Marathi society during the Peshwa rule

 

Indian society before the advent of British Empire was somehow Independent in economic and social point of view. As the British empire extended its power along  the length and breadth of the India  the urban lifestyle and nature of urban society changes but the rural economy and its society remains unchanged and its continues till social reforms takes places during the second half of 19th century.

 

      Villages in India were self dependent and they produced livelihood essentials and exchange it with barter system. But what dominates all this rural ecosystem was the religion and is was impossible for anyone to challenge the norms created by the religion which was treated as supreme.

 

      The society in 19th century was influenced by priests and religious leaders whose rules and customs were infallible according to them. So the society never challenged them and it continues till the advent of British rule. The caste system which was the foundation of medieval societies was so prevalent that breaking the caste hierarchy was considered as a crime by upper caste. Caste system had a sanction of religion scriptures that’s why it was deeply reached in the Indian society and it decides the relative function of that member of caste. People consider their caste and its prestige above all and were ready to fight for it. This era also gave birth to various superstitions and customs and rituals.

 

      British had captured whole of India till 1818, the war with Peshwa ended Maratha dominance in the Maharashtra and cleared their last hindrance for direct rule over whole of India. Various Princely states in India also surrendered to British and accepted their sovereignty.

 

      The beginning of 19th century witnessed the French revolution in Europe and it gave birth to social concepts like Equality, Liberty and Fraternity. It gave a new direction to Social and Political life of Europe. Economic development and Intellectual authority occupied most important place in society. Nationalist values grows more stronger than the religion.

 

      The second half of 18th century and the beginning of 19th century witnessed the Industrial revolution in Britain. Various factories sprang up in Britain. Growth of demand for finished good saw the increased demand of Machineries in factories. Cloth of Lancashire became famous in India. The merchants and partners of British in trade became wealthy due to such trade and the poor mass of India got burdened with heavy taxation. Feudalism became more influential in agrarian economy of India. 19th century farmer suffered more from such type of trade carried out by European Company.

 

      In Educational sphere also India was poorly performed. Only rich upper caste males could get education. Lower castes and women were exempted from obtaining any kind of education. Women of any caste suffered the same.

 

 

Society in 19^th century  was divided into two groups. ONE which was dominated by the brahmanical creation of Varnashramdharma which divided society into four stratas like Brahman , kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. And second which consists of people who do not fall in the four fold division of society and had to live outside the main settlement of village. They were considered as untouchables.

 

The upper castes(savarnas) considered shudra and untouchables as their servant and exploited them. Sarvarnas tried to established their superiority by denying any rights for social and educational progress to Shudras. Various social reformers tried to undo such type of inequality in society and challenged the brahmanical ecosystem. 

 

      In Maharashtra Jyotiba Phule worked immensely for women's education and the upliftment of untouchable caste. His work became motivation for various non- Brahmin movements which sprang up in different parts of India. Various Princely states were also of liberal character and showed interest in introduction of modern values in their society. Dayanand Saraswati also worked for education of poor and opened various school which today known as DAV school and colleges.

 

 The end of Peshwa rule is Maharashtra not only witnessed the political transformation in Maharashtra but also a social and religious transformation too. The rule of Peshwa(second) exposed the casteist and an oppressive character of the brahmanical society which was ruled by ruler of Brahmin caste. To gain the authority and support of Peshwa Brahmins of that time started worshiping Bajirao by declaring him as a incarnation of Shiva and Krishna. Casteism in Bajirao reign had reached so deep in society. Brahmins had created a unjust law system which was in favour of them like negligible punishment if a Brahmin committed a crime as compare to punishment for same crime to other castes. Punishments for other castes were harsh and cruel. Hence the majority of people were disappointed with Peshwa and Brahmins. 

 

More difficult was the condition of women whose social function was only to give birth and to do household chores. It is said that Peshwa used to feed about 40,000 Brahmin in his durbar who praised him and considered him as a god. Once there was a famine like situation in Puna of Maharashtra and thousands of people were dying of starvation and at the same time Peshwa was busy with feeding prosperous Brahmin pandits in his durbar.  Maratha farmers, workers and common people were dissatisfied with this behaviour of Peshwa

 

 To fight wars and for the expenses of royal household Peshwa demanded huge tax from common people. Sometimes money was collected forcefully from poor people. Terror of peshwa was so much that no one dared to raise their voice against peshwa or his royal army. Collecting Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from farmers was a common practice during Peshwa rule. Peshwa's adopted son Bhau Amritrao was also a oppressive ruler.

 

 

Shudras and Dalits suffered more during the Peshwa's rule. The 19th century social reformer Mahatma Phule has written in his book "Gulamgiri" that Brahmin refuses to consider Shudras as a warrior and recognize their bravery even if Shudra caste person gave his life for this land. Life of Shudras were hard, they have to work like a animal to feed their family. Their life was miserable than the medieval slaves.

At last they had to take loan from rich landlords of village which were protected by Peshwa ruler. These rich landlords took benefit of farmers illiteracy and made them debt ridden for whole life.Whole Maratha society was living this kind life during Peshwa rule.

Corruption has affected whole of the society. People were loosing their land as it was being confiscated by Peshwa and its Maratha sardars. In 1818 the Peshwa rule came to an end after the war between Peshwa on one side British on other. British army got help 500 brave warriors from Mahar community and together they ended the oppressive regime of Peshwa.

 

It is said that army of Peshwa washuge with 28000 soldiers andit is only because of brave Mahar soldiers that British was ableto win such war .Dr B R Ambedkar had visited the site of war onJanuary 1,1927 and paid tribute to brave Mahar Warriors.