Maharashtra Board Class 7 History Chapter 13 Life of the People in Maharashtra PDF Download

13. Life of the People in Maharashtra

The Hindawi Swaraj formed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a State for the people. It was founded with the noble intention of the welfare of common people. It aimed to remove oppression and protect Maharashtra Dharma. In the period after Shivaji Maharaj, Maratha power spread to all parts of India. It lasted for about 150 years.

We gathered information about the Maratha administration in the last few chapters. In this chapter, we shall study the social conditions and life of the people in that period.

Social Conditions

Agriculture and occupations based on agriculture were the major sources of production at the village level. The Patil was responsible for the protection of the village. The Kulkarni handled the revenue. The Patil received land as inam for his work as a Patil. He also received a part of the village revenue.

The balutedars were paid in kind (in the form of objects, foodgrains, etc.) for the work they did for the village people. The village occupations were divided into kali and pandhari. Peasants worked in their fields in the kali (land, earth or soil). Others worked in pandhari, which was within the village precincts. It was considered important to conduct the affairs of the village with mutual understanding. Joint family system was prevalent.

Teacher's Note

In villages in India today, we still have a similar system where the sarpanch (like the Patil) looks after the village and the accountant keeps records. Just like in old Maharashtra villages, our villages today also work together for common good.

Exam Trick

Remember: Patil = protects village, Kulkarni = keeps money records. Think of Patil as a policeman and Kulkarni as a banker of the village.

Points to Remember

Patil protected the village and received land as payment.
Kulkarni handled all money records and revenue.
Balutedars were skilled workers like blacksmiths and carpenters.
Village people worked together with mutual understanding.
Joint families lived and worked together in one house.

Customs and Traditions

Child marriages were prevalent. It was acceptable to have many wives. There are a few examples of widow marriages in this period. To perform the last rites, burning, burial and immersion methods were used as per tradition.

Muhurta, or auspicious occasions were sought for every little thing. They were also sought to open battles. People believed in dreams and omens. Anushthans were performed to avoid the wrath of gods and planets. Charitable deeds were also done for the same purpose.

People believed in astrology. There was a general lack of a scientific attitude. Offerings to god (navas) were considered more important than medical treatment.

Teacher's Note

Even today, many Indian families check the calendar for auspicious days before starting something new, like opening a shop or getting married. This tradition comes from those old times.

Exam Trick

Remember: Muhurta = good time. Just like we check the weather before going out, people checked the calendar for good days before doing anything important.

Points to Remember

Child marriages were common in that time period.
People believed in auspicious days called muhurta.
Dreams and omens were considered very important.
Religious offerings were thought more important than doctors and medicine.
Astrology and the position of planets affected people's decisions.

Standard of Living

A majority of people lived in villages. The villages were mostly self-sufficient. Only salt had to be imported from other places. The needs of farmers were limited.

They grew jowar, bajra, wheat, ragi (nachani), maize, rice and other grains in their fields. The daily diet consisted of bhakari, onion, chutney and an accompaniment. Barter system was used for everyday transactions.

Village houses were simple mud and brick constructions. Wadas with one or two storeys were seen in cities. Rice, dal, chapatis, vegetables, salads, milk and dahi products were mainly included in the rich people's diet.

Men wore a dhoti, kurta, angarakha and mundase. Women wore nine-yard sarees and blouses.

Teacher's Note

Even in villages today, people grow their own food and wear traditional clothes during festivals. Many families still use the barter system by exchanging milk for vegetables with their neighbors.

Exam Trick

Remember: Bhakari = poor person's bread made from jowar or bajra. Wada = rich person's big house. So bhakari eaters lived in mud houses, wada owners lived in big stone houses.

Points to Remember

Villages were self-sufficient and grew their own food.
Only salt was imported from other places.
Common people ate bhakari and simple food.
Rich people ate rice, dal, and vegetables.
Village houses were made of mud and brick, while city houses had stone and multiple storeys.

