Shahu Of Kolhapur
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Shahu (also known as
Chhatrapati Chhatrapati is a royal title from Sanskrit used to denote a king. The word "Chhatrapati" is a Sanskrit language compound word of '' chhatra'' ('' parasol'' or ''umbrella'') and '' pati'' (''master/lord/ruler''). This title was used by the Ho ...
Rajarshi Shahu, Shahu IV, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj) (26 June 1874 – 6 May 1922) of the Bhonsle dynasty of
Marathas The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern India, early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent List of Maratha dynasties and states, Ma ...
was a Raja (reign. 1894 – 1900) and the first
Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...
(1900–1922) of the
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
n princely state of
Kolhapur Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Kolhapur is one of the most significant cities in South Maharashtra and has been a hub of historical, religious, and cultural a ...
. Rajarshi Shahu was considered a true democrat and social reformer. Shahu Maharaj was an able ruler who was associated with many progressive policies during his rule. From his coronation in 1894 till his demise in 1922, he worked for the cause of the lower caste subjects in his state. Primary education to all regardless of caste and creed was one of his most significant priorities. On the occasion of Rajarshi Shahuji Maharaj's centenary death anniversary in 2022, a memorial has been erected in his memory on 6 May 2022 through Pahlwan Sangram Kamble and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation at Gali No. 13, Khetwadi, Mumbai.


Early life

He was born as Yeshwantrao in the Ghatge Maratha family, of Kagal jagir in the Kolhapur district as Yeshwantrao Ghatge to Jaisingrao and Radhabai on 26 June 1874. Jaisingrao Ghatge was the chief, while his mother Radhabai hailed from the royal Ghorpade family of
Mudhol Mudhol is a city previously known as "'Muduvolalu"' in the Bagalkot District, Bagalkote District in the northern part of the South Indian state of Karnataka. It is about from the district headquarters of Bagalkot and from subdivision of Jamakh ...
. Young Yeshwantrao lost his mother when he was only three. His education was supervised by his father till he was 10 years old. In that year, he was adopted by Queen Anandibai, widow of King Shivaji VI, of the princely state of Kolhapur. He completed his formal education at the Rajkumar College, Rajkot and took lessons of administrative affairs from Sir Stuart Fraser, a representative of the Indian Civil Services. He ascended the throne in 1894 after coming of age, prior to which a regency council appointed by the British Government took care of the state affairs. During his accession Yeshwantrao was renamed as Shahuji Maharaj. Shahu was over six feet five inches in height and displayed a regal and majestic appearance.
Wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...
was one of his favourite sports and he patronised the sport throughout his rule. Wrestlers from all over the country would come to his state to participate in wrestling competitions. He was married to Lakshmibai Khanvilkar, daughter of a nobleman from
Baroda Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is a city situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district. The city is named for its abundance of banyan ...
in 1891. The couple had four children – two sons and two daughters.


Vedokta controversy

A Brahmin priest Narayan Bhat of the royal family refused to perform the particular Vedokta rites for Shahu implying that he belonged to
Shudra Shudra or ''Shoodra'' (Sanskrit: ') is one of the four varnas of the Hindu class and social system in ancient India. Some sources translate it into English as a caste, or as a social class. Theoretically, Shudras constituted a class like work ...
varna later claiming that there were no real Kshatriyas and that in the present Kaliyuga or epoch of
Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...
, only two varnas existed, Brahmins and Shudras which led to Shahu to fight for the rights of the
Maratha The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...
community. Shahu Maharaj revitalized the Patgaon tradition, a monastic lineage founded in the 17th century by Mouni Maharaj, a Maratha yogi. As part of this revival, he appointed Sadashivrao Lakshmanrao Sankpal Patil Benadikar, a Maratha and noted Sanskrit scholar, as the Kshatra-Jagadguru.


