Administrative System of the Marathas c8.s5.17

c8.s5.17

⁴⁹ Prof. Sarkar translates talimkhana as school (Mughal Administration, 2nd edition, p 194), and adds that in Firuz Shah's time it was called ilimkhana. I have, however, relied on the Raj Vyavahar Kosh. Raghunath Pandit, the Lexicographer, had a firsthand knowledge of these Karkhanas and he translated talimkhana as mallashala (p. 13) and the word is mentioned under the heading Shastra Vargah. The Marathi historian, referred to by Prof. Sarkar, is therefore perfectly right when he calls it a wrestling school. The Marathas did not blindly copy the Muslim institutions, though Shivaji was quite willing to borrow good institutions from all his neighbours. For instance Shivaji's daru-khana had no Muhammadan prototype (Sarkar, Mughal Administration, p 193) but the word is a literal translation of the Portuguese word casa de polvora, and Shivaji knew that he was not bringing a new thing into existence when in addition to Topkhana he decided to have a darukhana as well.