Tarabai
Tarabai | |
---|---|
Regent of the Rajasbai | |
Born | 1675 |
Died | 9 December 1761 Satara | (aged 85–86)
Spouse | Rajaram (married c. 1683, died 1700) |
House | Mohite (by birth) Hambirao Mohite |
Religion | Hinduism |
Tarabai Bhosale during the minority of her son, Shivaji II.
Family and early life
Tarabai came from
After the death of his step-brother and predecessor Sambhaji, Rajaram ruled the Maratha Empire from 1689 to 1700, when his first wife Jankibai was the queen consort. On Rajaram's death in March 1700, Tarabai proclaimed her infant son, Shivaji II (later known as Shivaji I of Kolhapur) as Rajaram's successor and herself as the regent.[2]
Tarabai In Command
As the regent, Tarabai took charge of the war against the
Of the years 1700–1707, Jadunath Sarkar, a prominent Indian historian, especially of the Mughal dynasty, has opined: "During this period, the supreme guiding force in Maharashtra was not any minister but the dowager queen Tarabai. Her administrative genius and strength of character saved the nation in that awful crisis."[4]
Conflict with Shahu
In order to divide the Maratha forces, the son of Aurangzeb , Azam Shah on the advice of his general Zulfikar Khan released Shahu I, Sambhaji's son and Tarabai's nephew, on certain conditions. Shahu immediately challenged Tarabai and her son Shivaji II for leadership of the Maratha polity.
Tarabai at that time demanded loyalty from the Maratha generals saying that Sambhaji (Shahu's father) had lost the kingdom which Shivaji had created. Rajaram through his efforts had regained that kingdom and therefore it was not the same kingdom but a new one created by Rajaram. [5]
Shahu eventually prevailed, sidelining Tarabai, due to his legal position and
Conflict with Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao
In the 1740s, during the last years of Shahu's life, Tarabai presented to the heirless Shahu I, a young man who she claimed was her grandson, and thus, a direct descendant of Shivaji. She claimed that Rajaram had been concealed after his birth for his protection and had been raised by the wife of a soldier. Shahu, who did not have a son of his own, adopted the young man who later succeeded him as Rajaram II (also known as Ramaraja).[7]
After Shahu's death in 1749, Rajaram II succeeded him as the Chhatrapati. When Balaji Baji Rao left for the Mughal frontier, Tarabai urged Rajaram II to remove him from the post of Peshwa. When Rajaram refused, she imprisoned him in a dungeon at Satara, on 24 November 1750.[8] She also claimed that he was an impostor and she had falsely presented him as her grandson to Shahu.[6]
In early October 1750, Tarabai had met
Meanwhile, Balaji Baji Rao returned from the Mughal frontier, reaching Satara on 24 April. He stormed the Yavateshwar garrison in Satara, defeating Tarabai's forces. He surrounded the Satara fort and asked Tarabai to release Rajaram II, whose physical and mental condition had deteriorated considerably. Tarabai refused and Balaji Baji Rao left for Pune, since a siege of the well-provisioned and strong Satara fort would not be easy. Meanwhile, Damaji Gaekwad, Umabai Dabhade and their relatives were arrested by the Peshwa's men.
A section of Tarabai's troops in the Satara garrison unsuccessfully rebelled against her. She beheaded the rebel leader, Anandrao Jadhav. However, she realized that she would not be able to fight Balaji Baji Rao, and agreed to meet him in Pune for a peace agreement.
In popular culture
- Raja Bhawanrao Pant Pratinidhi of Aundh State in 1927 commissioned noted Marathi artist M. V. Dhurandhar to paint a picture of Tarabai leading her troops.
- Nishigandha Wad portrayed Tarabai in the 1993 historical drama film Shivrayachi Soon Tararani, directed by Dinkar D. Patil.[10]
- Pallavi Joshi plays the role of Tarabai in the 2017 TV series Peshwa Bajirao.[11]
- Neena Kulkarni played the role of Tararani in the 2019 TV serial Swamini.[12]
- Swarda Thigale played the role of Tararani in the 2021 Marathi series Swarajya Saudamini Tararani.[13]
Notes
- ^ Pronunciation: [t̪aːɾabaːi]
References
- hdl:10603/138357.
- ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
- ISBN 0-521-25484-1.
- ^ Life and letters under the Mughals, Pran Nath Chopra, p. 122
- ^ Kadam, Pratima S. "Chhatrapatis of Satara (From 1707-1818)."[>] (1984).
- ^ ISBN 978-81-7154-658-9.
- ^ ISBN 9788171546589.
- ISBN 978-81-89093-06-8.
- ISBN 978-81-206-1965-4.
- ISBN 978-0-948911-40-8.
- ^ "Peshwa Bajirao Review: Anuja Sathe shines as Radhabai in the period drama", India Today, 25 January 2017
- ^ स्वामिनी'मध्ये नीना कुळकर्णी साकारणार महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका
- ^ "Swarada Thigale to play the title role in Swarajya Saudamini Tararani". The Times of India.