Social reform

Chhatrapati Shahu occupied the throne of Kolhapur for 28 years, from 1894 to 1922; during this period he initiated numerous social reforms in his empire. He is credited with doing much to improve conditions for the lower
caste A caste is a Essentialism, fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (en ...
s. He also ensured suitable employment for students thus educated, thereby creating one of the earliest
affirmative action Affirmative action (also sometimes called reservations, alternative access, positive discrimination or positive action in various countries' laws and policies) refers to a set of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking ...
(50% reservation to weaker sections) programs in history. Many of these measures came in to effect in the year 1902. He started Shahu Chhatrapati Weaving and Spinning Mill in 1906 to provide employment. Rajaram college was built by Shahu Maharaj, and later was named after him. His emphasis was on education, his aim being to make learning available to the masses. He introduced a number of educational programs to promote education among his subjects. He established hostels for different ethnicities and religions, including Panchals, Devadnya, Nashik, Shimpi, Dhor-Chambhar communities as well as for Muslims, Jains and Christians. He established the Miss Clarke Boarding School for the socially quarantined segments of the community. Shahu introduced several scholarships for poor meritorious students from backward castes. He also initiated compulsory free primary education for all in his state. He established Vedic Schools which enabled students from all castes and classes to learn the scriptures, thus propagating
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
education among all. He also founded special schools for village heads or ' patils' to make them better administrators. Shahu was a strong advocate of equality among all strata of society and refused to give the Brahmins any special status. He removed Brahmins from the post of Royal Religious advisers when they refused to perform religious rites for non-Brahmins. He appointed a young Maratha scholar in the post and bestowed him the title of ''Kshatra Jagadguru'' (the world teacher of the Kshatriyas). This incident together with Shahu's encouragement of the non-Brahmins to read and recite the Vedas led to the Vedokta controversy in Maharashtra. This dispute brought a storm of protest from the elite strata of society and vicious opposition to his rule. He established the Deccan Rayat Association in Nipani during 1916. The association sought to secure political rights for non-Brahmins and invite their equal participation in politics. Shahu was influenced by the works of Jyotiba Phule and long patronized the Satya Shodhak Samaj, formed by Phule. The boarding school, Rajkumar College, Rajkot gave a balanced education with highly religious and just Principal Chester Macnaghten with all the righteous traits after actually practicing for almost 15 years in Darbhanga palace educating Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh, the minor prince of the Brahmin family on throne teaching the western and Indian ways all at the same time before becoming the first principal of the first English public school opened under Macaulay's Doctrine in India. In 1903, he attended the
Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra The coronation of the British monarch, coronation of Edward VII and his wife, Alexandra of Denmark, Alexandra, as King of the United Kingdom, king and List of British royal consorts, queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, ...
, and in May that year received the honorary degree
LL.D. A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...
from the
University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
. Shahu made great efforts to abolish the concept of caste segregation and untouchability. He introduced (perhaps the first known) reservation system in government jobs for untouchable castes. His Royal Decree ordered his subjects to treat every member of society as equal, and granting the untouchables equal access to public utilities like wells and ponds, as well as establishments like schools and hospitals. He legalised
inter-caste marriage Intercaste marriage (ICM), also known as marrying out of caste, is a form of Exogamy, exogamous nuptial union that involve two individuals belonging to different castes. Intercaste marriages are particularly perceived as Acceptance, socially unacce ...
and made great efforts to improve the situation of the
dalit Dalit ( from meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold var ...
s. He discontinued the hereditary transfer of titles and tenures of revenue collectors. He also worked towards betterment of the condition of women in his empire. He established schools to educate women and also spoke vociferously on the topic of women's education. He legalised widow remarriage in 1917 and made efforts towards stopping
child marriage Child marriage is a practice involving a marriage or domestic partnership, formal or informal, that includes an individual under 18 and an adult or other child.* * * * Research has found that child marriages have many long-term negative co ...
. In 1920, Shahu introduced a law banning the
Devadasi In India, a devadasi is a female artist who is dedicated to the worship and service of a deity or a temple for the rest of her life. The dedication takes place in a ceremony that is somewhat similar to a marriage ceremony. In addition to taki ...
''pratha'' (the practice of offering girls to God), which essentially led to sexual exploitation of girls at the hands of the clergy. Shahu introduced a number of projects which enabled his subjects to sustain themselves in their chosen professions. The Shahu Chhatrapati Spinning and Weaving Mill, dedicated marketplaces and co-operative societies for farmers were established to free his subjects from predacious middlemen in trading. He made credits available to farmers looking to buy equipment to modernise agricultural practices, and even established the King Edward Agricultural Institute to instruct farmers in increasing crop yield and related techniques. He initiated the Radhanagari Dam on 18 February 1907; the project was completed in 1935 and made
Kolhapur Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Kolhapur is one of the most significant cities in South Maharashtra and has been a hub of historical, religious, and cultural a ...
self-sufficient in water. He was a great patron of art and culture, encouraging music and the fine arts. He supported writers and researchers in their endeavours. He installed gymnasiums and wrestling pitches and highlighted the importance of health consciousness among the youth. His seminal contribution in social, political, educational, agricultural and cultural spheres earned him the title of
Rajarshi Rajarshi () is a title in Hinduism and Hindu mythology, referring to a sage who hails from a royal background. Description A rajarshi may be described to be a king (raja) who adopted a path of devotion, thereby becoming a royal sage (rishi). A ...
, which was bestowed upon him by the Kurmi community of Kanpur.


