Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s3.4

c18.s3.4

Similarly when Parashram Shrinivas succeeded his father, a similar letter was written by the second Madhava Rao to Babu Rao Krishna (1777-78). "The command of God has reached Shrinivas Pandit Pratinidhi (i.e., he is dead), the clothes of the post have to be given to his son; clothes of honour, a head-dress and arms, have therefore been sent with Sadashiv Anant; request the Shrimant Maharaj Rajashri Swami to give the aforesaid personage the Pratinidhi's dress of honour." 7 And with this recommendation were also sent a dress of honour, a head-dress and arms to be given to the nominee; perhaps in consideration of the poverty of the Raja. The same Peshwa had again to write three letters to Krishna Rao Anant, Babu Rao Krishna and Nilkantha Rao at Satara in connection with the appointment of Jivan Rao Viththal to the office of Sumanta (1785-86), requesting them to procure a dress of honour and a sanad for his watan and saranjam, although the newly-appointed officer had already got both sanad and dress of honour from the Peshwa.⁸ But Madhava Rao II apparently did not consult the Raja's pleasure when Ramchandra Raghunath was appointed Pandit Rao.⁹ Baji Rao II, however, did not omit to procure a dress of honour for the new incumbent to the Sachiv's post when the old Sachiv Shankar Rao Pandit died (1799-1800), and was succeeded by his adopted son Chimnaji Shankar. "A letter to Krishna Rao Narayan to the effect that the command of God reached Sankar Rao Pandit Sachiv, father of Chimnaji Shankar, in the year Tisa Tisen. The latter was adopted by the Sachiv in his lifetime. Therefore the Surnis's dress of honour is to be given to him according to the old custom. A separate list of the clothes of honour is sent. Accordingly you should request the Maharaja and deliver the dress of honour to Krishnaji Bhagavant, a Karkun sent from the Sarkar. The latter will hand it over to Chimnaji Shankar."¹⁰ Two letters of the second Madhava Rao addressed to the Bhonsle of Nagpore clearly show that, jealous as that chief was of the Peshwa's authority, he also could not think of dispensing with royal sanction of his succession to the hereditary dominions.