115-611: Maratha Confederacy , Gawilghur (also, Gawilgarh or Gawilgad , Pronunciation: [ɡaːʋilɡəɖ] ) was a well-fortified mountain stronghold of the Maratha Empire north of the Deccan Plateau, in the vicinity of Satpura Ranges, Amravati District , Maharashtra . It was successfully assaulted by a force commanded by Arthur Wellesley on 15 December 1803 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War . The fort takes its name from
230-550: A broader geographical definition, the region consists of the peninsular tableland lying to the south of the Tropic of Cancer , marked by the Vindhya - Satpura ranges in the north. The Deccan is a plateau region extending over an area of 422,000 km (163,000 sq mi) and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula . It is shaped like an inverted triangle with its upper boundary at
345-409: A growth higher than the national average over the past three decades. While the states have improved in some of the socio-economic metrics, there is wide disparity within the region. Agriculture is often difficult in low rainfall areas, which require additional irrigation facilities while it is more feasible in the river valleys. Agriculture is still the primary occupation in the region. Rice
460-413: A meal involves eating food served on a banana leaf using the right hand. Rice is the staple food in meals of the region. Bhakri made of millets and roti or chapathi made of wheat served with dal are popular in the north and western parts of the region. Idli and dosa served with sambar and chutney for breakfast and rice served with sambar and rasam for lunch are popular in
575-817: A political mediator and sought an alliance with Awadh to keep the Marathas out of Rohilkhand. He bound himself to pay on behalf of the Rohillas. However, after he refused to pay, Oudh attacked the Rohillas. Shah Alam II , the Mughal Emperor spent six years in the Allahabad fort and after the capture of Delhi in 1771 by the Marathas, left for his capital under their protection. He was escorted to Delhi by Mahadaji Shinde and left Allahabad in May 1771. During their short stay, Marathas constructed two temples in Allahabad city, one of them being
690-628: A separate treaty on 26 July 1802, supported the new regime. He made a treaty with the British. Also, Yashwant Rao successfully resolved the disputes with Scindia and the Peshwa. He tried to unite the Maratha Confederacy but to no avail. In 1802, the British intervened in Baroda to support the heir to the throne against rival claimants and they signed a treaty with the new Maharaja recognising his independence from
805-748: A single entity named as Indian Railways . On 14 April 1951, the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway, the South Indian Railway, and the Mysore State Railway were merged to form the Southern Railway , the first zone of Indian Railways . The Western was established on 5 November 1951, the South Central zone on 2 October 1966, and the South Western zone on 1 April 2003. Most of the region
920-511: A truce but this was rejected by Aurangzeb. Rajaram died in 1700 at Sinhagad . His widow, Tarabai , assumed control in the name of her son, Ramaraja (Shivaji II). After Aurangzeb died in 1707, Shahu , the son of Sambhaji (and grandson of Shivaji), was released by Bahadur Shah I , the new Mughal emperor. However, his mother was kept a hostage of the Mughals to ensure that Shahu adhered to the release conditions. Upon release, Shahu immediately claimed
1035-563: A war cost to the Marathas and an annual tribute of 1.2 million rupees, in addition to returning all the territory captured by Hyder Ali . In 1791–92, large areas of the Maratha Confederacy suffered a massive population loss due to the Doji bara famine . In 1791, irregulars like lamaans and pindaris of the Maratha army raided and looted the temple of Sringeri Shankaracharya , killing and wounding many people, including Brahmins, plundering
1150-480: Is a "relational term" and historically the border of Deccan has varied from Tapti River to the Godavari River , depending on the southern boundary of the northern empires and is used to denote "the area beyond the southern border of a northern-based kingdom" of India. Geographers have defined the extent of Deccan region using various physical features and indices such as rainfall, vegetation, or soil type. As per
1265-461: Is a tunnel connecting the two forts. There are several unrepaired breaches made by British guns, which remain to this day. Maratha Confederacy The Maratha Confederacy , also referred to as the Maratha Empire , was an early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent . It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent Maratha states often subordinate to the former. It
SECTION 10
#17328482575581380-399: Is covered by these four zones, with small portions of the coasts covered by East Coast Railway and Konkan Railway . Metro and suburban systems are operational in major cities. Air transport in the region started in the late 1910s with commercial services beginning in the 1930s. The region has multiple international and domestic airports . Chennai International Airport serves as
1495-475: Is marked by rocky terrain with an average of about 600 m (2,000 ft). It is subdivided into Maharashtra Plateau, Karnataka Plateau, and Telangana Plateau. The Deccan Traps in the north west were formed by multiple layers of igneous rocks laid down by basaltic lava flows following a massive volcanic eruption that occurred during the end of the cretaceous period (66 mya ). The underlying bed consists of granite and sedimentary rocks formed during
1610-518: Is the staple food and major crop in the region. Others crops cultivated include sugarcane , banana , cotton , turmeric , millets , pulses , and spices . The urban centres are significant contributors to the Indian and global Information Technology economy. The presence of these hubs has spurred economic growth and attracted foreign investments and job seekers from other parts of the country. Manufacturing and textiles are other major industries in
1725-413: Is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff, as according to Indian philosophy, the navel is considered as the source of life and creativity. The men wear a dhoti , a 4.5 m (15 ft) long, white rectangular piece of non-stitched cloth often bordered in brightly coloured stripes. It is usually wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted at
