Mahadev Govind Ranade (1842 - 1901) was one of the most prominent social reformers and makers of modern India. 'Rise of Maratha Power' (its can be freely downloadable as well) is a gem of a book written by him more than 100 years back. Marxist historians have not given enough importance to the Maratha freedom movement and in most cases the Marathas had been treated as some kind of "rebels" against the central authority of Mughal Empire like Jats of Yamuna belt, Bundelas, Afghans and Sikhs. The socio-religious movement underneath this great surge of Maratha power has not been given much focus.
Ranade gives much deserving focus to the religious and social movement started and intensified by the large number of reformers and saints coming from all sections of society - Jnaneswar (13th century), Namdev (14th c), Jnanbai (14th c), Sena (14th c), Eknath (16th c), Tukaram (17th c), Ramdas (17th c) to name a few.
A political force becomes long lasting only when it is supported by a superior moral and spiritual force. Had these saints not been born in those eras, Shivaji might have not found the conducive environment to create 'Swaraj' and Maratha Empire might not have been founded. It would have met the fate of other contemporaneous kingdoms like Mysore, Bengal, Hyderabad and Awadh. The social movement and the hunger for freedom from the yoke of "foreign" rule produced a large number of military and civil leaders like Shivaji, Bajiprabhu Deshpande, Tanaji Malsure, Santaji Ghorpade, Dhanaji Jadhav, Moropant Pingle, Balaji Vishwanath, Bajirao, Balaji Bajirao, Nana Fadnavis, Mahadaji Sindhia, Ahilyabai Holkar and many others.
The Empire founded in the vicinity of Pune reached to the banks of Indus in North West, Orissa in East, Tanjore in South and Bundelkhand in north against all odds and the might of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb himself.
Shivaji created an institution named 'Ashta Pradhan' consisting of civil ministers and military leaders in order to maintain required checks and balances but its gradual decay in 18th century caused the downfall of Maratha Empire with each constituent units started catering to its own self interests.
Its a must read book for any history lover and specially for those who are admirer of Maratha history in particular.
Highly Recommended (9/10)
A political force becomes long lasting only when it is supported by a superior moral and spiritual force. Had these saints not been born in those eras, Shivaji might have not found the conducive environment to create 'Swaraj' and Maratha Empire might not have been founded. It would have met the fate of other contemporaneous kingdoms like Mysore, Bengal, Hyderabad and Awadh. The social movement and the hunger for freedom from the yoke of "foreign" rule produced a large number of military and civil leaders like Shivaji, Bajiprabhu Deshpande, Tanaji Malsure, Santaji Ghorpade, Dhanaji Jadhav, Moropant Pingle, Balaji Vishwanath, Bajirao, Balaji Bajirao, Nana Fadnavis, Mahadaji Sindhia, Ahilyabai Holkar and many others.
The Empire founded in the vicinity of Pune reached to the banks of Indus in North West, Orissa in East, Tanjore in South and Bundelkhand in north against all odds and the might of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb himself.
Shivaji created an institution named 'Ashta Pradhan' consisting of civil ministers and military leaders in order to maintain required checks and balances but its gradual decay in 18th century caused the downfall of Maratha Empire with each constituent units started catering to its own self interests.
Its a must read book for any history lover and specially for those who are admirer of Maratha history in particular.
Highly Recommended (9/10)
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