Bajirao died on the banks of the Narmada at Raverkhedi on the thirteenth day of the waxing moon fortnight of the month of Vaishakh Shaka 1662, Dt 28 April 1740. At this time, his eldest son Balaji and brother Chimaji Appa, Mahadajipant Purandare, had gone to Colaba to help Manaji Angre. They got the news of Bajirao’s death there at the beginning of May. Upon this, they completed his last rites there itself on the seashore and resolved the dispute between the Angre brothers. They left Colaba for Pune and arrived at Pune on 26 May 1740. On 28 May, the Pune Deshmukhs and Deshpandes hosted the mourning ritual for Nanasaheb. By that time, Bajirao’s contingent returned from the north. With them, Nanasaheb’s mother Kashibai, who had accompanied Bajirao on the campaign, arrived at Pune on 3 June. Two months after Bajirao’s death, he was escorted to Satara and on 25 June 1740 given the robes and insignia of the office of the Peshwa. Nanasaheb was not yet twenty years of age. Naro Ram Mantri and Jiwaji Khanderao Chitnis arrived at Pune on Shahu’s behalf to bring Nanasaheb to Satara. Nanasaheb and Chimaji left Pune on 5 June 1740 with them on the journey to Satara. They arrived at Satara on 13 June 1740. Twelve days from this date, on the twelfth day of the waxing moon fortnight of the month of Ashadh, Wednesday 25 June 1740 (17 June 1740 by some accounts), Shahu anointed Nanasaheb as the next Peshwa at Satara with the protocol garments and other insignia for the office. The news report about the same reached his revered grandmother Radhabai the next day at Pune. At that time, she ordered celebratory drums to be beaten, and guns to be fired.
The Bakhar account says, “Shahu said to his ministers, ‘Balajipant is young, he will plan a campaign, he might make mistakes; however, support him, be united with him, see that he earns a good name – this is my request.’ Then all the ministers and officials bowed before Shahu and promised they would do so, and if they became disloyal, may God not allow the Maharaj’s food to reach their homes. Maharaj was pleased, and everybody returned home.”
It is reported that Nanasaheb was given robes of office worth two hundred and twenty rupees, and Chimaji Appa was presented robes valued at two hundred. Jewels and other insignia of office were part of the gifts from the Chhatrapati. Mahadaji Purandare was appointed as the Mutalik or representative who would stay at Satara and interact with the Chhatrapati on behalf of the Peshwa.
To understand the overall reign of Nanasaheb and his capability appropriately, one needs to first understand where and how his past life was spent at a high level. He was born on 12 December 1721 at Tehsil Sate, Nane Maval basin. Most of his pre-Peshwa years were spent with Chimaji Appa at Satara or as a participant in smaller campaigns. The moment he completed eight years of age, he was married off to Gopikabai, the daughter of Bhikaji Naik Raste on 11 January 1730. There is a common belief that this marriage was brought about at the behest of Shahu Maharaj himself. Gopikabai would usually accompany Nanasaheb on his campaigns. Initial years of his life were spent by Nanasaheb mostly at Satara in front of Shahu Maharaj. After 1735, he began participating in campaigns with Chimaji Appa. He participated in Shahu’s Miraj campaign for two years after 1737. This means that he did not participate in the Vasai campaign. There are no documents available to indicate he accompanied Bajirao on any of his campaigns. Some days before Bajirao’s death, the Upanayan ceremony of Raghunathrao and marriage ceremony of Sadashivrao Bhau were held at Pune on 4 and 7 February 1740. For these ceremonies, Chhatrapati Shahu had especially travelled to Pune on Nanasaheb’s insistent invitation. This shows that Shahu absolutely doted over the Peshwa family in general and Nanasaheb in particular. Bajirao was on campaign and did not attend the above ceremonies. After Nanasaheb was granted the Peshwa’s office, in October 1740, Chimaji Appa’s health deteriorated, and he died on 17 December 1740. In summary, this nineteenth year of his life, 1740, proved to be a revolutionary year for Nanasaheb. In just about eight months, two huge pillars of the household vanished, and with the office of the Peshwa, the burden of the whole Maratha Confederacy’s administration fell upon his shoulders. For three months after being appointed the Peshwa, he stayed on at Satara. Later, he left Satara and arrived at Pune on 11 October 1740. He did not visit Satara back until the next July.
To be continued…
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