At Panipat, the Maratha army was a collection of individual contingents rather than a unified force. Sadashivrao Bhau lacked the absolute authority to command veteran chiefs like Malharrao Holkar, who often disagreed with his tactics. This lack of a “centralized ...
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The Maratha revenue system was primarily designed to support a state in a state of “permanent war.” While the Mughals emphasized a detailed land-survey-based bureaucracy (Zabt system), the Marathas focused on “Chauth” and “Sardeshmukhi.” These were military levies collected from ...
The Deccan’s rugged landscape, filled with hills and narrow passes, was perfectly suited for the Maratha “Ganimi Kava” (guerrilla tactics). By avoiding open-field battles, the Marathas used the terrain to trap larger enemy forces. Their reliance on light cavalry ensured ...
Kanhoji Angre, the legendary Maratha Admiral, focused on challenging the naval dominance of European powers—the British, Portuguese and Dutch—along the Konkan coast. By establishing a string of coastal forts and utilizing agile “Galbats” and “Gurabs,” he successfully protected Maratha waters, ...
Samarth Ramdas was the Maratha saint who served as the spiritual guide and advisor to Shivaji. He preached the philosophy of action (Karma Yoga) and Maharashtra Dharma—a unifying socio-religious identity. He later advised Sambhaji to maintain unity and uphold the ...