133-510: Mahar is an Indian caste found largely in the state of Maharashtra and neighbouring areas. Most of the Mahar community followed B. R. Ambedkar in converting to Buddhist in the middle of the 20th century. As of 2017 the Mahar caste was designated as a Scheduled Caste in 16 Indian states. Majority of Mahars converted to Buddhism in response of injustice of the caste practices within Brahmanism. It
266-449: A British force led by General Smith pursued Peshwa. Smith feared that Peshwa could escape to Konkan and overpower the small British detachment there. Therefore, he instructed Colonel Burr to send reinforcements to Konkan, and in turn, call in for reinforcements from Shirur , if needed. Meanwhile, the Peshwa managed to escape beyond Smith's pursuit, but his southward advance was constrained by
399-547: A Marathi speaking state with Mumbai as its capital. In the Gujarati speaking areas of the state, a similar Mahagujarat Movement demanded a separate Gujarat state comprising majority Gujarati areas. After many years of protests, which saw 106 deaths amongst the protestors, and electoral success of the samiti in 1957 elections, the central government led by Prime minister Nehru split Bombay State into two new states of Maharashtra and Gujarat on 1 May 1960. The state continues to have
532-473: A cool dry spell occurs, with clear skies, gentle air breeze, and pleasant weather that prevails from October to February, although the eastern Vidarbha region receives rainfall from the north-east monsoon. The state has three crucial biogeographic zones, namely Western Ghats , Deccan Plateau , and the West coast . The Ghats nurture endemic species, Deccan Plateau provides for vast mountain ranges and grasslands while
665-455: A dispute with Karnataka regarding the region of Belgaum and Karwar . The Government of Maharashtra was unhappy with the border demarcation of 1957 and filed a petition to the Ministry of Home affairs of India. Maharashtra claimed 814 villages, and 3 urban settlements of Belagon, Karwar and Nippani , all part of then Bombay Presidency before freedom of the country. A petition by Maharashtra in
798-520: A distance of 25 miles, they reached the high ground behind Talegaon Dhamdhere . From there, they spotted Peshwa's army across the Bhima River . Captain Staunton marched up to Koregaon Bhima village, which was located on the banks of the river. The village was surrounded by a low mud wall. Captain Staunton made a feint of crossing the shallow Bhima river. A 5,000-strong infantry, which was slightly ahead of
931-503: A large army.Ambar is said to have introduced the concept of guerrilla warfare in the Deccan region. Malik Ambar assisted Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in Delhi against his stepmother, Nur Jahan , who wanted to enthrone her son-in-law. Both Shivaji 's grandfather, Maloji and father Shahaji served under Ambar. In the early 17th century, Shahaji Bhosale , an ambitious local general who had served
1064-593: A long and proud tradition of bearing arms. From the time of early Islamic rule, villages in Maharashtra were part of the Baluta system. In that system, different castes were assigned different roles, each with its own tasks and rights. The duties assigned to the Mahar in the Baluta system included being village watchmen, trackers of thieves, messengers, wall menders, adjudicators of boundary disputes, and suppliers of coarse cloth to
1197-601: A memorial of the Mahars. The Mahars were considered untouchable in the contemporary caste-based society. The Peshwas, who were self claimed as the 'high-caste' Brahmins , were notorious for their mistreatment and persecution of the untouchables. Because of this, the Dalits (former untouchables), after independence, saw the Koregaon obelisk as a symbol of their victory over the high-caste oppression. Dalit Leader B. R. Ambedkar visited
1330-452: A number of them into his army in the 17th century due to their loyalty and bravery. They served as guards in hill forts and as soldiers. The Mahar along with the Koli and Marathas defended the fort of Purandar from Dilerkhan's Mughal army in 1665. Under British rule, the Mahars became aware of the scope for social and political advancement. Their traditional role had been low-status but important in
1463-655: A pension and a residence in Bithoor . Trimbakji Dengle was captured near Nashik and imprisoned at the Chunar Fort . Due to their bravery in the Battle of Koregaon, a Mahar Battalion was established. The official report to the British Residents at Poona recalls the "heroic valour and enduring fortitude" of the soldiers, the "disciplined intrepidity" and "devoted courage and admirable consistency" of their actions. Captain Staunton
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#17328520897181596-437: A rudimentary education, and frequently brought them into contact with upper-caste Hindus.In the Baluta system, apart from many traditional duties mentioned above, the Mahar were assigned work of removing dead cattle from the village, they also started eating the meat from the cattle that had died naturally. This formed the basis for the caste being treated as untouchables . The Mahar community defends consumption of beef by saying
1729-630: A series of battles that culminated in the defeat of the Peshwa rule and subsequent rule of the British East India Company in nearly all of Western, Central and Southern India. There is a "victory pillar" ( obelisk ) in Koregaon commemorating the battle. By the 1800s, the Marathas were organized into a loose confederacy, with the major constituents being the Peshwa of Pune , the Scindia of Gwalior ,
1862-482: A substantial number of migrants from other states of India. Uttar Pradesh , Gujarat, and Karnataka account for the largest percentage of migrants to the Mumbai metropolitan area. The 2011 census reported the human sex ratio is 929 females per 1000 males, which were below the national average of 943. The density of Maharashtra was 365 inhabitants per km which was lower than the national average of 382 per km . Since 1921,
1995-476: A suitable administrative center for the state, and the most populous urban area in India, with Nagpur serving as the winter capital. The Godavari and Krishna are the state's two major rivers, and forests cover 16.47% of the state's geographical area. The state is home to six UNESCO World Heritage Sites : Ajanta Caves , Ellora Caves , Elephanta Caves , Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus),
2128-565: Is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau . It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to the southeast and Chhattisgarh to the east, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the north, and the Indian union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to
2261-404: Is a 2017 documentary by Indian filmmaker Somnath Waghmare . It explored the role of 500 Mahar soldiers in Battle of Koregaon on 1 January 1818 against the Peshwa dynasty. The Battle of Bhima Koregaon is an upcoming Indian Hindi -language period war drama film directed and produced by Ramesh Thete under his banner Ramesh Thete Films. The film stars Arjun Rampal as Sidhnak Mahar, who
2394-456: Is also known as "Kathiwale" (Men with sticks), Bumiputera (Sons of the Soil), and Mirasi ( Landlords ) by tradition has the role of defending village boundaries from outsiders, invading tribes, criminals, and thieves. The "Kathiwale" name represents their former duty as village administrator.They were also responsible for maintaining law and order throughout the villages as administrators. The Mahars have
