Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s9.20

c18.s9.20

Below the Kulkarni and above the Mahar came the Chaugula, who assisted the Patil in his duties and also had the care of the Kulkarni's records. It is noteworthy that the Marathas still believe that the Chaugula was generally the Patil's illegitimate son or a descendant of the illegitimate son of one of his ancestors. Among the Non-Brahmans in the Maharashtra country the illegitimate children were not legally unfit to inherit their father's property. The celebrated Mahadaji Sindhia was an illegitimate son of his father Ranoji. Shahaji Patil of Mukave in Pargana Umbarkhed in Sarkar Mahur was succeeded in the patilship by his illegitimate son Santaji Thakur. It seems a formal sanction of the Government was necessary in the case of succession by a natural son.¹⁷