Festivals

People celebrated Gudhi Padwa, Nagpanchmi, Bail-pola, Dasara, Diwali, Makarsankrant, Holi, Eid and other festivals. In the Peshwa period, Ganeshotsava was celebrated in many homes. The Peshwa himself being a devotee of Ganesha, these celebrations acquired importance. Every year these celebrations lasted from Bhadrapad Chaturthi up to Anant Chaturdashi.

Dasara being considered as one of the three and a half most auspicious occasions, many new things were started on this day. Weapons were offered puja, and it was customary to cross the boundaries ceremoniously (seemollanghana) and distribute apta leaves on Dasara. The Marathas launched their campaigns after Dasara.

During Diwali, Balipratipada and Bhau-beej celebrations had special importance. In most of the villages, fairs were held. Wrestling bouts were a common feature of the fairs (jatras). Gudhis were raised to celebrate Gudhi Padwa. Celebrations included entertainment programmes like songs and dances. Tamasha was a popular form of entertainment.

Teacher's Note

We celebrate the same festivals like Gudhi Padwa, Diwali, and Dasara in Maharashtra even today. These festivals connect us to our ancestors who celebrated them 400 years ago.

Exam Trick

Remember: Gudhi = flag on Gudhi Padwa day. Ganeshotsava = Ganesh's birthday party lasting 10 days. Dasara = day when weapons are worshipped and new things are started.

Points to Remember

Gudhi Padwa marked the start of the Marathi new year.
Dasara was the day when weapons were worshipped and wars began.
Ganeshotsava lasted from Bhadrapad Chaturthi to Anant Chaturdashi.
Fairs with wrestling and entertainment were held during festivals.
Tamasha was a popular form of entertainment and performance.

Education

Pathshalas and madarasas were the institutes that imparted education. Reading, writing and arithmetic was taught at home. The modi script was used in most transactions.

Teacher's Note

In India today, we have schools and colleges to teach children. But in those days, children learned at home or in pathshalas. Even today, pathshalas teach religious knowledge to children in the evenings.

Exam Trick

Remember: Pathshala = religious school, Madarasa = Islamic school. Both taught reading and writing in their own way and language.

Points to Remember

Pathshalas taught Hindu religious education and reading.
Madarasas taught Islamic education and writing.
Children learned arithmetic at home.
Modi script was used for business and record-keeping.
There were no big public schools like we have today.

Travels and Communication

Transport was carried out by roads, through ghats and across bridges on rivers. Cloth, foodgrains, groceries were transported by loading them on the backs of bullocks. Small boats were used in rivers. Messengers and camel riders carried letters to and fro.

Teacher's Note

Today we send messages instantly through phones and emails. But in those days, a message took weeks to reach because it traveled on the back of a camel or a horse through the roads.

Exam Trick

Remember: No trains, no vehicles, no phones. Everything moved slowly by foot, by bullock, by camel, or by boat. That is why it took months to reach anywhere.

Points to Remember

Bullocks carried heavy goods on mountain paths and roads.
Boats and ships were used for water transport on rivers and coasts.
Messengers and camel riders delivered letters and news.
Travel took very long time as there were no fast vehicles.
Bridges and ghats helped people cross rivers safely.

Sports

Various sports were popular in this period. They were a means of entertainment. Wrestling and martial arts were very popular. Mallakhamb, dand, lathi, dandpatta, bothati were practised. Hututu, kho-kho, atyapatya were the popular outdoor games and chess, ganjifa, dice were popular indoor games.

Teacher's Note

Mallakhamb is an Indian sport that is still taught in schools today. It is like doing gymnastics on a wooden pole. Kho-kho and Hututu are games that Indian children still play in villages.

Exam Trick

Remember: Mallakhamb = acrobatics on a pole (strength sport). Kho-kho = running and chasing game (outdoor sport). Ganjifa = card game (indoor sport).

