Administrative System of the Marathas c19.s10.1

c19.s10.1

The institution of slavery in Maharashtra had not the horrors of slavery of Europe and America. The slaves were treated well. They were sometimes freed on the occasion of great festivals, or simply because they were old. Moreover the slaves in the Maratha country were allowed to possess property, and sometimes actually secured their release by purchasing a suitable substitute for their owners. In the year 1773-74 two female slaves were bought by Fuli and Tulshi, female slaves belonging to the government.⁴⁴ Slaves on the government establishment were specially well treated. We find that in 1762-63, Rs. 1,303-4 was granted for clothes to be given to female slaves of government on the Dasra festival.⁴⁵ In the same year Badi a slave was released and allowed to go wherever she pleased.⁴⁶ In 1774-75 the daughter of a Muhammadan female slave attached to the cavalry under Sakhoji Mule was decently married to a Muhammadan boy.⁴⁷ It may be noted here that legal marriage of a slave girl meant her manumission.