Mighty Maratha Women
Maharani Tarabai
- Role: Led the Maratha resistance after her husband Rajaram’s death.
- Strategy: She realized North India was empty of Mughal troops (since Aurangzeb was in the Deccan). She sent Maratha armies north to raid Mughal lands, turning the tide of the war.
Ahilyabai Holkar (1725–1795)
- Ruler of Indore: Governed for 30 years after losing her husband and son.
- Administration: Known for justice, stability, and promoting the weaving industry (Maheshwari sarees).
- Builder: She rebuilt temples across India that had been destroyed, including Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi) and Somnath (Gujarat). She built ghats, wells, and rest houses from the Himalayas to Rameswaram.
Cultural Revival
Language and Identity
- Rajya-Vyavahara-Kosha: Shivaji commissioned this dictionary to replace Persian administrative terms with Sanskrit/Marathi equivalents.
- Seal: His royal seal was in Sanskrit, asserting a native Hindu identity.
Thanjavur Marathas (Tamil Nadu)
The branch of Marathas ruling Thanjavur fostered a brilliant syncretic culture.
- Serfoji II:
- A scholar-king interested in Medicine (established Dhanvantari Mahal).
- Patronized Western and Indian medicine.
- Installed the first printing press by a native ruler.
- Arts: Contributed to the development of Carnatic Music and Bharatanatyam.
Tip
Legacy: The Maratha Empire proved that a powerful pan-Indian empire could be run by indigenous rulers, planting the early seeds of the idea that Indians could govern themselves.