Scindias and Gaekwads have a long history of collaboration for the furtherance of common goals of the Maratha Empire, both of them promoted “Swadeshi” companies and enterprises, Tatas especially had connections with both Scindias and Gaekwads. The history of the Scindia dynasty is traced back to the village Kanherkhed near Satara city and that of Gaekwads to Dawadi village near Pune city. Both had very humble origins and fought several battles and won many of them to earn the status of Maharajas that they got later. Both fought together in the siege of the current financial capital of Gujarat, Ahmedabad, in 1753 laid by Jayappadada Scindia and Damajirao Gaekwad II along with others, to conquer this city from Jawan Mard Khan Babi and also fought together against Afghan invaders at Panipat in 1761.
Maharaja Mahadji Scindia, who is considered to be the most powerful Maratha statesman after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, got Govindrao Gaikwad the robes of administration of Baroda in Pune. The author is not gainsaying that Scindias and Gaekwads had differences sometimes, but even then they respected each other. Even in the treaty of Salbai in the year 1782, Mahadji Scindia ensured that the English who were defeated by him at Wadgaon, allowed in Gujarat Fateh Singh Gaekwad to remain in possession of the territory, which he had before the war (first Anglo-Maratha War).
In the year 1911 in London, Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III approached Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia and proposed that Scindia should marry his daughter, Indira. Scindia was ready and they were eventually engaged but the marriage did not happen and Gaekwads and Scindias had to wait for several more years for a Gaekwad princess, Priyadarshini Raje, to marry a Scindia prince Jyotiraditya.
It has been written that the only person who could convince Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia (who founded the Scindia School) to take medicines when he was extremely ill in Paris was Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. Sayajirao sat for hours next to the bed of Madho Rao, but unfortunately, Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia passed away in that city.
Both Gaekwads and Scindias ruled the top 21 Gun Salute states Baroda and Gwalior respectively, amongst more than 500 princely states of South Asia. Both Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III and Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia contributed to the establishment of Benaras Hindu University (BHU) in Banaras, which is now represented by Prime Minister Modi in Lok Sabha. The central library of BHU is named after Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and the first pro-chancellor of BHU was Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia.
As per Professor Sudheer Kumar and Dr Leena Shah, in 1931, Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad wrote to the Regency Council of Gwalior about scattered manuscripts in Ujjain and recommended their collection and preservation. The Scindia state’s government heeded this advice and the Scindia Oriental Institute was the result. Sayajirao Maharaja not only built the school where Prime Minister Modi studied but also funded the higher education of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.
Scindias and Gaekwads also faced similar discrimination based on their caste. On the discrimination against Maratha princes, Jyotiba Phule wrote in Poona (now Pune) on April 6, 1883, “Am I then to understand that the (Christian) Padres who maintain themselves by performing religious functions are affluent enough to pay the fees for studying the four Vedas (from the Brahmin preceptors)? And wonder of wonders, are the rulers (Princes) of Indian States-like the Bhonsles (Chhatrapati were Bhonsles), Scindias (Gwalior), Holkars (Indore) and Gaikwads (Baroda) so impoverished that they cannot afford the luxury (payment of fees) of studying the four Vedas (from the Brahmins)? How is it that not even one of these rulers has got the means (financial competence) to enable his sons to study the Vedas (by paying the necessary fees)? Do you mean to say that all these aforementioned Princes are worse off (poorer) than the European Padres?”
Because of this caste-based discrimination, both Scindias and Gaekwads worked very hard for the welfare of backward castes and Dalits in their states.
Apart from the connections with Gaekwads, Scindias themselves ruled a large part of Gujarat, from 1791 till 1803 AD, Bharuch was administered by the appointees of Scindias who ruled Delhi de facto till 1803. Scindias ruled Dahod too, where in the past, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was born.
How did Scindias get Bharuch? As per historian Samira Sheikh, “The Company’s forces ousted the Nawab (of Bharuch, Muzzazz/Muazzad Khan was the last Nawab of Bharuch) in 1772 and took over the district. A decade later they were forced to relinquish it to the Peshwa who in turn granted it to Mahadji Sindhia in 1791.” Along with Bharuch, Godhra, Halol, Kalol and Jhalod were administered by appointees of Scindias till 1861. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Champaner-Pavagadh in Gujarat was once part of the territory ruled by Scindias. Maratha warrior Krishnaji Kadam, son of Kantaji Kadam Bande, had captured Champaner in 1727, later the Scindias of Gwalior controlled Champaner till 1853. Scindia’s territories in Gujarat of Baroach (Bharuch) and Pavagadh were conquered by Col. Waddington and the power of Scindia in Gujarat thus ended.
Even though Scindias were later confined to what is now the state of Madhya Pradesh and part of Rajasthan and Gaekwads were confined to Gujarat, still, as stated by this author before, they maintained a strong friendship and today, both these dynasties are not just connected by history but by the marriage of Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Priyadarshini Raje Scindia who have contributed significantly in the preservation of Maratha heritage.
The author is Historian and Advocate in the Supreme Court of India. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
Comments
0 comment