Association with Ambedkar

B.R. Ambedkar met Shahu Maharaj with the help of artists Dattoba Pawar and Dittoba Dalvi. The Maharaja was greatly impressed by the intellect of young Ambedkar and his ideas regarding untouchability. The two met a number of times during 1917–1921 and went over possible ways to abolish the negatives of caste segregation by providing "caste-based reservation" to selected people. They organised a conference for the betterment of the untouchables during 21–22 March 1920 and the Shahu made Ambedkar the Chairman as he believed that Ambedkar was the leader who would work for the amelioration of the segregated segments of the society. He even donated Rs. 2,500 to Ambedkar, when the latter started his newspaper 'Mooknayak' on 31 January 1921, and contributed more later for the same cause. Their association lasted till the Shahu's death in 1922.


Personal life

In 1891, Shahu Maharaj married Lakshmibai née Khanvilkar (1880–1945), daughter of a
Maratha The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...
nobleman from
Baroda Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is a city situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district. The city is named for its abundance of banyan ...
. They were the parents of four children: *
Rajaram III Rajaram III (31 July 1897 – 26 November 1940) of the Bhonsle dynasty, was Maharaja of Kolhapur from 1922–1940, succeeding his father Maharaja Shahu. A benevolent ruler, he was instrumental in the uplifting of the dalits and depressed cast ...
, who succeeded his father as Maharaja of Kolhapur. * Radhabai 'Akkasaheb' Pawar, Maharani of Dewas (senior)(1894–1973) who married Raja Tukojirao III of Dewas(Senior) and had issue: **Vikramsinhrao Pawar, who became Maharaja of Dewas (Senior) in 1937 and who later succeeded to the throne of Kolhapur as
Shahaji II Shahaji II (formerly ''Vikramsinhrao (Nana Sahib) Pawar'') (4 April 1910 – 9 May 1983) of the Bhonsle dynasty of the Marathas, was the Maharaja of Kolhapur between 1947 and 1949. He was the grandson of Shahu of Kolhapur through his daughte ...
. * Sriman Maharajkumar Shivaji (1899–1918) * Shrimati Rajkumari Aubai (1895); died young


Death

Shahu died on 6 May 1922 in Bombay. He was succeeded by his eldest son,
Rajaram III Rajaram III (31 July 1897 – 26 November 1940) of the Bhonsle dynasty, was Maharaja of Kolhapur from 1922–1940, succeeding his father Maharaja Shahu. A benevolent ruler, he was instrumental in the uplifting of the dalits and depressed cast ...
as the Maharaja of Kolhapur. The reforms initiated by Shahu gradually began to fade for the lack of able leadership to carry on the legacy.


