Administrative System of the Marathas c21.s4: 11. Postal System and Military Intelligence
Administrative System of the Marathas c21.s4
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11. Postal System and Military Intelligence
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There was no regular postal department under the Peshwas. The work of military intelligence and what postal work there was, were entrusted to *Jasuds* and *Harkaras*. They were not only good runners, but intelligent men, well acquainted with roads, resourceful and brave. While on duty, public officers in villages on their way were expected to help them in their journey; and sometimes letters to that effect were addressed to the Patil and the Kulkarni. Major Broughton, a hostile critic, is very eloquent in his praise of the Harkaras. "These Hirkuras," says he, "are a most active and useful set of men: their business is to obtain information, to act as guides, and convey letters or messages: they are always well acquainted with the country, its roads, passes through hills or across rivers; and are so generally useful, that, like the ancient heralds, they are looked upon as privileged, and allowed to pass unmolested where other travellers would be in the utmost danger. They are often sent to great distances, and are absent for many months; when they must necessarily be subjected to the greatest hardships, in a country where there are no inns, and when the inhabitants of many provinces subsist entirely by plunder." Sometimes the Jasuds were paid at the high rate of Rs. 3 per day, they were known to cover the whole distance from Maheshwar to Delhi in thirteen days.
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*12. Education:*
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Like the postal department, the Peshwas did not organise any department of public instruction. Learning was indirectly encouraged by Dakshana grants to scholars. Originally instituted by the Dabhades, this system was continued by the Peshwas after the fall of that family. Scholars from all parts of India were attracted to Poona by this money reward, and the metropolis of the Peshwas soon became distinguished as a great seat of Sanskrit learning. Misuse of such a system however was bound to set in, and what was originally meant for scholars alone, was extended to Brahmans in general. Peshwa Madhava Rao I tried to put a check to indiscriminate distribution of Dakshana. Scott Waring says, "In the reign of the great Peshwa Madhava Rao it was ordained that the learned Pandits and Shastries should undergo an examination at the palace by the Head Pandit and should there receive gifts proportionate to their qualifications and knowledge." The last Peshwa Baji Rao II spent about four lakhs of Rupees annually in Dakshana grants. In his time indolent Brahmans, and professional beggars of that caste, again began to take a share in the Dakshana. After the annexation of the Peshwa's territories to the British dominions, Mr. Elphinstone maintained a Pathshala for imparting Sanskrit learning at Poona out of the Dakshana grant. The Pathshala no longer exists, but the grant still survives in the form of Dakshana fellowships in certain Colleges of the Bombay Presidency.
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*13. Library:*
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The Peshwas tried to procure old manuscripts for their library and get others copied. In the year 1747-48, Balaji Baji Rao procured no less than thirty-six manuscripts of religious books from Udaipur.³⁶ He also bought fifteen other manuscripts in 1755-66.³⁷ In 1765-66, the first Madhava Rao granted a monthly expenditure of Rs. 31 for an establishment for making copies of old books.³⁸
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³⁶ P. D., Vol. II, pp. 199-201.
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³⁷ P. D., Vol. II, p. 207.
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³⁸ P. D., Vol. VII, pp. 328-329.
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*14. Medicine:*
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The study of medicine was encouraged by grants of Inam lands to eminent physicians. They were further encouraged to distribute medicine gratis. No distinction of caste and creed was in this respect made. Among the grantees, we find mention of Hindu and Muham-madan physicians and of a Portuguese Missionary doctor.³⁹ It appears that physicians also got an annual Dakshana.⁴⁰
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³⁹ P. D., Vol. II, pp. 129-134.
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⁴⁰ Peshwanchi Bakhar, p. 55.