2527-719: Is appointed by the President of India for a five-year term. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the chief minister by the governor, and the Council of Ministers are appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister. The governor remains a ceremonial head of the state, while the chief minister and his council are responsible for day-to-day government functions. The council of ministers consists of Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State (MoS). The Secretariat headed by
2660-623: Is governed through a parliamentary system of representative democracy , a feature the state shares with other Indian states. Maharashtra is one of the six states in India where the state legislature is bicameral, comprising the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) and the Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council). The legislature, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, consists of elected members and special office bearers such as
2793-419: Is headed by a District Magistrate , who is an IAS officer and is assisted by several officers belonging to state services. Urban areas in the state are governed by Municipal Corporations , Municipal Councils , Nagar Panchayats , and seven Cantonment Boards . The Maharashtra Police is headed by an IPS officer of the rank of Director general of police . A Superintendent of Police, an IPS officer assisted by
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#17328520897182926-509: Is located in the city, as is the National Stock Exchange , which is the second-largest stock exchange in India and one of world's largest derivatives exchanges . The state has played a significant role in the country's social and political life and is widely considered a leader in terms of agricultural and industrial production , trade and transport, and education. Maharashtra is the ninth-highest ranking among Indian states in
3059-635: Is most concentrated in the forests of Gadchiroli and the Telangana border. Marathi is the first language of a majority or plurality of the people in all districts of Maharashtra except Nandurbar , where Bhili is spoken by 45% of its population. The highest percentage of Khandeshi speakers are Dhule district (29%) and the highest percentage of Gondi speakers are in Gadchiroli district (24%). The highest percentages of mother-tongue Hindi speakers are in urban areas, especially Mumbai and its suburbs, where it
3192-620: Is mother tongue to over a quarter of the population. Pune and Nagpur are also spots for Hindi-speakers. Gujarati and Urdu are also major languages in Mumbai, both are spoken by around 10% of the population. Urdu and its dialect, the Dakhni are spoken by the Muslim population of the state. The Mumbai metropolitan area is home to migrants from all over India. In Mumbai, a wide range of languages are spoken, including Telugu, Tamil, Konkani, Kannada, Sindhi, Punjabi, Bengali, Tulu, and many more. The state
3325-533: Is said that, their stratum lowered during the Peshwa Rule, due to their habit of beef eating. Thus, the practice of untouchability began and continued for generations. It was the primary reason for most of the Mahar community to follow Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in embracing Buddhist and re establishing it in the middle of the 20th century. They are considered as the direct descendants of the ancient rulers of "Maharratha" ( ancient name of Maharashtra), who ruled majority of
3458-417: Is spoken along the southern Konkan coast. Telugu and Kannada are spoken along the border areas of Telangana and Karnataka, respectively. At the junction of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh a variety of Hindi dialects are spoken such as Lodhi and Powari . Lambadi is spoken through a wide area of eastern Marathwada and western Vidarbha. Gondi is spoken by diminishing minorities throughout Vidarbha but
3591-684: Is usually the warmest and January the coldest month of the year. The winter season lasts until February with lower temperatures occurring in December and January. On the Deccan plateau that lies on eastern side of the Sahyadri mountains, the climate is drier, however, dew and hail often occur, depending on seasonal weather. The rainfall patterns in the state vary by the topography of different regions. The state can be divided into four meteorological regions, namely coastal Konkan, Western Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Vidarbha. The southwest monsoon usually arrives in
3724-749: The Ahmadnagar Sultanate , the Mughals and Adil Shah of Bijapur at different periods throughout his career, attempted to establish his independent rule. This attempt was unsuccessful, but his son Shivaji succeeded in establishing the Maratha Empire . Shortly after Shivaji's death in 1680, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb launched a campaign to conquer Maratha territories as well as the Adilshahi and Govalkonda kingdoms. This campaign, better known as Mughal–Maratha Wars ,
3857-664: The Bombay Presidency , which spanned an area from Karachi in Pakistan to northern Deccan. A number of the Maratha states persisted as princely states , retaining autonomy in return for acknowledging British suzerainty . The largest princely states in the territory were Nagpur , Satara and Kolhapur State ; Satara was annexed to the Bombay Presidency in 1848, and Nagpur was annexed in 1853 to become Nagpur Province , later part of
3990-670: The Central Provinces . Berar , which had been part of the Nizam of Hyderabad's kingdom, was occupied by the British in 1853 and annexed to the Central Provinces in 1903. However, a large region called Marathwada remained part of the Nizam's Hyderabad State throughout the British period. The British ruled Maharashtra region from 1818 to 1947 and influenced every aspect of life for the people of
4123-414: The Central Provinces and Berar . The southernmost part of Bombay State was ceded to Mysore . In the 1950s, Marathi people strongly protested against bilingual Bombay state under the banner of Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti . The notable leaders of the samiti included Keshavrao Jedhe , S.M. Joshi , Shripad Amrit Dange , Pralhad Keshav Atre and Gopalrao Khedkar . The key demand of the samiti called for
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4256-627: The Champion and Seth classification , Maharashtra has five types of forests: The most common animal species present in the state are monkeys, wild pigs, tiger , leopard , gaur , sloth bear , sambar , four-horned antelope , chital , barking deer , mouse deer , small Indian civet , golden jackal , jungle cat , and hare . Other animals found in this state include reptiles such as lizards , scorpions and snake species such as cobras and kraits . The state provides legal protection to its tiger population through six dedicated tiger reserves under
4389-605: The Deccan speak a non-standard version of Marathi . When a Mahar meets a man of his own caste a he says Namastu , and when he meets anyone other than a Mahar he says Johar , said to be from the Sanskrit Yoddhar ( Warrior ). The Mahars belonging to different regions can't intermarry unless there is some family connection can be traced between them. The Mahars are divided into number of exogamous groups or clans or kuls . There are enough evidences found to conclude that each of