Full name and titles

His full official name was:
Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
His Highness Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style (manner of address), style used to address (in grammatical person, second person) or refer to (in grammatical person, third person) certain members of a reigning or formerly ...
Kshatriya Kshatriya () (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority"; also called Rajanya) is one of the four varnas (social orders) of Hindu society and is associated with the warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...
-Kulaawatans Sinhasanaadheeshwar, Shreemant Rajarshi
Sir ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part ...
Shahu
Chhatrapati Chhatrapati is a royal title from Sanskrit used to denote a king. The word "Chhatrapati" is a Sanskrit language compound word of '' chhatra'' ('' parasol'' or ''umbrella'') and '' pati'' (''master/lord/ruler''). This title was used by the Ho ...
Maharaj Sahib Bahadur,
GCSI The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India, GCSI) # K ...
, GCIE, GCVO. During his life he acquired the following titles and honorific names: * 1874–1884: Meherban Shrimant Yeshwantrao Sarjerao Ghatge * 1884–1895: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulaawatans Sinhasanaadheeshwar, Shreemant Rajarshi Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur,
Raja Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian subcontinent, Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. T ...
of
Kolhapur Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Kolhapur is one of the most significant cities in South Maharashtra and has been a hub of historical, religious, and cultural a ...
* 1895–1900: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulaawatans Sinhasanaadheeshwar, Shreemant Rajarshi
Sir ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part ...
Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Raja of Kolhapur,
GCSI The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India, GCSI) # K ...
* 1900–1903: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulaawatans Sinhasanaadheeshwar, Shreemant Rajarshi Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur,
Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...
of Kolhapur, GCSI * 1903–1911: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulaawatans Sinhasanaadheeshwar, Shreemant Rajarshi Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Kolhapur, GCSI, GCVO * 1911–1915: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulaawatans Sinhasanaadheeshwar, Shreemant Rajarshi Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Kolhapur, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO * 1915–1922:
Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
His Highness Kshatriya-Kulaawatans Sinhasanaadheeshwar, Shreemant Rajarshi Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Kolhapur, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO


Honours

*
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (GCSI) # Knight Commander ( KCSI) # Companion ( CSI) No appointments ...
(GCSI), 1895 * King Edward VII Coronation Medal, 1902 * Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order(GCVO), 1903 * Hon. LLD( Cantabrigian), 1903 * Delhi Durbar Gold Medal, 1903 * King George V Coronation Medal, 1911 * Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire(GCIE), 1911 * Delhi Durbar Gold Medal, 1911


Memorials

* An eight-foot tall statue of Shahu was installed at the
Parliament House Parliament House may refer to: Meeting places of parliament Australia * Parliament House, Canberra, Parliament of Australia * Parliament House, Adelaide, Parliament of South Australia * Parliament House, Brisbane, Parliament of Queensland * P ...
, in New Delhi. Then the President,
Pratibha Patil Pratibha Devisingh Patil (born 19 December 1934), also known as Pratibha Patil Shekhawat, is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the president of India from 2007 to 2012. She was the first woman to become the president of India. A m ...
unveiled the statue on 17 February 2009. * President of India unveiled the statue of Shahu Maharaj in Pune on 28 December 2013


Legacy

* In 1995, under the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Mayawati Kumari Mayawati (born Kumari Mayawati Das; 15 January 1956) is an Indian politician who served as the 18th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1995 to 1995, 1997 to 1997, 2002 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2012. She is the national president of t ...
, Kanpur University was renamed to Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University. *In 2006 Government of Maharashtra announced Shahu Maharaj's birthday as ''Samajik Nyay Din'' (). *Textbook lessons based on Shahu, Balbharti included in its Marathi language books for some Marathi school's classes. An incident in which Shahu Maharaj granted farm to a poor farmer couple was included in class fourth's Marathi school textbook's lesson in 2009.


In media

Shahu IV was portrayed in Star Pravah's drama serial. It was about
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Bhīmrāo Rāmjī Āmbēḍkar; 14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who chaired the committee that drafted the Constitution of India based on t ...
and run on Star Pravah in 2019.


See also

* Bhosale Family *
Reservation in India Reservation is a system of affirmative action in India that was established during the British Raj. Based on provisions in the Constitution of India, Indian Constitution, it allows the Government of India, Union Government and the States and Ter ...
*
Dalit Dalit ( from meaning "broken/scattered") is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold var ...


References


Further reading

* *
Entry regarding Maharaja Shahu Chhatrapati
on the website of Indian Post
A brief Life Sketch
*Dr. J. P. Dodamani (2018). (Transl. Kannada).


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur 1874 births 1922 deaths Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Arya Samajis People from Maharashtra Maharajas of Kolhapur Satyashodhak Samaj Indian knights