Shrimanta Madhavrao Peshwe

(Unfortunately) the education department did not feel a need to include the history of Peshwas anywhere in our history syllabus (I wonder how Mr. Balasaheb Thakre failed to notice this though) We learnt about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj when we were too young to grasp and understand the significance of the great personality of this great ruler. After that we learnt about Mahavir Jain,Gautam Buddha,French Reinassance (I still remember the typical way our History teacher used to pronounce this word and how we all used to try hard to not laugh at it), American revolution, World War I and II( I LOVED this part of history the most). The education department also failed to realise that our batch had to learn (and re learn) the history of India’s freedom struggle THREE times in our entire school syllabus…std V, std. VIII and std. X.
All we have ever learnt about the Peshwas was a paragraph here and there as we (re)learnt about the Indian freedom struggle. And some additional information I had was a TV serial called Bajirao Mastani I saw as a kid. (Even in that all I remember is that Ashwini Bhave had done the role of Mastani and since Mastani was supposed to be the epitome of beauty, for a long time I regarded Ashwini Bhave as the most beautiful woman on earth)
Although I could never get myself to by heart all those dates in history, I still used to love history. I used to love reading it and trying to imagine those people, that era… I used to relive all those historical figures in my fantasy…
I was always intrigued by the history of the Peshwas from bits and pieces I read somewhere, but never managed to read anything about it until recently, while sneaking into my grandmothers cupboard of books,I found this marathi book – “Swami”, by Ranjeet Desai.

The book is about Madhaorao Peshwe… Shrimanta Madhaorao Peshwe… Born in 1745, he took over the reigns of the Maratha empire in 1761 after the death of his father Shrimanta Nanasaheb Peshwe. At the tender age of 16 when today’s youth cannot even decide between right and wrong, Madhavrao was bestowed upon this intricate task of managing the crumbling Maratha Empire. By the time Madhavrao came to power the battle of Panipat had been fought… and lost. The empire was in debt. Yet it was a huge empire much beyond the understanding of a normal 16 year old kid. But with undefeatable spirit and persistent efforts he fought not just against the Nizam, Haider but was also, unwillingly, against his own uncle Raghobadada Peshwe. Raghobadada who was supposed to be Madhavrao’s mentor after his father’s death himself went in uprising against his own nephew… not once, but thrice. Raghobadada loved Madhavrao like his own son, but could not ignore the ill advice given to him by his jealous supporters… Had this mutiny not occurred, it might have changed the history of the Maratha empire for the better.
Madhavrao fought bravely and also with tact and managed to numb some of his enemies… He had a foresight and never mixed feelings with politics. When the time came he also fought against his uncle and when time demanded, he had him kept in house arrest. With foresight and dignity he refused the help of the British to help him fight his age old enemies. He had such a keen sense of justice which kept him in awe of not just his courtiers, the populace but also his enemies.

He completely gave up on all pleasures of life for the kingdom. Never was he seen enjoying the benefits of his position. The throne to him spelt responsibility, and not indulgence and extravagance, then very common to kings. He was not the type who would just give orders to his troop. But he went with them and fought courageously himself.
Unfortunately he was taken ill with TB very early in his life. Inspite of that he still fought… against his enemies, against his disease. Even this deadly disease could not manage to abate his dedication. He kept on working and fighting even throughout his illness.
What inspires awe about him is the ‘dedication’ to work. He had sense of the responsibility on him at such a young age. Which ordinary person would have given so much for his empire? He gave up almost all wordly pleasures for a much greater cause. This could of course never have been possible for him without the indomitable support of his wife Ramabai. Which ordinary wife would have supported her husband throughout his life, throughout his illness and also beyond death? She was hardly 22 when Madhavrao breathed his last. At that tender age she decided to go ‘sati’ with him.
By the end of the book you can’t help falling in love with both Madhavrao and Ramabai… But I wonder whether to call both of them lucky or unlucky… Unlucky, to have almost no personal life, to handle mutiny by his own uncle, to keep fighting, to die young…
Or lucky because in spite of everything he was satisfied at the end of his life…He had a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction which very few people have even after more than 60-70 years of life…