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In some respects the administrative institutions of the Peshwas were certainly as good as those of contemporary Europe; in other respects better. The temperance measures of the Peshwas were so successful that Wellington had to lay special stress on the necessity for making special arrangements for the supply of wine in a future Maratha campaign, in his Despatches. The soundness of their currency policy can also be proved by an extract from Wellington's Despatches. The attitude of the Maratha government towards the currency of the country was almost neutral; the English government tried to fix an exchange rate, and the result was described by Wellington as follows: "Much inconvenience has been occasioned in the general and regimental Bazars in consequence of the orders of Government of the 27th December relating to the exchange of money. This morning (3rd January, 1799), only one Shroff appeared in camp, and all the business of the Bazars was stopped." The Maratha officers, so much condemned by European writers for corrupt practices, were perhaps not much worse than the European officers in the Company's service. In Wellington's Despatches alone, we find that a Captain and a Lieutenant-Colonel were charged with and convicted of committing embezzlement; a Lieutenant was found guilty of purchasing a stolen horse; and two Lieutenants were convicted of committing violence in the Bazar.¹
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¹ Also compare the following account of Portuguese misrule in San Thome (Manucci Storia Do Mogor, ed. Irvine, Vol. III, p. 125):— It is patent to everybody that when the Portuguese were masters of this town (S. Thome) there were in it many oppression and much injustice. They slew one another; they dug and fortified trenches in
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If we take into consideration the large sums sent home by Clive and his contemporaries, the Maratha officers' guilt will possibly appear lighter in comparison.
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We have already seen that the administration of revenue and justice was as efficient under the Peshwas as in contemporary England, and their spirit of toleration specially claims our notice. While in England the Roman Catholic Emancipation Act was not passed before 1829, and measures for the relief of the Jews were not taken till 1858, the Maratha rulers had accorded equal treatment to their subjects of all religions and creeds. The Muhammadans were not only eligible for high posts of the State, but hereditary Muhammadan officers like the Kazis were appointed for the benefit of their community. Not only were the old grants made by former Muhammadan kings in favour of their mosques and holy saints continued, but new Inams were granted by the Maratha rulers. In one case we actually find that the Muham-madans were allowed to pay *Hashil* at half the usual rate levied upon the Hindus.¹² But inspite
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¹² P. D., Vol. III, pp. 316-319. It cannot however be asserted that no offence was ever offered to Muhammadans, Sadashiv Rao Bhau, it is
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the streets, furnishing them with cannon. Both sides had their rendez-vous, and spent much money in maintaining soldiers. If any one passed carelessly down the street, they shot at him with their match-locks. They obtained reward for their evil deeds, paying no respect even to the Holy of Holies, shooting down men during religious pro-cessions. (Other horrible details follow.)
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of these liberal ideas we cannot say that the Peshwa's government was better than that of contemporary England, while the people under the latter enjoyed security of life and property, the territories under the former specially suffered from a lack of it. This, we have seen, was the result of Feudalism. The Peshwas instead of checking the growth of Feudalism considerably helped its progress and development.
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Instead of maintaining a strong army, independent of the feudal forces, the Peshwas became more and more dependent on the Sardars. New fiefs were granted even in the neighbourhood of Poona, and new families like the Patwardhans, the Rastias, the Vinchurkars, and the Phadkes rose in power. Even Nana Fadnavis depended on these feudal Barons for military help. These chiefs, however, were not more faithful to their master than the more powerful and older Sardars like Sindhia and Holkar. In a Despatch, dated the 19th of November, 1799, Wellington says that southern Maratha chiefs including the son of Parashram Bhau sent *Wakils* to him and to the English Agent of Mysore offering to subsidise a British force. This independent spirit was further evinced in the final struggle of the Peshwa with the English. He had made himself unpopular
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alleged, demolished mosques at Nasik and built temples with their materials. Peshwanchi Bakhar, p. 52.
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with the common Rayats by farming revenue and with many of the feudal nobles by confiscating their *Jagir*. They, therefore, did not stand by their ruler and chief as faithfully as they ought to have done, and Baji Rao Raghunath fell "unhonoured" "unwept" and cursed in songs.