1840-616: The Adil Shahi dynasty and the Mughals to carve out a kingdom with Raigad as his capital. The religious attitude of Emperor Aurangzeb estranged non-Muslims , and the Maratha insurgency came at a great cost for his men and treasury and eventually ensured Maratha ascendency and their control over sizeable portions of former Mughal dominions in the north of the Indian subcontinent. After Aurangzeb's death in 1707, Shivaji's grandson Shahu under
1955-627: The Bahmani kingdom , and its successors, the Deccan sultanates . It later housed the Kingdom of Mysore , Maratha confederacy , and Nizam's dominions . It was under the control of British Raj for nearly two centuries before the Indian Independence in 1947. The Reorganisation of Indian states in the 1950s resulted in the creation of states on linguistic lines. The word Deccan is an anglicised version of
2070-480: The Bay of Bengal owing to the steeper gradient moving from east to west, with only smaller streams flowing in the opposite direction. The streams and rivers give rise to numerous waterfalls in the region. The rivers have been dammed for hydroelectric and irrigation purposes, with major reservoirs spread across the region. The region has largely semi-arid climate in the northern parts and tropical climate in most of
2185-528: The British Raj as princely states that retained internal sovereignty under British paramountcy. Other small princely states of Maratha knights were retained under the British Raj as well. Deccan Plateau The Deccan is a plateau extending over an area of 422,000 km (163,000 sq mi) and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula . Shaped like an inverted triangle, it stretches from
2300-572: The Chhatrapati of the Marathas. Balaji also gained the release of Shahu's mother, Yesubai , from Mughal captivity in 1719. During Shahu's reign, Raghoji Bhonsle expanded the kingdom eastwards. Khanderao Dabhade and later his son, Triambakrao, expanded it Westwards into Gujarat. Peshwa Bajirao and his three chiefs, Pawar ( Dhar ), Holkar ( Indore ), and Scindia ( Gwalior ) expanded it northwards. Shahu appointed Balaji Vishwanath as Peshwa in 1713. Balaji Vishwanath's first major achievement
2415-607: The Earth's crust following a massive volcanic eruption . The eruption event occurred during the end of the cretaceous period (66 mya ) and is the second largest volcanic eruption ever recorded on land. Scientists state that the volcanic event would have released large amounts of ash , dust and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The release would have blocked sunlight resulting in lower temperatures and caused major climatic changes on Earth. The eruption would have resulted in high levels of sulfur , chlorine and other toxic gases in
SECTION 20
#17328482575582530-606: The First Anglo-Maratha War ended in 1782 with a restoration of the pre-war status quo and the East India Company's abandonment of Raghunathrao's cause. In 1799, Yashwantrao Holkar was crowned King of the Holkars and he captured Ujjain. He started campaigning towards the north to expand his dominion in that region. Yashwant Rao rebelled against the policies of Peshwa Baji Rao II . In May 1802, he marched towards Pune
2645-598: The Gawli (cow herds) who inhabited the Berar (modern day Amravati) for centuries. Earlier the fort was likely just made of mud as were several such areas in the region. The exact date of construction is not known but the Persian historian, Firishta , records that Ahmed Shah Wali, the ninth king of the Bahamani dynasty reconstructed Gawilgarh when he was encamped at Ellichpur in 1425. Likely this
2760-460: The Hooghly River and during their occupation of western Bengal , the Marathas perpetrated atrocities against the local population. The Maratha atrocities were recorded by both Bengali and European sources, which reported that the Marathas demanded payments, and tortured or killed anyone who couldn't pay. Raghuji was able to annex Odisha to his kingdom permanently as he successfully exploited
2875-453: The Kupgal petroglyphs of eastern Karnataka, at Stone Age sites. Hinduism is the major religion today in the region. The total fertility rate in the region was less than the population replacement level and as a result, the proportion of the population of the region to India's total population has declined in the last four decades. The economies of the states in the region registered
2990-717: The Narmada River basin near the Vindhya-Satpura ranges and the lower boundary at the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. The region is bound by the mountain ranges of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats on the sides, which separate the region from the Western and Eastern Coastal Plains respectively. It covers most of the Indian states of Maharashtra , Telangana , Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh excluding
3105-522: The Portuguese and Chikka Deva Raya of Mysore . To nullify the alliance between his rebel son, Akbar, and the Marathas, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb headed south in 1681. With his entire imperial court, administration and an army of about 500,000 troops, he proceeded to expand the Mughal empire, gaining territories such as the sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda . During the eight years that followed, Sambhaji led
3220-501: The Prakrit word dakkhaṇa , which evolved from the Sanskrit word dakṣiṇa , meaning "south". Carbon dating shows that ash mounds associated with Neolithic cultures in region date back to 8000 BCE. Towards the beginning of 1000 BCE, iron technology spread through the region though geological evidence does not point to a fully developed Bronze Age in existence prior to
3335-683: The Raja of Baroda of the House of Gaekwad , the Raja of Indore of the House of Holkar , and the Raja of Nagpur of the House of Bhonsle , (in order of territory and jurisdiction they hold), while the Peshwa's dominions included the territories that later became the Bombay Province and Central Provinces . After he was defeated by the Holkar dynasty in 1802, the Peshwa Baji Rao II sought protection from