4522-955: The Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji . Later, Muhammad bin Tughluq conquered parts of the Deccan, and temporarily shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in Maharashtra. After the collapse of the Tughluqs in 1347, the local Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga took over, governing the region for the next 150 years. After the break-up of the Bahamani sultanate in 1518, Maharashtra split into five Deccan Sultanates : Nizamshah of Ahmednagar , Adilshah of Bijapur , Qutubshah of Golkonda , Bidarshah of Bidar and Imadshah of Elichpur. These kingdoms often fought with each other. United, they decisively defeated
4655-646: The Holkar of Indore , the Gaekwad of Baroda , and the Bhosale of Nagpur . The British had subjugated and signed peace treaties with these factions, establishing Residencies at their capitals. The British intervened in a revenue-sharing dispute between the Peshwa and Gaekwad, and on 13 June 1817, the Company forced Peshwa Baji Rao II to sign an agreement renouncing claims on Gaekwad's revenues and ceding large swaths of territory to
4788-638: The Independence of India ; it is inscribed with the names of 22 Mahars killed at the battle. The victory pillar serves as focal point of Mahar heroism. The Mahar began their service to the East India company around 1750. 20-25% of the British Bombay Army was Mahar. Their conduct as soldiers was praised by many British officers. Mahars were a vital component of the British Marine Battalion. In
4921-516: The Jorwe culture ( c. 1300 –700 BCE) have been discovered throughout the state. The largest settlement discovered of the culture is at Daimabad , which had a mud fortification during this period, as well as an elliptical temple with fire pits. In the Late Harappan period there was a large migration of people from Gujarat to northern Maharashtra. Maharashtra was ruled by Maurya Empire in
5054-663: The Konkan coastal plains, 50–80 km (31–50 mi) in width. To the east of the Ghats lies the flat Deccan Plateau . The main rivers of the state are the Krishna , and its tributary, Bhima , the Godavari, and its main tributaries, Manjara , and Wardha - Wainganga and the Tapi , and its tributary Purna . Maharashtra is divided into five geographic regions. Konkan is the western coastal region, between
5187-638: The Lok Sabha , or the lower chamber of the Indian Parliament with 48 seats which is next only to Uttar Pradesh which has the highest number of seats than any other Indian state with 80 seats. Maharashtra also has 19 seats in the Rajya Sabha , or the upper chamber of the Indian Parliament. The government of Maharashtra is a democratically elected body in India with the Governor as its constitutional head who
5320-527: The Maratha (caste) , the Mahar community has little to no political representation in the top brass due to the lack of unity, inter- personal conflicts and leadership crisis. According to Eleanor Zelliot , Dalit literature originated in Marathi-speaking areas of Maharashtra. She credits Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, a Mahar himself, for inspiring many Dalit writers. Baburao Bagul (1930–2008), Shankarrao Kharat, and Bandhu Madhav were early Marathi writers from
5453-886: The Mughals . In the early nineteenth century, the region was divided between the Dominions of the Peshwa in the Maratha Confederacy and the Nizamate of Hyderabad . After two wars and the proclamation of the Indian Empire, the region became a part of the Bombay Province , the Berar Province and the Central Provinces of India under direct British rule and the Deccan States Agency under Crown suzerainty. Between 1950 and 1956,
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5586-618: The Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai and the Western Ghats , a heritage site made up of 39 individual properties of which 4 are in Maharashtra. The economy of Maharashtra is the largest in India, with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹ 42.5 trillion (US$ 510 billion) and GSDP per capita of ₹ 335,247 (US$ 4,000); it is the single-largest contributor to India's economy , being accountable for 14% of all-India nominal GDP . The service sector dominates
5719-764: The Vijayanagara Empire of the south in 1565. The present area of Mumbai was ruled by the Sultanate of Gujarat before its capture by Portugal in 1535 and the Faruqi dynasty ruled the Khandesh region between 1382 and 1601 before finally getting annexed in the Mughal Empire . Malik Ambar , the regent of the Nizamshahi dynasty of Ahmednagar from 1607 to 1626, increased the strength and power of Murtaza Nizam Shah II and raised
5852-424: The Zilla Parishad (district councils) at the district level and gram panchayat (village councils) at the lower level. Out of the total population of Maharashtra, 45.22% of people live in urban regions. The total figure of the population living in urban areas is 50.8 million. There are 27 Municipal Corporations in Maharashtra. According to the provisional results of the 2011 national census, Maharashtra
5985-496: The famines were the reason they started eating the beef. Under Islamic rule, Mahar served as soldiers in various armies of the Deccan Sultanates , Bahmani Sultanate , and the Mughals . In 14th century, Mahar Bhakti saint Chokhamela , and many of his family members such as Karmamela , Banka , Nirmala , and Soyarabai became popular for their religious poetry called abhang . Mahar served in various armies over several centuries. The Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj recruited
6118-405: The human development index . The region that encompasses the modern state has a history going back many millennia. Notable dynasties that ruled the region include the Asmakas , the Mauryas , the Satavahanas , the Western Satraps , the Abhiras , the Vakatakas , the Chalukyas , the Rashtrakutas , the Western Chalukyas , the Seuna Yadavas , the Khaljis , the Tughlaqs , the Bahamanis and
6251-412: The 19th century. His social work was continued by Shahu, Raja of Kolhapur and later by B. R. Ambedkar . After the partial autonomy given to the states by the Government of India Act 1935 , B. G. Kher became the first chief minister of the Congress party-led government of tri-lingual Bombay Presidency. The ultimatum to the British during the Quit India Movement was given in Mumbai and culminated in
6384-469: The 2011 Census, are listed in the following table. Each district is governed by a district collector or district magistrate, appointed either by the Indian Administrative Service or the Maharashtra Civil Service. Districts are subdivided into sub-divisions ( Taluka ) governed by sub-divisional magistrates, and again into blocks . A block consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities. Talukas are intermediate level panchayat between
6517-424: The 2011 census, the Mahar population in Maharashtra is 80,06,060, which is 60.31% among Scheduled Castes, and 7.12% in the state. Historically Mahar had "12 and half" endogamous subcastes, major subcastes include Ladvanshi (derived from " Lata Pradesh" current Gujarat ), Somvanshi, Andhavanshi, Tilvanshi, Bawane ( Bhavani Mahar),Gondvanshi, Kadvanshi and Kosare etc. These subcaste names are not totemistic. Some of
6650-484: The Bhima River at three different points, supported by two cannons and rocket fire. Peshwa's troops also made a feint attack from the Shirur road. By noon, the Arabs took control of a temple on the outskirts of the village. One of the temples was retaken by a party led by Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon Wyllie. The Arabs also captured the sole gun guarding the river, and killed eleven gunners, including their officer Lieutenant Chisholm. Driven by thirst and hunger, some of
