Historical And Economic Studies

Text extracted from opening pages of book: HISTORICAL AND ECONOMIC STUDIES Published on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the Historical and Economic Association of the Fergusson College, Poona Edited by: D. G. KARVE FEBRUARY 1941 Printed by: MR. V. H. BARVE Aryabhushan Press 915/ 1 Shivaji Nacar POONA 4 PMsbedby: PROF. D. G. KARVE Fergusson College POONA 4 V. G. KALE HISTORICAL AND ECONOMIC STUDIES Dedicated to Prof. V. G. KALE, M. A., Founder - President Historical and Economic Association Fergusson College, Poona by The Past and Present Members of the Association 2nd February 1941 Silver Jubilee Day PREFACE The only external element of unity that the present collection of essays has to claim for itself is recorded on the dedication page. All the authors have at some time or other been connected with the History and Economics Department of the Fergusson College. Most of them have had the privilege of studying under Prof. V. G. Kale, who has been the presiding genius of the Department for over thirty years. On the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the History and Economics Association which Prof. Kale helped to establish, it is in the fitness of things that members of the Association should desire to present to him their grateful congratulations in the form which he is likely to appreciate most. Prof. Kale is a great traditionalist. Not only is he a distinguished member of the tradition that goes back to Justice Ranade, but he has himself been successful in perpetu ating a trend of independent and synthetic scholarship which gives internal unity to the present volume. Each author has written on a subject of his own choice. In almost all cases the topics herein discussed have beenengaging the continuous attention of the respective authors for a number of years. Though in some cases material elsewhere available has been drawn upon it is exclusively with a view to support or illustrate the special view-points of authors. Much original research, more independent thinking and even more of synthetical presentation are common characteristics of most of the studies presented herein. The historical part consists of six contributions, fittingly headed by Prof. D. V. Potdar's scholarly reconstruction of the relations of Bajirao I with the Bundelas. This article is based on the latest available material and presents viewpoints which, at several places, contravene current notions. It will be necessary to take into account the suggestions of Prof. Potdar before any further work on the subject is undertaken. Bajirao's powers of leadership and of loyalty to the national 11 cause are the theme of another scholarly article wherein Mr. D. V. Apte, the noted authority on Marathi sources, institutes a very illuminating comparison between that great leader and his compeer the first Nizam. Original sources in the Purandare Daftar in Saswad have been utilised by Prof, Oturkar to outline a few aspects of the social life of the Marathas during the 18th and the early 19th century. Under a regime of political freedom Maratha society was adaptive, corporate and progressive. Under foreign rule it tended to be wooden, atomic and conservative. This conclusion of Prof. Oturkar, backed by a wealth of material, will prove immensely interesting not only to historians but to sociologists as well. The cultural significance of the Maratha adventures in the North, especially in Gujerat, is presentedby Prof. K. H. Kamdar, against the background of the relationship between Gujerat and Maharashtra dating from pre-Vedic days. Prof, Sharma, who has already contributed well-known volumes to the history of Mughal India, and whose works on World History and Jainism in the Carnatic have latterly attracted considerable notice, urges an organised effort for writing a well-planned history of the Indian peoples. He is particularly keen on the need to have an authoritative and adequate history of the Maratha people. Mr. M. G. Dixit has given a well-documented reconstruc