History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c59.s2.4

v4.c59.s2.4

In such a country no one can afford to lead a sheltered idle life. Every man, and often every woman, in Maharashtra, has to work and work with the hand. Where Nature enforces a Spartan simplicity, there can be no luxury, no learned leisure (except among the priests), no aesthetic development, no polished manners even. But such a country and climate have their compensating advantages. They develop self-reliance, courage, perseverance, a stern simplicity, a rough straightforwardness, a sense of social equality and consequently pride in the dignity of man as man. In the 7th century, the Chinese pilgrim Yuan Chwang noted the Marathas for being "proud-spirited and warlike, grateful for favours and revengeful for wrongs." This racial character was somewhat modified in the course of the next ten centuries, and the remnant of the Maratha population at last became more cunning and less chivalrous. But the basis of their character remained the same,—activity, self-reliance, self-respect and love of equality. Indeed, in their combination of courage, cleverness and power of endurance,—in their ability to plan and execute surprises and night-attacks, in the skill of their soldiers to extricate themselves from a tight corner or to vary their tactics according to the changing phases of a battle without waiting for guidance from a superior,—the Marathas resemble the Afghans most among all Asiatic races.