3450-655: The Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta , the Chalukyas of Badami , the Hoysalas of Belur , and the Kakatiyas of Orugallu ruled over the region from the 6th century BCE to the 14th century CE. In the late middle ages , Vijayanagara empire conquered most of the southern part of the pleateu region. The upper portion was ruled by the Bahmani kingdom , and later by its successors, the Deccan sultanates . The Europeans arrived in
3565-603: The Rohillas and the Nawab of Oudh to assist him in driving out the Marathas from Delhi. Huge armies of Muslim forces and Marathas collided with each other on 14 January 1761 in the Third Battle of Panipat . The Maratha Army lost the battle, which halted their imperial expansion. The Jats and Rajputs did not support the Marathas. Historians have criticised the Maratha treatment of fellow Hindu groups. Kaushik Roy says, "The treatment by
Gawilghur - Misplaced Pages Continue
3680-583: The Satpura and Vindhya Ranges in the north to the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. It is bound by the mountain ranges of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats on the sides, which separate the region from the Western and Eastern Coastal Plains respectively. It covers most of the Indian States of Maharashtra , Telangana , Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh excluding the coastal regions, and minor portions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala . The plateau
3795-715: The Scindia Dynasty of the Maratha Confederacy, as Mahadaji Shinde was deputed the Vakil-i-Mutlaq (Regent of the empire) of Mughal affairs in 1784. Following the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1806, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington drafted a treaty granting independence to the Sikh clans east of the Sutlej River in exchange for their allegiance to the British General Gerard Lake acting on his dispatch. At
3910-663: The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) resulted in the loss of Maratha independence. It left the British in control of most of the Indian subcontinent. The Peshwa was exiled to Bithoor (Marat, near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh ) as a pensioner of the British. The Maratha heartland of Desh, including Pune, came under direct British rule, except the states of Kolhapur and Satara , which retained local Maratha rulers (descendants of Shivaji and Sambhaji II ruled over Kolhapur). The Maratha-ruled states of Gwalior, Indore, and Nagpur all lost territory and came under subordinate alliances with
4025-750: The Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon to the British East India Company leading to the Company rule in India . In 1788, Mahadaji's armies defeated Ismail Beg , a Mughal noble who resisted the Marathas. The Rohilla chief Ghulam Kadir , Ismail Beg's ally, took over Delhi, capital of the Mughal dynasty and deposed and blinded the king Shah Alam II, placing a puppet on the Delhi throne. Mahadaji intervened and killed him, taking possession of Delhi on 2 October restoring Shah Alam II to
4140-551: The Tungabhadra river. The strong fort of Gwalior was then in the hands of Chhatar Singh , the Jat ruler of Gohad . In 1783, Mahadaji besieged the fort of Gwalior and conquered it. He delegated the administration of Gwalior to Khanderao Hari Bhalerao. After celebrating the conquest of Gwalior, Mahadaji Shinde turned his attention to Delhi again. The Maratha-Sikh treaty in 1785 made the small Cis-Sutlej states an autonomous protectorate of
4255-521: The Western Ghats . The rising air cools and brings about orographic precipitation along the western coast, which signifies the onset of the monsoon season in June. By the time the air rises above the mountains, it becomes dry, resulting in a rain shadow region with very little rainfall on the leeward side towards the interior of the Deccan plateau. The monsoon winds rounding up the peninsula and moving from
4370-454: The atmosphere . Researchers argue that the volcanic event would have contributed to the extinction of various species including some of the dinosaurs . The volcanic deposits stretch more than 500,000 km (190,000 sq mi) encompassing neighbouring central highlands . The deposits consist of three subgroups based on the time and level of deposition. Underlying the lava deposits are granite and sedimentary rocks formed during
4485-409: The precambrian era and the formation of Gondwana . The region forms one of the major watersheds of India, with many perennial river systems such as Godavari , Krishna , and Kaveri flowing through the region. The plateau slopes gently from the west to east, resulting in most of the principal rivers flowing eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal . As the Western Ghats blocks the rain bearing winds,
4600-493: The precambrian era and the formation of Gondwanaland . The Indo-Gangetic Plain rests on hard crystalline rocks which connect the Himalayan region with the plateau region. Apart from granite, parts of the region consists of metamorphic rocks such as gneiss , and schist . The Deccan Plateau region is rich in mineral deposits like iron ore , coal , and mica . Precious and semi precious stones have also been mined from
4715-608: The 15th century CE and by the middle of the 18th century, the French and the British were involved in a protracted struggle for military control over the region. The Maratha Empire founded by Chatrapati Shivaji , briefly captured the region in the early 18th century CE. After the defeat of Mysore Kingdom in the late 18th century CE and the Vellore Mutiny in 1806 CE, the British East India Company consolidated their power over much of
Gawilghur - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-590: The 1950s resulted in the creation of the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala , Maharashtra , and Tamil Nadu . Telangana was created in 2014 by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh. The Deccan Plateau is one of the oldest and most stable land formations in the Indian subcontinent . The plateau is marked by rocky terrain with an average of about 600 m (2,000 ft). The Deccan Traps consist of multiple layers of igneous rocks , which are more than 2 km (1.2 mi) in thickness. These rocks were laid down by basaltic lava flows which emerged from deep inside