6783-473: The Bombay Province became the Bombay State in the Indian Union, and Berar, the Deccan states and the Gujarat states were merged into the Bombay State. Aspirations of a separate state for Marathi-speaking peoples were pursued by the United Maharashtra Movement ; their advocacy eventually borne fruit on 1 May 1960, when the State of Bombay was bifurcated into the states of Maharasthra and Gujarat. The modern Marathi language evolved from Maharashtri Prakrit , and
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#17328520897186916-407: The British estimates, around half of the Peshwa's soldiers were killed in the battle. Mountstuart Elphinstone , who visited Koregaon two days later on 3 January 1818, wrote that the houses had been burned and the streets were filled with dead bodies of horses and men. There were around 50 dead bodies lying in the village, most of them of the Peshwa's Arab soldiers. There were six dead bodies outside
7049-447: The British. This treaty of Pune formally ended the Peshwa's titular overlordship of other Maratha chiefs, thus officially ending the Maratha confederacy. Soon after this, the Peshwa burnt down the British Residency at Pune, but was defeated in the Battle of Khadki near Pune on 5 November 1817. The Peshwa then fled to Satara , and the Company forces took complete control of Pune. Pune was placed under Colonel Charles Barton Burr, while
7182-405: The Chief Secretary assists the council of ministers. The Chief Secretary is also the administrative head of the government. Each government department is headed by a Minister, who is assisted by an Additional Chief Secretary or a Principal Secretary, who is usually an officer of the Indian Administrative Service , the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary serves as the administrative head of
7315-443: The Company's gunners suggested negotiating a surrender. However, Captain Staunton refused to yield. A group led by Lieutenant Pattison retook the gun, and found Lieutenant Chisholm's body with the head cut off. Captain Staunton declared that this would be the fate of those who fall into the enemy hands. This encouraged the gunners to fight on. The Company troops successfully defended the village. Peshwa's forces ceased firing and left
7448-415: The Directorate of Social Forestry (SFD). The Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board, constituted by the Government of Maharashtra in January 2012 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, is the nodal body for the conservation of biodiversity within and outside forest areas in the State. Maharashtra is ranked second among the Indian states in terms of the recorded forest area. Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in
7581-403: The East India Company Army they participated in various wars including Second Anglo-Maratha War , Third Anglo-Maratha War , Second Anglo-Sikh War and Second Afghan War . After the 1857 mutiny, the British decided to change their military recruitment policy One report "emphasized that we cannot practically ignore it (the caste system), so long as the natives socially maintain it". This led to
7714-402: The East." The Koregaon pillar inscription features the names of the 49 Company soldiers killed in the battle. 22 of these names end with the suffix -nac (or -nak ), which was used exclusively by the people of Mahar caste. The obelisk was featured on the Mahar Regiment 's crest until Indian Independence. While it was built by the British as a symbol of their own power, today it serves as
7847-425: The Mahar community. The Mahar writer Namdeo Dhasal (who founded Dalit Panther ) was significant in the Dalit movement. Other notable Mahar authors writing in Marathi include Shantabai Kamble , Urmila Pawar , Raja Dhale , Daya Pawar , and Narendra Jadhav . Religion-wise population of the Mahars, as per 2011 census. In the 2011 census , the majority of Mahars (62%) stated Buddhism as their religion. Among
7980-410: The Maharashtra and some parts of the other states. Previously, they were known as Nagvanshi Buddhists during the Mauryan Dynasty. Scholars estimated that, "Mahar" name originated later as "Mahari" i.e., "Maha + Ari" which means Biggest enemy. "Mahari" name was used by Pushyamitra Shunga for the warriors who fought him 21 times. The Mahars are considered original inhabitants of Maharashtra.The community
8113-411: The Mahars and created radical political awakening among them and inspired them to pay attention towards education . Before his death in 1956, Ambedkar, along with millions of his Mahar followers, converted to Buddhism as a protest against the caste discrimination of Hindus. In 1969, the Mahars constituted about 70% of the total Scheduled Caste population and also represented about 9% of population of
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#17328520897188246-407: The Mughals to city of Delhi. After their defeat at the hand of Ahmad Shah Abdali 's Afghan forces in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, the Maratha suffered a setback. However, they soon reclaimed the lost territories and ruled central and north India including Delhi until the end of the eighteenth century. The Marathas also developed a potent Navy circa in the 1660s, which at its peak under
8379-527: The Peshwa had already left the area. A company force led by General Pritzler pursued Peshwa, who tried to escape to Mysore . Meanwhile, General Smith captured Satara , the capital of Pratap Singh. Smith intercepted Peshwa in a battle on 19 February 1818 at Ashtoon (or Ashta); Bapuji Gokhale was killed in this action. The Peshwa then fled to Khandesh , while his jagirdars accepted the Company's suzerainty. A dejected Peshwa then met with John Malcolm on 2 June 1818, and surrendered his royal claims in exchange for
8512-565: The Peshwa had proceeded Southward, General Smith in pursuit, which had probably saved the battalion." Out of the 834 Company troops, 275 were killed, wounded or missing. The dead included two officers — Assistant-Surgeon Wingate and Lieutenant Chisholm; Lieutenant Pattison later died of his wounds in Shirur. Among the infantrymen, 22 were killed and 105 wounded. Among the artillery, 30 were killed and 8 were wounded. The dead Company soldiers of Indian origin included 22 Mahars , 16 Marathas , 8 Rajputs , 2 Muslims , and 1-2 Jews . According to
8645-543: The Peshwa's base, retreated to inform him about the presence of British forces. Meanwhile, Staunton stationed his forces in Koregaon instead of crossing the river. He secured a strong position for his guns, posting one of them to guard an approach from the Bhima river (which was running almost dry), and another to guard the road from Shirur. After the return of his 5,000-strong infantry, the Peshwa dispatched three infantry parties of Arab , Gosain and Maratha soldiers. Each party comprised 300–600 soldiers. The parties crossed
8778-416: The Peshwa's forces, resulting in the Battle of Koregaon. The Peshwa's army comprised 20,000 cavalry and 8,000 infantry. Out of these, around 2,000 men were deployed in the action, constantly reinforced during the battle. The force that attacked the Company troops consisted of three infantry parties of 600 soldiers each. These soldiers included Arabs , Gosains and Marathas (the caste). The majority of
