The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c5.49

c5.49

¹ Prof. Jadunath Sarkar is of opinion that Pratap Rao was succeeded by Anand Rao. He writes (*Shivaji and His Times*, first edition, p. 260), ‘I here follow the account of Narayan Shenvi, written at Raigarh, only a month later, on information supplied by Shiva’s ministers.’ I have carefully gone through Naran Sinay’s letter (Factory Records, Surat, Vol. 88, fols., 78-83). He does not say that he got his information about Shivaji’s army from any of his officers or ministers. He prefaces his report on military affairs as follows: ‘By other Conveighances Your Honour will have received newse of the proceedings of Sevagees army nevertheless I cannot be excused without giving some account.’ As for the sources of his information he is absolutely silent. This is all the more remarkable as he specifically mentions that the account of the naval action between the Sidi and the Maratha fleet he had heard from Shivaji, (‘this news Sevajee told me himself’). Moreover the appointment of the Sarnobat was not made at Rairi, as Naran Sinay himself tells us. And as all the Maratha accounts contradict his statement on this point, I do not feel inclined to reject them. Naran Sinay, it is evident, had been wrongly informed.