4945-613: The Bhau or Bhao in sources) responded to the news of the Afghans' return to North India by sending a large army north. Bhau's force was bolstered by some Maratha forces under Holkar , Scindia , Gaekwad and Govind Pant Bundele with Suraj Mal . The combined army of over 50,000 regular troops re-captured the former Mughal capital, Delhi, from an Afghan garrison in August 1760. Delhi had been reduced to ashes many times due to previous invasions, and there
5060-579: The British East India Company , whose intervention destroyed the confederacy by 1818 after the Second and Third Anglo-Maratha Wars . The stable borders of the confederacy after 1737 extended from modern-day Maharashtra in the south to Gwalior in the north after the Battle of Bhopal (1737), to Orissa in the east or about a third of the subcontinent. The Maratha Confederacy is also referred to as
5175-657: The British conquer Mysore in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799. After the British conquest, however, the Marathas launched frequent raids in Mysore to plunder the region, which they justified as compensation for past losses to Tipu Sultan. In 1775, the British East India Company , from its base in Bombay, intervened in a succession struggle in Pune, on behalf of Raghunathrao (also called Raghobadada), who wanted to become Peshwa of
5290-402: The English and the Marathas did not fare well at the Battle of Ramghat. The Maratha and British armies fought in Ram Ghat, but the sudden demise of the Peshwa and the civil war in Pune to choose the next Peshwa forced the Marathas to retreat. Madhavrao Peshwa 's victory over the Nizam of Hyderabad and Hyder Ali of Mysore in southern India established Maratha dominance in the Deccan. On
5405-406: The Iron Age. Since at least the 1st century BCE, the region was connected to the Silk Road and was involved in trade with the Mediterranean and East Asia . Several dynasties such as the Pandyas of Madurai , the Cholas of Thanjavur , the Zamorins of Kozhikode , the Satavahanas of Amaravati , the Pallavas of Kanchi , the Kadambas of Banavasi , the Western Gangas of Kolar ,
5520-419: The Maratha Confederacy in return for his acknowledgement of British paramountcy. Before the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803–1805), the Peshwa Baji Rao II signed a similar treaty. The defeat in the Battle of Delhi, 1803 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War resulted in the loss of influence over Delhi for the Marathas. The Second Anglo-Maratha War represents the military high-water mark of the Marathas who posed
5635-459: The Maratha Empire. Historian Barbara Ramusack notes, "neither term is fully accurate since one implies a substantial degree of centralisation and the other signifies some surrender of power to a central government and a longstanding core of political administrators". Although at present, the word Maratha refers to a traditionally Marathi peasantry group, in the past the word has been used to describe all Marathi people . Shivaji (1630–1680)
5750-408: The Maratha alliance at Agra before the start of the great battle and withdrew their troops as Maratha general Sadashivrao Bhau did not heed the advice to leave soldiers' families (women and children) and pilgrims at Agra and not take them to the battlefield with the soldiers, rejected their co-operation. Their supply chains (earlier assured by Raja Suraj Mal ) did not exist. Peshwa Madhavrao I
5865-414: The Maratha throne and challenged his aunt Tarabai and her son. The spluttering Mughal-Maratha war became a three-cornered affair. This resulted in two rival seats of government being set up in 1707 at Satara and Kolhapur by Shahu and Tarabai respectively. Shahu appointed Balaji Vishwanath as his Peshwa. The Peshwa was instrumental in securing Mughal recognition of Shahu as the rightful heir of Shivaji and
SECTION 50
#17328482575585980-399: The Marathas between 1737 and 1803. Although Shivaji came from the Maratha community , the Maratha government also included warriors, administrators, and other nobles from the Maratha and several other Marathi groups from what is known today as Maharashtra . Shivaji's monarchy was initially referred to as the Maratha Kingdom , which expanded into a large realm in the 18th century under
6095-427: The Marathas of their co-religionist fellows – Jats and Rajputs was definitely unfair and ultimately had to pay its price in Panipat where Muslim forces had united in the name of religion." The Marathas had antagonised the Jats and Rajputs by taxing them heavily, punishing them after defeating the Mughals and interfering in their internal affairs. The Marathas were abandoned by Raja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur , who quit
6210-481: The Marathas successfully against the Mughals. In early 1689, Sambhaji called his commanders for a strategic meeting at Sangameshwar to consider an onslaught on the Mughal forces. In a meticulously planned operation, Ganoji and Aurangzeb's commander, Mukarrab Khan, attacked Sangameshwar when Sambhaji was accompanied by just a few men. Sambhaji was ambushed and captured by the Mughal troops on 1 February 1689. He and his advisor, Kavi Kalash , were taken to Bahadurgad by
6325-500: The Marathas were now major players. After the 1758 Battle of Attock , the Marathas captured Peshawar defeating the Afghan troops in the Battle of Peshawar on 8 May 1758. Just prior to the battle of Panipat in 1761, the Marathas looted "Diwan-i-Khas" or Hall of Private Audiences in the Red Fort of Delhi, which was the place where the Mughal emperors used to receive courtiers and state guests, in one of their expeditions to Delhi. The Marathas who were hard pressed for money stripped
6440-489: The Mughals from the invasion of the Marathas, but was defeated decisively in the Battle of Bhopal . The Marathas extracted a large tribute from the Mughals and signed a treaty which ceded Malwa to the Marathas. The Battle of Vasai was fought between the Marathas and the Portuguese rulers of Vasai , a village lying on the northern shore of Vasai creek, 50 km north of Mumbai . The Marathas were led by Chimaji Appa , brother of Baji Rao. The Maratha victory in this war
6555-420: The Mughals to defend his kingdom. He was crowned as Chhatrapati (sovereign) of the new Maratha Kingdom in 1674. The Maratha dominion under him comprised about 4.1% of the subcontinent, but it was spread over large tracts. At the time of his death, it was reinforced with about 300 forts, and defended by about 40,000 cavalries, and 50,000 soldiers, as well as naval establishments along the west coast. Over time,