8911-524: The Peshwa. The Company troops dispatched from Shirur comprised 834 men, including: The Company troops of Indian origin included Mahars , Marathas , Rajputs , Muslims , and Jews . Among which, the frontline infantry (frontline foot soldiers) consisted of 500 troops from Mahar community. 300 cavalry and 24 artillery, which consisted the rest of the soldiers of other Indian origin communities mentioned above. The Company troops left Shirur at 8 pm on 31 December 1817. After marching all night and covering
9044-412: The Satavahana and Vakataka styles. The caves were possibly excavated during this period. The Chalukya dynasty ruled the region from the sixth to the eighth centuries CE, and the two prominent rulers were Pulakeshin II , who defeated the north Indian Emperor Harsha , and Vikramaditya II , who defeated the Arab invaders in the eighth century. The Rashtrakuta dynasty ruled Maharashtra from the eighth to
9177-466: The Saurastras, probably after the Rattas (Rastras) akin to the Rastrikas of Asoka's rock Edicts, now known as Maharastra and the Marattas . An alternative theory states that the term derives from the word mahā ("great") and rāṣṭra ("nation/dominion"). However, this theory is somewhat controversial among modern scholars who believe it to be the Sanskritised interpretation of later writers. Numerous Late Harappan or Chalcolithic sites belonging to
9310-437: The Scheduled Caste Hindus (Dalit Hindus) in Maharashtra, the proportion of Mahars is the highest at 38%. And 95% of Scheduled Caste Buddhists (Neo-Buddhists) and 70% of Scheduled Caste Sikhs (Dalit Sikhs) belong to the Mahar caste. Buddhism amongst the mahar coomunity started to take roots due to B. R. Ambedkar . When he converted to Buddhism at Nagpur in 1956, many Mahars were among those of his followers who chose to do
9443-422: The Speaker and Deputy Speaker, who are elected by the members. The Legislative Assembly consists of 288 members who are elected for five-year terms unless the Assembly is dissolved before to the completion of the term. The Legislative Council is a permanent body of 78 members with one-third (33 members) retiring every two years. Maharashtra is the second most important state in terms of political representation in
9576-467: The Supreme Court of India, staking a claim over Belagon, is currently pending. Maharashtra with a total area of 307,713 km (118,809 sq mi), is the third-largest state by area in terms of land area and constitutes 9.36% of India's total geographical area. The State lies between 15°35' N to 22°02' N latitude and 72°36' E to 80°54' E longitude. It occupies the western and central part of
9709-508: The Western Ghats and the sea. Khandesh is the north region lying in the valley of the Tapti, Purna river. Nashik , Malegaon Jalgaon , Dhule and Bhusawal are the major cities of this region. Desh is in the centre of the state. Marathwada , which was a part of the princely state of Hyderabad until 1956, is located in the southeastern part of the state. Aurangabad and Nanded are
9842-468: The advance of a Company force led by General Theophilus Pritzler. He then changed his route, marching eastwards before turning north-west towards Nashik . Realizing that General Smith was in a position to intercept him, he suddenly turned southwards towards Pune. Towards the end of December, Colonel Burr received news that the Peshwa intended to attack Pune, and asked the Company troops stationed at Shirur for help. The troops dispatched from Shirur came across
9975-466: The annals of the army". According to M.S. Naravane, "this gallant defense by a small number of Company's troops against an overwhelming Maratha force is rightly considered one of the most glorious examples of valour and fortitude in the annals of the Company's forces." General Smith, in his official report of this battle, wrote, “The action at Koregaum was one of the most brilliant affairs achieved by any army in which European and Native soldiers displayed
10108-522: The attackers were Arabs ( mercenaries and their descendants), reputed to be the finest among the Peshwa's soldiers. The attackers were supported by a cavalry and two pieces of artillery. The attack was directed by Bapu Gokhale , Appa Desai and Trimbakji Dengle. Trimbakji was the only among these to enter the Koregaon village, once during the attack. The Peshwa and other chiefs stayed at Phoolsheher (modern Phulgaon) near Koregaon. The titular Maratha Chatrapati , Pratap Singh of Satara , also accompanied
10241-519: The basis of annual rainfall soil types, vegetation and cropping pattern. Maharashtra experiences a tropical wet and dry climate with hot, rainy, and cold weather seasons. Some areas more inland experience a hot semi arid climate, due to a rain shadow effect caused by the Western Ghats. The month of March marks the beginning of the summer and the temperature rises steadily until June. In the central plains, summer temperatures rise to between 40 °C or 104.0 °F and 45 °C or 113.0 °F. May
10374-417: The battles mainly took place in northern India. The modern struggle for independence started taking shape in the late 1800s with leaders such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak , Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade , Gopal Krishna Gokhale , Pherozeshah Mehta and Dadabhai Naoroji evaluating the company rule and its consequences. Jyotirao Phule was the pioneer of social reform in the Maharashtra region in the second half of
10507-700: The census. Powari , Lodhi , and Varhadi are spoken in the Vidarbha region, Dangi is spoken near the Maharashtra-Gujarat border, Bhil languages are spoken throughout the northwest part of the state, Khandeshi (locally known as Ahirani) is spoken in Khandesh region. In the Desh and Marathwada regions, Dakhini Urdu is widely spoken, although Dakhini speakers are usually bilingual in Marathi. Konkani, and its dialect Malvani,
10640-541: The city of Mumbai, is home to two tiny religious communities. This includes 5000 Jews , mainly belonging to the Bene Israel , and Baghdadi Jewish communities. Parsi is the other community who follow Zoroastrianism . The 2011 census recorded around 44,000 parsis in Maharashtra. Languages of Maharashtra (2011) Marathi is the official language although different regions have their own dialects. Most people speak regional languages classified as dialects of Marathi in
10773-659: The coast is home to littoral and swamp forests. Flora of Maharashtra is heterogeneous in composition. In 2012 the recorded thick forest area in the state was 61,939 km (23,915 sq mi) which was about 20.13% of the state's geographical area. There are three main Public Forestry Institutions (PFIs) in the Maharashtra state: the Maharashtra Forest Department (MFD), the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and
10906-484: The command of Kanhoji Angre , dominated the territorial waters of the western coast of India from Mumbai to Savantwadi . It resisted the British , Portuguese , Dutch , and Siddi naval ships and kept a check on their naval ambitions. Charles Metcalfe, British Civil servant and later Acting Governor-General, said in 1806: India contains no more than two great powers, British and Maratha, and every other state acknowledges
11039-566: The country and has a coastline stretching 840 kilometres (520 mi) along the Arabian Sea . The dominant physical feature of the state is its plateau character, which is separated from the Konkan coastline by the mountain range of the Western Ghats, which runs parallel to the coast from north to south. The Western Ghats , also known as the Sahyadri Range, has an average elevation of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft); its slopes gently descending towards
