators were known as Kunabis, most of whom began calling themselves Marathas a hundred years ago. In Maharshtra, this rapidly increased the number of Marathas. So they became stronger in politics. But the Marthas, namely Deshmukhs, 96 Kulis, Common Marathas, Kadus, and Kunabis, are divided into several groups. They're not getting married.

Geographical divisions also exist and they generally do not marry outside their region.(Like a district Maratha of Sangli marries with the maratha of the surrounding districts of Satara and Kolhapur but not with the district Marathas of Pune, which is only 110 km away from Satara).

It is said that when a Kunabi becomes stronger it becomes a Maratha, when a Maratha becomes stronger it becomes a Patil, it becomes Deshmukh when a Patil becomes stronger. Deshmukh was the highest designation in this era, like District Collector, while Patil is the village chief. In general, before Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Marathas are not interested in history. 
History begins with Shahaji Maharaj for them and ends with Sambhaji Maharaj for them. It can be proved that their ancestors were Jainism followers, but they will strongly deny it, even if geneological evidence is presented.


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