6670-491: The Portuguese Viceroy was killed in action by the Maratha Army in Goa. After the successful campaign of Karnataka and the Trichinopolly , Raghuji returned from Karnataka. He undertook six expeditions into Bengal from 1741 to 1748. The resurgent Maratha Confederacy launched brutal raids against the prosperous Bengali state in the 18th century , which further added to the decline of the Nawabs of Bengal. During their invasions and occupation of Bihar and western Bengal up to
6785-399: The Raja of Jaipur but withdrew after the inconclusive Battle of Lalsot in 1787. The Battle of Gajendragad was fought between the Marathas under the command of Tukojirao Holkar (the adopted son of Malharrao Holkar) and Tipu Sultan from March 1786 to March 1787 in which Tipu Sultan was defeated by the Marathas. By the victory in this battle, the border of the Maratha territory was extended to
6900-456: The Sringeri temple continued for many years, and he was still writing to the Swami in the 1790s. The Maratha Confederacy soon allied with the British East India Company (based in the Bengal Presidency ) against Mysore in the Anglo-Mysore Wars . After the British had suffered a defeat against Mysore in the first two Anglo-Mysore Wars, the Maratha cavalry assisted the British in the last two Anglo-Mysore Wars from 1790 onwards, eventually helping
7015-408: The Terai whence the remaining Sardar Hafiz Rahmat Khan Barech sought assistance in an agreement formed with the Nawab of Oudh , Shuja-ud-Daula, by which the Rohillas agreed to pay four million rupees in return for military help against the Marathas. Hafiz Rehmat, abhorring unnecessary violence, unlike the outlook of his fellow Rohillas such as Ali Muhammad and Najib Khan, prided himself on his role as
SECTION 60
#17328482575587130-440: The aristocracy. After the death of Peshwa Madhavrao I , various chiefs and jagirdars became de facto rulers and regents for the infant Peshwa Madhavrao II . Under the leadership of Mahadaji Shinde, the ruler of the state of Gwalior in central India, the Marathas defeated the Jats, the Rohilla Afghans and took Delhi which remained under Maratha control for the next three decades. His forces conquered modern day Haryana. Shinde
7245-413: The battles of Sira and Madgiri. He also rescued the last queen of the Keladi Nayaka Kingdom , who had been kept in confinement by Hyder Ali in the fort of Madgiri. In early 1771, ten years after the collapse of Maratha authority over North India following the Third Battle of Panipat, Mahadaji Shinde recaptured Delhi and installed Shah Alam II as a puppet ruler on the Mughal throne receiving in return
7360-409: The ceiling of Diwan-i-Khas of its silver and looted the shrines dedicated to Muslim maulanas. During the Maratha invasion of Rohilkhand in the 1750s The Marathas defeated the Rohillas, forced them to seek shelter in hills and ransacked their country in such a manner that the Rohillas dreaded the Marathas and hated them ever afterwards. In 1760, the Marathas under Sadashivrao Bhau (referred to as
7475-464: The chaotic conditions prevailing in Bengal after the death of its governor Murshid Quli Khan in 1727. Constantly harassed by the Bhonsles, Odisha, Bengal and parts of Bihar were economically ruined. Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal made peace with Raghuji in 1751 ceding Cuttack (Odisha) up to the river Subarnarekha, and agreeing to pay Rs. 1.2 million annually as the Chauth for Bengal and Bihar. Balaji Bajirao encouraged agriculture, protected
7590-462: The coastal regions, and minor portions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala . The western side of the plateau is elevated gently slopes towards the east. It is subdivided into Maharashtra Plateau, Karnataka Plateau, and Telangana Plateau. The Deccan forms one of the major watersheds of India, feeding many perennial rivers. The major river systems originating in the Western Ghats are the Godavari , Kaveri , and Krishna . Most rivers flow eastwards towards
7705-564: The conclusion of the war, the frontier of British India was extended to the Yamuna. Mahadaji Shinde had conquered Rania , Fatehabad and Sirsa from the governor of Hissar. Haryana then came under the Marathas. He divided Haryana into four territories: Delhi (Mughal emperor Shah Alam II , his family and areas surrounding Delhi), Panipat (Karnal, Sonepat, Kurukshetra and Ambala), Hisar (Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad, parts of Rohtak), Ahirwal (Gurugram, Rewari, Narnaul, Mahendragarh) and Mewat. Daulat Rao Scindia ceded Haryana on 30 December 1803 under
7820-438: The confederacy. The British also wanted to end any potential anti-British, French-Maratha alliance at its crib. Maratha forces under Tukojirao Holkar and Mahadaji Shinde defeated a British expeditionary force at the Battle of Wadgaon , but the heavy surrender terms, which included the return of annexed territory and a share of revenues, were disavowed by the British authorities at Bengal and fighting continued. What became known as
7935-480: The death of Saadat Khan by the Marathas and was forced to flee to the camp of Shuja-ud-Daula and his country was ravaged by Marathas. Mahadaji Shinde captured the family of Zabita Khan, desecrated the grave of Najib ad-Dawlah and looted his fort. With the fleeing of the Rohillas, the rest of the country was burnt, with the exception of the city of Amroha, which was defended by some thousands of Amrohi Sayyid tribes. The Rohillas who could offer no resistance fled to
8050-434: The east from the Bay of Bengal pass over the Eastern Ghats and bring some rainfall to the eastern region of the plateau. The region receives most of the rainfall during the months of July to September and the rains feed the rivers that flow into basins and then into the Bay of Bengal. There is a wide diversity of plants and animals in the region, resulting from its varied climates and geography. scrub lands are common in
8165-449: The eastern and southern parts of the region. Hyderabadi cuisine is popular for its biryani . The region is home to various music and dance forms such as Kuchipudi , Lavani , Yakshagana , and Bharatanatyam . There are three distinct styles of rock architecture, the Dravidian style of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, the Vesara style of Karnataka, Telangana, and the Nagara style of Maharashtra. In Dravidian architecture,