11172-579: The department they are assigned to. Each department also has officers of the rank of Secretary, Special Secretary, Joint Secretary, etc. assisting the Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary. For purpose of administration, the state is divided into 6 divisions and 36 districts . Divisional Commissioner, an IAS officer is the head of administration at the divisional level. The administration in each district
11305-434: The discrimination against the Mahars, other low-caste and some unreliable Brahmin castes. Mahar recruitment reached its nadir in the early 1890s (sources differ as to exact year) during the emergence of brahmin uprising in the British. The Mahar community attempted to confront this block with a petition circulated among the Mahar, Chamar , and Mang former soldiers—all Marathi-speaking who are considered as lower castes—but
11438-456: The district courts are categorised into two divisions: the Maharashtra civil judicial services and higher judicial service. While the Maharashtra civil judicial services comprises the Civil Judges (Junior Division)/Judicial Magistrates and civil judges (Senior Division)/Chief Judicial Magistrate, the higher judicial service comprises civil and sessions judges. The Subordinate judicial service of
11571-451: The early buddhist convert, V R Ranpise had written a book in Marathi called Boudha Samskar Path in 1962 as a guide to his fellow converts, very few had read the book. Before their conversion to Buddhism, the important deities of Mahar were Shiva , Khandoba , Vithoba and the varkari saints, Chokhamela , and Dnyaneshwar . Family deities of Mahars are typically Shiva , Maridevi , Bhumidevi , Navanathas and Bhavani . The Nag or king cobra
11704-518: The east and southeast. The Western Ghats (or the Sahyadri Mountain range) provide a physical barrier to the state on the west, while the Satpura Hills along the north and Bhamragad-Chiroli-Gaikhuri ranges on the east serve as its natural borders. This state's expansion from North to South is 720 km (450 mi) and East to West is 800 km (500 mi). To the west of these hills lie
11837-496: The east, in the rain shadow of the mountain range, only 500–700 mm/year will fall, and long dry spells leading to drought are a common occurrence. Maharashtra has many of the 99 Indian districts identified by the Indian Central water commission as prone to drought. The average annual rainfall in the state is 1,181 mm (46.5 in) and 75% of it is received during the southwest monsoon from June–to September. However, under
11970-453: The exogamous group historically owned and worshipped Devak or Totem and it is brought into prominence at the time of marriage ceremony. Members of families with a common Devak cannot intermarry. In most of the cases Devak became obsolete and it is replaced with composite Devak called Panchpalvi composed of the leaves, of five trees. Few examples of Panchpalvi are, Despite being the second most largest community in Maharashtra after
12103-560: The fourth and third centuries BCE. Around 230 BCE, Maharashtra came under the rule of the Satavahana dynasty which ruled it for the next 400 years. The rule of Satavahanas was followed by that of Western Satraps , Gupta Empire , Gurjara-Pratihara , Vakataka , Kadambas , Chalukya Empire , Rashtrakuta Dynasty , and Western Chalukya and the Yadava Dynasty . The Buddhist Ajanta Caves in present-day Aurangabad display influences from
12236-608: The influence of one or the other. Every inch that we recede will be occupied by them. The British East India Company slowly expanded areas under its rule during the 18th century. The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) led to the end of the Maratha Empire and the East India Company took over the empire. The Maratha Navy dominated till around the 1730s, was in a state of decline by the 1770s and ceased to exist by 1818. The British governed western Maharashtra as part of
12369-645: The influence of the Bay of Bengal, eastern Vidarbha receives good rainfall in July, August, and September. Thane, Raigad , Ratnagiri , and Sindhudurg districts receive heavy rains of an average of 2,000 to 2,500 mm or 80 to 100 in and the hill stations of Matheran and Mahabaleshwar over 5,000 mm (200 in). Contrariwise, the rain shadow districts of Nashik , Pune , Ahmednagar , Dhule , Jalgaon , Satara , Sangli , Solapur , and parts of Kolhapur receive less than 1,000 mm (39 in) annually. In winter,
12502-546: The judiciary is controlled by the District Judge. Battle of Koregaon The Battle of Koregaon was fought on 1 January 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy , at Koregaon Bhima . A 28,000-strong force led by Peshwa Baji Rao II whilst on their way to attack the company-held Pune , were unexpectedly met by an 800-strong Company force that
12635-400: The largest caste cluster with around 32% of the population. Maharashtra has a large Other Backward Class population constituting 41% of the population. The scheduled tribes include Adivasis such as Thakar , Warli , Konkana and Halba . The 2011 census found scheduled castes and scheduled tribes to account for 11.8% and 8.9% of the population, respectively. The state also includes
12768-634: The last week of June and lasts till mid-September. Pre-monsoon showers begin towards the middle of June and post-monsoon rains occasionally occur in October. The highest average monthly rainfall is during July and August. In the winter season, there may be a little rainfall associated with western winds over the region. The Konkan coastal area, west of the Sahyadri Mountains receives very heavy monsoon rains with an annual average of more than 3,000 millimetres (120 in). However, just 150 km (93 mi) to
12901-448: The main cities of the region. Vidarbha is the easternmost region of the state, formerly part of the Central Provinces and Berar. The state has limited area under irrigation, low natural fertility of soils, and large areas prone to recurrent drought. Due to this the agricultural productivity of Maharashtra is generally low as compared to the national averages of various crops. Maharashtra has been divided in to nine agro-climatic zones on
13034-449: The most noble devotion and most romantic bravery under pressure of hunger and thirst almost beyond human endurance. Shortly after the war, Mountstuart Elphinstone described it as a victory for the British. This battle weakened the Peshwas to it's core. The East India Company government praised the bravery of its troops, who could not be overpowered despite being outnumbered. The battle
13167-448: The movement was unable to organise and submit their petition. The attempt at a challenge had been spearheaded by Gopal Baba Walangkar , himself a Mahar, dhor and former soldier, but he found that Mahar military pensioners were unwilling to sign because they feared that they might lose their pensions. Thus, by the beginning of World War I, there were few Mahars left in the Army. A Mahar regiment
13300-640: The name of a tribe or dynasty of chiefs ruling in the Deccan region. An alternate theory states that the term is derived from mahā ("great") and ratha / rathi (" chariot "/"charioteer"), which refers to a skilful northern fighting force that migrated southward into the area. In the Harivamsa , the Yadava kingdom called Anaratta is described as mostly inhabited by the Abhiras (Abhira-praya-manusyam). The Anartta country and its inhabitants were called Surastra and
