Syllabus: GS 1/History
In News
- The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has paid homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti.
About Shivaji
- He was born in 1630 in Maharashtra.
- He was a prominent warrior king and founder of the Maratha Empire, widely admired for his progressive leadership, military acumen, and fight for Swarajya (self-rule).
- He was inspired by the teachings of Maharashtra saints like Tukaram, Dnyaneshwar, and Ramdas, who promoted social equality and spiritual awakening.
Coronation
- In 1674, Shivaji crowned himself at Raigad, marking the start of the ‘Rajyabhisheka Era’.
- Shivaji aimed to completely separate from the Mughal Empire by establishing a new coinage and regal insignia.
Administration
- He formed a council of eight ministers called the Ashtapradhna, drawing inspiration from ancient Indian political texts like Mahabharata and Sukraniti.
- Shivaji’s kingdom was divided into administrative units like Prants, Tarafs, and Maujas.
- Each Prant was governed by a Subedar and a Karkun, while a Taraf was managed by a Havaldar.
- Sanskrit titles were given to positions like Deshadhikari, Mukhya-Deshadhikari, Lekhak, and Mukhya-Lekhak
Revenue System
- He ensured financial unity by adopting Malik Ambar’s land revenue system, which classified land based on fertility and fixed government shares.
- He abolished intermediaries (landlords or mirasdars) and controlled land revenue collection directly.
- Other sources of state revenue included customs, transit duties, fines, war booty, Chauth, and Sardeshmukhi.
| – Chauth: 25 per cent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars. In the Deccan, this was collected by the Marathas. – Sardeshmukhi: 9–10 per cent of the land revenue paid to the head revenue collector in the Deccan. |
Judicial System
- The judicial system was based on ancient Indian texts like Manusmriti and Sukraniti.
- Courts like the Raj Sabha, Dharmasabha, and Brahman Sabha played crucial roles in decision-making.
- Disputes at the village level were resolved by panchayats, with higher appeals made to the mamladar or Peshwa.
Economic and Agricultural Policies
- Shivaji encouraged agriculture and the prosperity of peasants by eliminating oppressive feudal lords.
- New cultivators were given seeds and cattle and their loans recovered over time.
- He also emphasized moderate taxation on newly cultivated lands and excluded wastelands from taxation initially.
Military and Foreign Affairs
- He maintained a strong military to protect Swarajya and manage territories.
- His foreign policy involved strategic alliances, diplomacy, and maintaining an efficient intelligence network.
- He charted a course for a self-reliant naval force, earning the title of the ‘Father of the Indian Navy’.
Legacy
- Shivaji’s governance laid the foundation for the Maratha Empire, combining a spirit of nationalism with a strong, practical administrative structure.
- His legacy is seen as a transformation in the way leadership and governance were perceived in 17th-century India.
Source :PIB
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