8280-573: The famous Alopi Devi Mandir . After reaching Delhi in January 1772 and realising the Maratha intent of territorial encroachment, however, Shah Alam ordered his general Najaf Khan to drive them out. In retaliation, Tukoji Rao Holkar and Visaji Krushna Biniwale attacked Delhi and defeated Mughal forces in 1772. The Marathas were granted an imperial sanad for Kora and Allahabad. They turned their attention to Oudh to gain these two territories. Shuja was, however, unwilling to give them up and made appeals to
8395-584: The imperial army, where they were executed by the Mughals on 21 March 1689. Aurangzeb had charged Sambhaji with attacks by Maratha forces on Burhanpur . Upon Sambhaji's death, his half-brother Rajaram ascended the throne. The Mughal siege of Raigad continued, and he had to flee to Vishalgad and then to Gingee for safety. From there, the Marathas raided Mughal territory, and many forts were recaptured by Maratha commanders such as Santaji Ghorpade , Dhanaji Jadhav , Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi , Shankaraji Narayan Sacheev and Melgiri Pandit. In 1697, Rajaram offered
8510-455: The kingdom would increase in size and heterogeneity; by the time of his grandson's rule, and later under the Peshwas in the early 18th century, it became a vast realm. Shivaji had two sons: Sambhaji and Rajaram , who had different mothers and were half-brothers. In 1681, Sambhaji succeeded to the crown after his father's death and resumed his expansionist policies. Sambhaji had earlier defeated
8625-470: The last serious opposition to the formation of the British Raj . The real contest for India was never a single decisive battle for the subcontinent, rather, it turned on a complex social and political struggle for the control of the South Asian military economy. The victory in 1803 hinged as much on finance, diplomacy, politics and intelligence as it did on battlefield manoeuvring and war itself. Ultimately,
8740-411: The leadership of Peshwa Bajirao I . The Marathas were a Marathi -speaking peasantry group from the western Deccan Plateau (present-day Maharashtra ) who rose to prominence by establishing Hindavi Swarajya (meaning "self-rule of Hindus"). The Marathas became prominent in the politics of the Indian subcontinent during the seventeenth century under the leadership of Shivaji , who revolted against
8855-510: The leadership of Peshwa Bajirao revived Maratha power and confided a great deal of authority to the Bhat family, who became hereditary peshwas ( prime ministers ). After he died in 1749, they became the effective rulers. The leading Maratha families – Scindia, Holkar, Bhonsle, and Gaekwad – extended their conquests in northern and central India and became more independent and difficult to control. The Marathas' rapid expansion
8970-498: The low rainfall areas in the eastern vicinity of the Western Ghats consist of infertile red soil . Historians have used the term Deccan differently across various time periods. Firishta (16th century), R. G. Bhandarkar (1920), and Richard Eaton (2005) demarcate the region based on linguistic lines. K. M. Panikkar (1969) defines it as the entire Indian peninsula south of the Vindhyas. Stewart Gordon (1998) notes that Deccan
9085-486: The low rainfall regions with dry deciduous forests found in the southern part of the plateau. The woodlands of the region are older than the Himalayas . The central part of the plateau is covered by woodlands formed by trees such as hardwickia , teak , siris , axlewood , boswellia , and acacia trees. The region hosts significant populations of endangered Bengal tigers and Indian elephants Other mammals found in
9200-451: The main water source in case the fort was besieged. Within the fort the ruins of a mosque are the most conspicuous. It stands at the highest point in the inner fort and is built in the Pathan style of architecture. The mosque has a square canopy with intricate stone lattice work and a seven arched façade. The mosque originally had two minarets, only one of which is intact today. So, probably there
9315-606: The major Maratha powers jointly fighting Nizam's forces. The Marathas came into conflict with Tipu Sultan and his Kingdom of Mysore , leading to the Maratha–Mysore War in 1785. The war ended in 1787 with Tipu Sultan being defeated by the Marathas. The Maratha-Mysore war ended in April 1787 following the finalizing of the treaty of Gajendragad , as per which the Tipu Sultan of Mysore was obligated to pay 4.8 million rupees as
9430-652: The monastery of all its valuable possessions, and desecrating the temple by displacing the image of goddess Sāradā . The incumbent Shankaracharya petitioned Tipu Sultan for help. A bunch of about 30 letters written in Kannada , which were exchanged between Tipu Sultan's court and the Sringeri Shankaracharya were discovered in 1916 by the Director of Archaeology in Mysore . Tipu Sultan expressed his indignation and grief at
9545-577: The news of the raid: People who have sinned against such a holy place are sure to suffer the consequences of their misdeeds at no distant date in this Kali age in accordance with the verse: "Hasadbhih kriyate karma rudadbhir-anubhuyate" (People do [evil] deeds smilingly but suffer the consequences crying). Tipu Sultan immediately ordered the Asaf of Bednur to supply the Swami with 200 rahati s ( fanam s) in cash and other gifts and articles. Tipu Sultan's interest in
9660-570: The northern gatehouse and opened the many gates, allowing the remaining British forces entry. The British suffered few casualties in the final assault (approx. 150). The fortress was returned to the Killedar Rana Shivsingh Rajput of the Maratha Empire , after making peace with the British but they abandoned it. The fort has several inscriptions in Persian recording the date of building of each of its seven gates. It has two water tanks ( Devtalav and Khantalav ), which would have been
9775-512: The other areas. The summer months of April – May are dry and hot with maximum temperatures often rising more than 40 °C (104 °F). During the dry summer months of April – May, heat builds up on the interior of the Deccan Plaeau, which draws air from the sea. The air, which picks up moisture along the way and flows eastward from the Arabian Sea , is blocked by