Points to Remember

Mallakhamb was done on a wooden pole and showed strength and balance.
Kho-kho, Hututu, and Atyapatya were outdoor running games.
Wrestling was the most popular martial art for fighting.
Chess and Ganjifa were indoor games played with strategy.
Sports were not just for fun, they trained young men for war and strength.

Religion and Conduct

The two major religions seen in this period were Hindu and Muslim. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had a liberal religious policy. The general understanding was that everyone should follow their own religion and should not impose it on others.

The government gave grants to pathshalas, temples, madarasas and mosques. Followers of both religions took part in the celebration of each other's festivals. Varkari, Mahanubhav, Datta, Nath and Ramdasi panths were prevalent.

Teacher's Note

Shivaji Maharaj respected both Hindu and Muslim religions. He gave money to both temples and mosques. This teaches us that we should respect all religions and live together as one nation.

Exam Trick

Remember: Shivaji Maharaj = secular king who gave grants to both temples and mosques. This is why he is called a great king in Indian history.

Points to Remember

Shivaji Maharaj believed everyone should follow their own religion freely.
He gave money to temples, pathshalas, mosques, and madarasas equally.
Hindus and Muslims celebrated each other's festivals together.
Varkari, Datta, and Nath panths were popular religious groups.
The government did not force any religion on the people.

Women's Life

Women's life in those days was full of hardships. Their world was confined to the house of first their father, and then their husband. Their education was neglected. Only a few exceptional women had achieved any progress in literacy, administration and battle skills. They include Veermata Jijabai, Maharani Yesubai, Maharani Tarabai, Umabai Dabhade, Gopikabai, Punyashlok Ahilyabai.

Customs like child marriage, unequal marriage, widowhood, keshwapan, sati, polygamy had imposed harsh restrictions on the way women lived.

Teacher's Note

Women like Jijabai and Tarabai were very brave and strong leaders. They fought battles and ruled kingdoms. Today in India, women are doctors, engineers, and leaders. We should be proud of women's progress.

Exam Trick

Remember: Jijabai = mother of Shivaji Maharaj (brave woman). Ahilyabai = queen who ruled and was called Punyashlok (saint). These were rare exceptional women in those days.

Points to Remember

Women had no freedom and stayed inside their father's or husband's house their whole life.
Girls were married as children to older men.
Most women were not allowed to read or write or learn anything.
Some exceptional women like Jijabai and Ahilyabai became great leaders.
Custom of sati and widowhood were very cruel to women.

Maratheshahi Art and Architecture

The period from 1630 CE to 1810 CE is broadly defined as Maratheshahi. Let us review the art and architecture of this period in brief.

Sculpture

We find references to restoration of Kasba Ganapati Mandir, building of the Lal Mahal, construction on Rajgad and Raigad, building of sea forts, etc. that are related to architecture. Hiroji Indulkar was a famous architect of that period.

While setting up a village, the usual pattern was: roads cutting one another at right angles, stone construction along the sides and extensive ghats (steps) along the river bank. During the Peshwa period, a drinking water supply system was built like the one at Ahmadnagar and Bijapur. The Peshwas built underground pipes, small dams, gardens and courts, tanks, fountains, etc. The Mastani Talav at Diveghat, Hadapsar near Pune city is worth a mention in this regard.

Shaniwarwada and Vishrambagwada in Pune, Sarkarwada in Nashik, Raghunathrao Peshwa's wada at Kopargaon, the wadas of the Satara Chhatrapati, as also the old wadas at Wai, Menvali, Toke, Shrigonde, Pandharpur are symbols of the medieval wada culture.

Baked as well as unbaked bricks were used to build the wadas. Wooden columns, rafts, boards, dressed stones, arches, finely prepared lime, round tiles for the roof, mud and bamboo were all used in the construction. The wadas were decorated with sketches, paintings, wooden sculptures and mirrors.

Teacher's Note

Shaniwarwada in Pune still stands today and we can visit it to see how grand the Peshwa's house was. It teaches us about the skill of old builders who built strong houses