Question

Describe the maratha administration under shivaji.

Answer 1

General features of Shivaji’s administration:

1. He employed members of all castes and tribes to maintain balance among them.

2. He assigned separate responsibilities to the ministers and each of them was made responsible for his work to him.

3. He made no office hereditary.

4. In general he did not assign jagirs to his civil and military officers.

5. He gave special attention towards the administration of the forts.

6. In matters of administration, he gave superior position to his civil officers as compared to military officers.

7. He established Ryotwari system in revenue administration. The state kept direct contact with the farmers.

Shivaji took special care to make his administrative system responsive to the needs of the people. In the words of Dr. Ishwari Prasad, “The institutions which he established were an improvement upon the existing order and were well adapted to the well-being of his subjects.”

Central Administration:

He had a council of ministers (Asht Pradhari) to advise him on the matters of the state but he was not bound by it. He could appoint or dismiss them. This appointment was subject to their efficiency. The Peshwa was the first among ministers. The word Peshwa stands for leader or senior one. 

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Shivaji’s Asht Pradhan (Council of Eight Ministers):

Excepting the Senapati, all other ministers were Brahmans.

All excepting the Pandit Rao and Nyayadish were expected to command the army whenever needed.

Provincial administration:

Shivaji divided his kingdom into four provinces. Each province was under the head called Mamlatdar or Viceroy. Each province was divided into several districts and villages. The village was an organised institution.

The chief of the village was called Deshpande or Patel. The head used to run the affairs of the village with the help of the Village Panchayat.

Like the centre, there was a committee or council of eight ministers with Sar-i- ‘Karkun’ or the ‘prantpati’ (Head of the province)

Fiscal system or Revenue system:

Important features were:

(1) Land in every village was measured and the produce was roughly assessed.

(2) On the basis of assessment, the cultivators were asked to pay 40 per cent of their produce as land revenue.

(3) The Ryotwari system was introduced in which the revenue was directly collected from the farmers.

(4) Wherever possible, Shivaji abolished the jagirdari system.

(5) The farmers had the option to pay land revenue in cash or kind.

(6) The peasants could pay the revenue in installments.

(7) The accounts of the revenue officers began to be thoroughly checked.

(8) In the event of famine of natural calamity, the state offered loans to the peasants.

(9) Shivaji introduced the collection of two taxes called the Chauth and ‘Sardeshmukhi’.

‘Chauth’ and ‘Sardeshmukhi’:

Historians differ as to the exact nature of these two taxies levied by Shivaji. According to Ranade, ‘Chauth’ was not merely a military contribution without any moral or legal obligation but a payment in lieu of protection against the invasion of a third power and he compares it with Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance System. Sardesai holds that it was a tribute exacted from hostile or conquered territories.

J.N. Sarkar is of the opinion that Chauth was only a means of buying off one robber and not a subsidiary system for the maintenance of peace and order against all enemies. Thus ‘Chauth’ was a military contribution paid toward off any attack of the Marhatas. It was, in theory, ¼ of revenues of the district invaded but in practice it was sometimes much more than that. Sardeshmukhi was an additional tax of 10% which Shivaji claimed as the hereditary Sardeshmukhi or overlord of Maharashtra.

Judicial administration:

Judicial administrative system was rather simple, crude and primitive. The highest court was ‘Hazar Majils’ or the court of the king. The day-to-day administration was carried on by the village Panchayats and the village ‘Patel’ decided criminal cases.

Shivaji’s army administration:

Shivaji’s army organisation was very efficient. His army was very patriotic, well trained, efficient and extremely mobile.

Shivaji introduced the following reforms in the army:

1. Regular army:

He maintained a regular army. In the traditional military organisation, the soldiers served army for six months and thereafter, they worked in their fields. Now the soldiers were to serve around the year.

2. Cash payment:

He paid the soldiers in cash.

3. Patriotism:

He inspired the soldiers with patriotism.

4. Merit:

He recruited the soldiers on merit.

5. Branding of horses:

He introduced the system of branding the horses and keeping the identification of the soldiers.

6. Discipline:

He enforced strict discipline.

7. Guerilla warfare:

He trained his soldiers in the guerilla warfare.