9890-473: The other hand, Mahadaji's victory over Jats of Mathura, Rajputs of Rajasthan and Pashtun-Rohillas of Rohilkhand ( Bareilly division and Moradabad division of present-day Uttar Pradesh ) re-established the Marathas in northern India. With the Capture of Delhi in 1771 and the capture of Najibabad in 1772 and treaties with Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II as a restricted monarch to the throne under Maratha suzerainty,
10005-472: The plateau region is drier than the coastal region and has a semi-arid climate. The Deccan plateau region was ruled by several kingdoms in the Indian history such as Pallavas , Cholas , Pandyas , Satavahanas , Chalukyas , Rashtrakutas , Hoysalas , Kadambas , Kakatiyas , and Western Gangas . In the later medieval era , the lower plateau was ruled by the Vijayanagara empire , and the upper portion by
10120-461: The plateau. Marathi people , who speak Marathi , an Indo-Aryan language , form the majority in the north-western part of the plateau. English is also widely spoken in urban areas of the region. Deccani Urdu a regional dialect of Urdu is spoken by the Muslims . Evidence of prehistoric religion in the region comes from scattered Mesolithic rock paintings depicting dances and rituals, such as
10235-465: The region include gaur , blackbuck , chinkara , four-horned antelope , wild buffalo , and Indian wild dog . The largest linguistic group in the region is the Dravidian family of languages , of approximately 73 languages. The Telugus and Kannadigas who speak Telugu and Kannada form the major demographic groups in the central region. Tamils and Malayalis form a part of the southern end of
10350-469: The region. As defined by Ministry of Culture of the Government of India to promote and preserve the cultural heritage , the region falls under the purview of West and South Zone Cultural Centers. The women traditionally wear a sari , a garment that consists of a drape varying from 5 yards (4.6 m) to 9 yards (8.2 m) in length and 2 feet (0.61 m) to 4 feet (1.2 m) in breadth that
10465-405: The region. Large uranium deposits have been discovered in the region in the 21st century. There are two major soil types, forming distinct sub-regions of the plateau. Most of the region with igneous basaltic rock consists of black soil . These soils have a high clay content, retain moisture and are resistant to erosion, but develop cracks during the dry season. The gneiss peneplain region in
10580-680: The region. The British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857. During the British colonial rule , the region was divided between the Madras Presidency , Bombay Presidency , Hyderabad State , and Mysore . The region played a major role in the Indian independence movement . After Indian Independence in 1947, majority of the region was organised into four states Bombay State , Hyderabad State , Madras State , and Mysore State . The Reorganisation of Indian states on linguistic lines in
10695-447: The resurrection of Maratha power in the North was complete. Madhav Rao died in 1772, at the age of 27. His death is considered to be a fatal blow to the Maratha Confederacy and from that time Maratha power started to move on a downward trajectory, less an empire than a confederacy. In a bid to effectively manage the large empire, Madhavrao Peshwa gave semi-autonomy to the strongest of
10810-461: The royal family as captives. The Marathas invaded Rohilkhand to avenge the Rohillas' atrocities in the Panipat war. The Marathas under the leadership of Mahadaji Shinde entered the land of Sardar Najib-ud-Daula which was held by his son Zabita Khan after his death. Zabita Khan initially resisted the attack with Sayyid Khan and Saadat Khan behaving with gallantry, but was eventually defeated with
10925-480: The seat of the Peshwa. This gave rise to the Battle of Poona in which the Peshwa was defeated. After the Battle of Poona, the flight of the Peshwa left the government of the Maratha state in the hands of Yashwantrao Holkar.( Kincaid & Pārasanīsa 1925 , p. 194) He appointed Amrutrao as the Peshwa and went to Indore on 13 March 1803. All except Gaekwad, chief of Baroda , who had already accepted British protection by
11040-476: The six Mogul provinces of Deccan, and full possession of the territories controlled by Shivaji in 1680. After Balaji Vishwanath's death in April 1720, his son, Baji Rao I , was appointed Peshwa by Shahu. Bajirao is credited with expanding the Maratha Kingdom tenfold from 3% to 30% of the modern Indian landscape during 1720–1740. The Battle of Palkhed was a land battle that took place on 28 February 1728 at
11155-484: The south. From Damalcherry, the Marathas proceeded to Arcot, which surrendered to them without much resistance. Then, Raghuji invaded Trichinopoly in December 1740. Unable to resist, Chanda Sahib surrendered the fort to Raghuji on 14 March 1741. Chanda Saheb and his son were arrested and sent to Nagpur. Rajputana also came under Maratha attacks during this time. In June 1756 Luís Mascarenhas, Count of Alva (Conde de Alva),
11270-508: The temples considered of large gate-pyramids or Gopurams in quadrangular enclosures that surround the temple with large pillared halls. Vimanam are similar structures built over the garbhagriha or inner sanctum of the temple but are usually smaller than the gopurams in the Dravidian architecture. In the Nagara style, the temples had one or more shikharas , which are towers similar to
11385-479: The throne and acting as his protector. Jaipur and Jodhpur , the two most powerful Rajput states, were still out of direct Maratha domination, so Mahadaji sent his general Benoît de Boigne to crush the forces of Jaipur and Jodhpur at the Battle of Patan . Another achievement of the Marathas was their victories over the Nizam of Hyderabad's armies. The last of these took place at the Battle of Kharda in 1795 with all
11500-542: The title of deputy Vakil-ul-Mutlak or vice-regent of the Empire and that of Vakil-ul-Mutlak being at his request conferred on the Peshwa. The Mughals also gave him the title of Amir-ul-Amara (head of the amirs). After taking control of Delhi, the Marathas sent a large army in 1772 to punish Afghan Rohillas for their involvement in Panipat. Their army devastated Rohilkhand by looting and plundering as well as taking members of
