New History of the Marathas v2.c24.s2.86

v2.c24.s2.86

One, however, notices some peculiar traits also in Shahu’s character. Having been brought up in the midst of Muslim surroundings of the imperial camp, in the most impressionable period of life, he was inclined towards Muslim manners and customs in preference to the Hindu ones of which he was ignorant at first and which he picked up only in later life, He had a large harem full of maids and female servants with eunuchs to guard them.¹⁷ With all this his personal life was scrupulously clean, quite after the austere example of Aurangzeb. He certainly smoked the hukka. He was similarly fond of hunting wild game and shooting birds. He used to have a daily ride outside into the jungles for this purpose, thereby getting both fresh air and exercise. During the monsoon season he amused himself by fishing. There was nothing private or secret in his life; he was accessible to anyone at all times. He had on his staff singers, instrument-players, bards and actors. He kept well-trained hounds and was particularly keen on their breed.¹⁸ He was equally fond of well-bred horses and birds and knew their qualities and features. Rarities of various kinds such as candles, scents, knives, swords, tobacco, gunpowder are also found to have been ordered by him through Kanhoji Angria from the European traders.¹⁹ For tusks of elephants he paid high prices. He was equally fond of good gardens and ordered the planting of rare fruit and flower trees brought from different places. Entries like the following are numerous. “You have been ordered to sow twenty-thousand seeds of Shivapur mangoes every year. Let me have a detailed return where, when and how these trees have been planted and what the actual outcome is. The district of Poona has no mango groves. This should be quickly attended to.”