The Maratha Period
Administration

By about 1737. A.D. Raghuji I received one-third of the Devagad kingdom form Rani Ratan Kuvar for the helop he rendered her in the fratricidal war. Shortly after this he shifted his capital from Bham in Berar to Nagpur and in 1748 the whole of Devagad kingdom came under his sway. He removed the sons of Rani Ratan Kevlar, Akbar Sah and Burhan Sah to Nagpur under his care. Thus, in 1748 A .D. Raghuji assumed direct charge of the whole of Devagad kingdom, though by a formal sanad the cauthai and Mokasa of Devagad and Chanda of Prant Gondvana were granted to him by Chatrapati Sahu much earlier.

Raghuji's new administrative set-up in Nagpur forming part of Devagad below the Ghats was more or less a prototype of the system common in other parts of the Maratha country.

When Raghuji I was offered the robes of Sena-Saheb- subha he first proceeded to Berar and then to Nagpur, and was accompanied by a number of experienced officials of the Rajamandal recommended by Sahu. The officials going with Raghuji to Nagpur were assigned important posts.

  1. Kanher Ram Mujumdar was to be the Diwan of Raghuji.
  2. Rakhamaji Ganes Ranadive, was appointed as the Secretary- Citnavis.
  3. Narasingrav Cimaji Prabhu was to work as assistant to Rakhamaji Ganes, the Citanis
  4. Bhaskar Ram was placed in charge of the army.
  5. Sankaraji Rakhmaji became the Potnis and was also in charge of the Jamdarkhana and the Stores.
  6. Mahadaji Prabhu was to act as the Phadnavis, i.e., the Secretary for finances.

7.& 8. Vyankajipant and Raghopant were appointed as Baksi- Paymaster of the army.

  1. Anantbhat Citale became the Sikkenavis or keeper of the seal.
  2. Vedamutis Visvambharvaidya was to help Rakhamaji Ganes, the Citanvis.

These posts assigned to different persons shed light on the principal structure of Nagpur administration. Sahu's intention in sending his own men with Raghuji was to help him to carry on the administration of Nagpur successfully and at the same time to keep an effective check over Raghuji. However, the aim of keeping central control over the distant nobleman was not so successful. It depended upon the personality of the Chatrapati. After Sahu's death the central authority of the Chatrapati remained only in name and the Maratha Sardars tried to be independent within their own territories. This is borne out by the serious differences which existed between the Resvas and the Bhosles from the beginning to the end.