11615-461: The village of Palkhed, near the city of Nashik, Maharashtra, India between Baji Rao I and Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I of Hyderabad. The Marathas defeated the Nizam . The battle is considered an example of the brilliant execution of military strategy. In 1737, Marathas under Bajirao I raided the suburbs of Delhi in a blitzkrieg in the Battle of Delhi (1737). The Nizam set out from the Deccan to rescue
11730-501: The villagers and brought about a marked improvement in the state of the territory. Raghunath Rao , brother of Nanasaheb, pushed into the wake of the Afghan withdrawal after Ahmed Shah Abdali 's plunder of Delhi in 1756. Delhi was captured by the Maratha army under Raghunath Rao in August 1757, defeating the Afghan garrison in the Battle of Delhi . This laid the foundation for the Maratha conquest of North-west India . In Lahore , as in Delhi,
11845-402: The vimanas. The Vesara style is a hybrid of both these architectural styles. There is an extensive road network composed of National Highways , State Highways and other roads in the region. The Golden Quadrilateral connecting the major cities in the country traverses across the region. Public bus services are mostly provided by state-run transport corporations. The Madras Railway
11960-433: The waist. A colourful lungi with typical batik patterns is the most common form of male attire in the countryside. People in urban areas generally wear tailored clothing, and western dress is popular. Western-style school uniforms are worn by both boys and girls in schools, even in rural areas. The region has a rich cuisine involving both traditional non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes. The traditional way of eating
12075-516: Was a Maratha aristocrat of the Bhonsle clan and was the founder of the Maratha state. Shivaji led a resistance against the Sultanate of Bijapur in 1645 by winning the fort Torna, followed by many more forts, placing the area under his control and establishing Hindavi Swarajya (self-rule of Hindu people ). He created an independent Maratha state with Raigad as its capital and successfully fought against
12190-494: Was a major achievement of Baji Rao's time in office. Baji Rao's son, Balaji Bajirao (Nanasaheb), was appointed as the next Peshwa by Shahu despite the opposition of other chiefs. In 1740, the Maratha forces, under Raghoji Bhonsle, came down upon Arcot and defeated the Nawab of Arcot , Dost Ali, in the pass of Damalcherry. In the war that followed, Dost Ali, one of his sons Hasan Ali, and several other prominent people died. This initial success at once enhanced Maratha prestige in
12305-473: Was an acute shortage of supplies in the Maratha camp. Bhau ordered the sacking of the already depopulated city. He is said to have planned to place his nephew and the Peshwa's son, Vishwasrao , on the Mughal throne. By 1760, with the defeat of the Nizam in the Deccan , Maratha power had reached its zenith with a territory of over 2,500,000 square kilometres (970,000 sq mi). Ahmad Shah Durrani called on
12420-533: Was established in 1674 with the coronation of Shivaji as the Maratha Chhatrapati and recognised by Emperor Bahadur Shah I as a tributary state in 1707 following a prolonged rebellion . Following this, the Marathas continued to recognise the Mughal emperor as their nominal suzerain , similar to other contemporary Indian entities, though in practice, imperial politics at Delhi were largely influenced by
12535-583: Was established in 1845 and the Great Indian Peninsular Railway was incorporated in 1849. The construction on the first main line in the South between Royapuram in Madras and Arcot started in 1853, which became operational on 1 July 1856. In 1879, the Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway was established which built railway lines across the then Hyderabad State and the Mysore State Railway
12650-677: Was established to build an extension of Madras Railway in Mysore State. In 1880, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway built a railway network radiating from Madras. The Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway was founded on 1 January 1908 by merging the Madras Railway and the Southern Mahratta Railway . In 1950, there were about 42 different railway companies across the countrym which were amalgamated in steps to form
12765-465: Was halted with the great defeat of Panipat in 1761, at the hands of the Afghan Empire , following which the effective power of Peshwas over other chiefs came to an end. The structure of the Maratha state was that of a confederacy of four Rajas under the leadership of the Peshwa at Poona (now Pune) in western India from 1721 till 1818. These were the Raja of Gwalior of the House of Scindia ,
12880-623: Was instrumental in resurrecting Maratha power after the débâcle of the Third Battle of Panipat, and in this, he was assisted by Benoît de Boigne . After the growth in power of feudal lords like the Malwa sardars, the landlords of Bundelkhand and the Rajput kingdoms of Rajasthan who refused to pay tribute to him, he sent his army to conquer states such as Bhopal , Datiya, Chanderi, Narwar, Salbai and Gohad. However, he launched an unsuccessful expedition against
12995-626: Was the conclusion of the Treaty of Lonavala in 1714 with Kanhoji Angre , the most powerful naval chief on the Western Coast who later accepted Shahu as Chhatrapati. In 1719, Marathas under Balaji marched to Delhi with Sayyid Hussain Ali , the Mughal governor of Deccan, and deposed the Mughal emperor, Farrukhsiyar . The new teenage emperor, Rafi ud-Darajat and a puppet of the Sayyid brothers, granted Shahu rights to collecting Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from
13110-481: Was the date when major fortification was carried out. In 1803 during the 2nd Maratha War the fort was besieged by Arthur Wellesley (later Duke of Wellington ). After two failed attempts at the main gate by British and Sepoy companies, and many casualties, Captain Campbell led the 94th Highlanders (light company) up the ravine dividing the inner and outer forts and into the inner fort by escalade . The Scots then forced
13225-508: Was the fourth Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy. He worked as a unifying force in the Confederacy and moved to the south to subdue Mysore and the Nizam of Hyderabad to assert Maratha power. He sent generals such as Bhonsle, Scindia and Holkar to the north, where they re-established Maratha authority by the early 1770s. Madhav Rao I crossed the Krishna River in 1767 and defeated Hyder Ali in
#557442