13433-689: The night of 2 January, Staunton first pretended to go in the direction of Pune but then marched back to Shirur, carrying most of his wounded soldiers. According to the Interesting Intelligence from the London Gazette : "Accounts have been received from Lt Col Burr, dated the 3rd (January, 1818), intimating that Capt. Staunton, commanding the 2nd battalion 1st regiment of Bombay Native Infantry, had been fortunately able to commence his march back to Seroor, with 125 wounded, having buried 50 at Goregaum (sic), and left 12 or 15 there, badly wounded; that
13566-476: The northwest. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the fourth-most populous country subdivision in the world. The state is divided into 6 divisions and 36 districts , Mumbai , is the capital of Maharashtra due to its historical significance as a major trading port and its status as India's financial hub , housing key institutions and a diverse economy . Additionally, its well-developed infrastructure and cultural diversity make it
13699-549: The officers of the Maharashtra Police Service, is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and related issues in each district. The Divisional Forest Officer, an officer belonging to the Indian Forest Service , manages the forests, environment, and wildlife of the district, assisted by the officers of Maharashtra Forest Service and Maharashtra Forest Subordinate Service. The judiciary in
13832-403: The populations of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg shrank by −4.96% and −2.30%, respectively, while the population of Thane grew by 35.9%, followed by Pune at 30.3%. The literacy rate is 83.2%, higher than the national rate at 74.04%. Of this, male literacy stood at 89.82% and female literacy 75.48%. Religion in Maharashtra (2011) According to the 2011 census, Hinduism was the principal religion in
13965-795: The precincts of the National Tiger Conservation Authority . The state's 720 km (450 mi) of sea coastline of the Arabian Sea marks the presence of various types of fish and marine animals. The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) found 1527 marine animal species, including molluscs with 581 species, many crustacean species including crabs, shrimps, and lobsters, 289 fish species, and 141 species types of annelids (sea worms). Maharashtra has following geographical regions: It consists of six administrative divisions: The state's six divisions are further divided into 36 districts , 109 sub-divisions, and 358 talukas . Maharashtra's top five districts by population, as ranked by
14098-609: The region. The President of India appoints the chief justice of the High Court of the Maharashtra judiciary on the advice of the chief justice of the Supreme Court of India as well as the Governor of Maharashtra. Other judges are appointed by the chief justice of the high court of the judiciary on the advice of the Chief Justice. Subordinate Judicial Service is another vital part of the judiciary of Maharashtra. The subordinate judiciary or
14231-534: The region. They brought several changes to the legal system, built modern means of transport including roads and Railways, took various steps to provide mass education, including that for previously marginalised classes and women, established universities based on western system and imparting education in science, technology, and western medicine, standardised the Marathi language, and introduced mass media by utilising modern printing technologies. The 1857 war of independence had many Marathi leaders, though
14364-497: The same. As Buddhists, they gave up their traditional Hindu occupations and sought to redefine their social status. Ambedkar died about two months after this mass conversion. At the same spot, after his cremation, more Mahars were converted to Buddhism. Now, this community is the third most populous in Mumbai . Some Buddhist leaders among the population prefer that the term Mahar no longer be applied to these converts. Buddhism appealed to
14497-469: The sense of equality for the Mahars; an intellectual of Mahar origin said, "I have accepted Buddhist doctrine. I am Buddhist now. I am not Mahar now, not untouchable nor even Hindu. I have become a human being". In a 1996 book, authors De and Shastree claimed that it has been difficult for the Neo-buddhists to totally abandon the rituals, practices, and festivals of their old Hindu religion. Although one of
14630-410: The shrines of Hindu gods was restricted. Their first conference was held in Mumbai in 1903. Shahu , the ruler of the princely state of Kolhapur , abolished Mahar watan in 1918 and freed the Mahars in his territory from the slavery imposed by the society of the day. He also gave them all the human rights and equality that others enjoy. In the 20th century, top leader Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar organized
14763-485: The site on 1 January 1927. To commemorate his visit to the site, now thousands of his followers visit the site every New Year's Day. A number of Mahar gatherings have also been held at the place. On 1 January 2018, clashes erupted between Hindu groups and Buddhist groups (Mahar Groups) during the commemoration of this battle. This led to further violent protests and rioting in Mumbai and Maharashtra for two days. The Battle of Bhima Koregaon: An Unending Journey
14896-460: The state at 79.8% of the total population. Muslims constituted 11.5% of the total population. Maharashtra has the highest number of followers of Buddhism in India, accounting for 5.8% of Maharashtra's total population with 6,531,200 followers. Marathi Buddhists account for 77.36% of all Buddhists in India . Sikhs , Christians , and Jains constituted 0.2%, 1%, and 1.2% of the Maharashtra population respectively. Maharashtra, and particularly
15029-606: The state consists of the Maharashtra High Court ( The High Court of Bombay ), district and session courts in each district and lower courts and judges at the taluka level. The High Court has regional branches at Nagpur and Aurangabad in Maharashtra and Panaji which is the capital of Goa. The state cabinet on 13 May 2015 passed a resolution favouring the setting up of one more bench of the Bombay high court in Kolhapur , covering
15162-663: The state is 61,579 sq mi (159,489 km ) of which 49,546 sq mi (128,324 km ) is reserved forests, 6,733 sq mi (17,438 km ) is protected forest and 5,300 sq mi (13,727 km ) is unclassed forests. Based on the interpretation of IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS III satellite data of the period Oct 2017 to Jan 2018, the State has 8,720.53 sq mi (22,586 km ) under Very Dense Forest(VDF), 20,572.35 sq mi (53,282 km ) under Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) and 21,484.68 sq mi (55,645 km ) under Open Forest (OF). According to
15295-470: The state of Maharashtra. Mahar is numerically the largest Scheduled Caste in Maharashtra, according to the 2001 Census of India . As of 2017, the Mahar community was designated as a Scheduled Caste (SC) in 16 Indian states, being: Andhra Pradesh , Arunachal Pradesh Assam , Chhattisgarh , Dadra and Nagar Haveli , Daman and Diu , Goa , Gujarat , Karnataka , Madhya Pradesh , Maharashtra, Rajasthan , Telangana , West Bengal and Haryana . According to
15428-465: The state's economy, accounting for 69.3% of the value of the output of the country. Although agriculture accounts for 12% of the state GDP, it employs nearly half the population of the state. Maharashtra is one of the most industrialised states in India. The state's capital, Mumbai, is India's financial and commercial capital. The Bombay Stock Exchange , India's largest stock exchange and the oldest in Asia,
15561-479: The subcaste names represent the territory they controlled or occupied and other subcaste names represent the acts their founders did. The Somavanshi Mahar trace their descent (bloodline) from Mahabharata's Pandava. The Somavanshi Mahar claim to have taken part in Mahabharata war and subsequently settled in Maharashtra .Before converting to Buddhism these subcastes would not marry and eat with one another. The Mahars of
15694-531: The tenth century. The Arab traveller Sulaiman al Mahri described the ruler of the Rashtrakuta dynasty Amoghavarsha as "one of the four great kings of the world". Shilahara dynasty began as vassals of the Rashtrakuta dynasty which ruled the Deccan plateau between the eighth and tenth centuries. From the early 11th century to the 12th century, the Deccan Plateau, which includes a significant part of Maharashtra,
15827-596: The transfer of power and independence in 1947. After Indian independence, princely states and Jagirs of the Deccan States Agency were merged into Bombay State , which was created from the former Bombay Presidency in 1950. In 1956, the States Reorganisation Act reorganised the Indian states along linguistic lines, and Bombay Presidency State was enlarged by the addition of the predominantly Marathi -speaking regions of Marathwada ( Aurangabad Division ) from erstwhile Hyderabad state and Vidarbha region from
15960-468: The village by 9 pm, driven by the fear of approaching British reinforcements under General Joseph Smith. At night, the Company troops managed to procure a supply of water. The Peshwa remained near Koregaon on the next day but did not launch another attack. Captain Staunton, who was not aware of General Smith's advance, believed that the Peshwa would attack the Company troops on the Koregaon-Pune route. On
16093-514: The village system. During the colonial period, large numbers of Mahars and dhors were recruited for military duties by the East India Company and the British Raj . The Battle of Koregaon (1 January 1818) is commemorated by an obelisk known as the Koregaon pillar—which was erected at the site of the battle—and by a medal issued in 1851. The pillar featured on the Mahar Regiment crest until
16226-437: The village. In addition, there were shallow graves of 50 native sepoys, 11 European soldiers and the 2 deceased officers belonging to the Company forces. When Elphinstone visited the battle field shortly after its completion, he found that the Company soldiers had completely lost their morale and were reluctant to believe the praises that were showered on them . General Smith arrived in Koregaon on 3 January, but by this time,
16359-458: The village. In return for these services, the village granted them a watan , or rights to small piece of land to do their own cultivation. The watan also included a share of village produce. They also worked at times as agricultural labourers. However, the Mahar were socio-economically above most other untouchable groups because their traditional role had been important in the village administrative system. This had necessitated that they had at least
16492-483: The word Marhatta (later used for the Marathas ) is found in the Jain Maharashtrian literature. The term Maharashtra along with Maharashtrian, Marathi, and Maratha may have derived from the same root. However, their exact etymology is uncertain. The most widely accepted theory among the linguistic scholars is that the words Maratha and Maharashtra ultimately derived from a combination of Mahā and Rāṣṭrikā ,
16625-466: The year 1971) than the national average. However, in the year 2011, it was found to be lower than the national average. The 2011 census for the state found 55% of the population to be rural with 45% being urban-based. Although, India hasn't conducted a caste-wise census since Independence, based on the British era census of 1931, it is estimated that the Maratha and the Maratha-kunbi numerically form
16758-440: Was a strategic defeat for Mughals. Aurangzeb failed to fully conquer Maratha territories, and this campaign had a ruinous effect on Mughal Treasury and Army. Shortly after Aurangzeb's death in 1707, Marathas under Peshwa Bajirao I and the generals that he had promoted such as Ranoji Shinde and Malharrao Holkar started conquering Mughal Territories in the north and western India, and by 1750s they or their successors had confined
16891-576: Was appointed an honorary aide-de-camp to the Governor General of India . The Court of Directors presented him with a sword and a sum of 500 guineas (gold coins). Later in 1823, he became a Major, and was appointed a companion of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath . General Thomas Hislop called the battle "one of the most heroic and brilliant achievements ever recorded on
17024-415: Was at that time the richest state in India and the second-most populous state in India with a population of 112,374,333. Contributing to 9.28% of India's population, males and females are 58,243,056 and 54,131,277, respectively. The total population growth in 2011 was 15.99%, while in the previous decade it was 22.57%. Since independence, the decadal growth rate of population has remained higher (except in
17157-457: Was created during World War I but only for a few years and because of British desperation for additional troops. In 1941, the Mahar Regiment proper was created. In 1873, Jyotirao Phule , the founder of Satyashodhak Samaj —which aimed to abolish religious slavery—organised Mahars. At that time, Mahars were not allowed to enter Hindu temples and were considered unclean . Even their entry into
17290-638: Was dominated by the Western Chalukya Empire and the Chola dynasty . Several battles were fought between the Western Chalukya Empire and the Chola dynasty in the Deccan Plateau during the reigns of Raja Raja Chola I , Rajendra Chola I , Jayasimha II , Someshvara I , and Vikramaditya VI . In the early 14th century, the Yadava dynasty , which ruled most of present-day Maharashtra, was overthrown by
17423-583: Was on its way to reinforce the British troops in Pune. The Peshwa dispatched around 2,000 soldiers to attack the force which sought entrenchment in Koregaon. Led by Captain Francis Staunton , the Company troops defended their position for nearly 12 hours, before the Peshwa's troops ultimately withdrew, fearing the imminent arrival of a larger British force. The battle was part of the Third Anglo Maratha war ,
17556-593: Was one of the last ones to be fought in the Third Anglo-Maratha War , is since recognised as a Company victory after the war ended with Peshwa's defeat. To commemorate its fallen soldiers, the East India Company commissioned a "victory pillar" (an obelisk ) in Koregaon. The inscription of the pillar declares that Captain Staunton's force "accomplished one of the proudest triumphs of the British Army in
17689-656: Was particularly revered by the community. Some Mahars in Maharashtra practice Sikhism . According to the 2011 census, there were 11,485 Scheduled Caste (SC) Sikhs in Maharashtra, of which 8,081 were Mahars. In the late 19th century, Otto Weishaupt's attempts to evangelise in the Sangamner area of Ahmadnagar district met with resistance, but his efforts to promote Christianity did appeal to few Mahars. Legally, Christian Mahars are not considered as Scheduled Castes (SCs). Maharashtra Maharashtra ( ISO : Mahārāṣṭra , Marathi: [məɦaːˈɾaːʂʈɾə] )
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