Thread by @The__Chalukya

A thread 📜

On the origin of Marathi Rajputs also called as Pardeshi Rajput, Khandeshi Rajput etc.

There are many falsely interpreted snippets being peddled on social about origin of Marathi rajputs

One is from Bombay Gazetteer and other is from Caste & tribes of Bombay both these are from 19th-20th ce.

Both claims that Marathi rajputs kept "Maratha" Mistresses.

Now let's crosscheck both these books.

1st source Bombay Gazetter(Solapur) claims Rajput Pardeshis kept "Maratha" Mistresses (The same Gazetteer series includes all the castes of kunbis under Maratha term).

What population of Pardeshis in Solapur at that time? 3295 & job they were doing washermen,shoemakers, labourers, etc.(They still do it)

Forget about self claimed Marathas,Imagine this labour class even thinking of keeping a Mistress from any caste of MH. (Highly Contradictory)

2nd source Caste & tribes of Bombay

Claims that Pardeshi rajputs are descendants of Rajput men & Maratha, Dhangar etc women. 

Same book uses the word Maratha for 12 different castes + all the caste of kunbis & differenciates 96 kulin Marathas from all of these (Contradictory)

British sources interchangeably uses Maratha word for Marathi speaking, Marathi region, Marathi language & all castes of kunbis but also corrected their error saying all those are 'self proclaimed Marathas' & Totally different from 96 Kulin Marathas.

This happened cause of the ignorance of Marathas to let them identify as Marathas as recorded in JBBRAS volume 9. 1868 CE way before Bomay Gazetteer & Bomaby castes & tribes series published.

But consequences of those mistakes we are seeing in 21th ce are irreversible. (3 & 4th)

Khandeshi rajputs

Until recently they used to call themselves Maratha rajputs/Rane Rajputs. Found in eastern khandesh(tribal belt of Dhule,Nadurbar) & claims to be higher in position than Pardeshi rajputs

Gazetter & 19-20th ce Bhaats are only source history of khandeshi rajputs

90% of them did't had surnames before 19th ce. They mostly uses the surname 'Rajput' & Common Marathi titles like Mahale but now copied Maratha surnames like Pawar, Jadhav, Nikumbh/Nikam, Bagul, Shinde, Sonavane, Shitole, Ghorpade, Rane, More etc

While 19-20th ce british sources contradicts itself with the origin of Marathi rajputs now let's go through CONTEMPORARY sources predating all the british writing

1st source - Kotwal Papers from 1767 to 1791 ce

Reveals that Nyahal Kanhoji of Kasba kept a Rajput Mistress. This is important source revealing the social position of Rajputs in Maharashtra. This Kanhoji was not Maratha, proving even common Marathis kept Rajput Mistresses.

2nd source.
Rojnishi(Dairy) of Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa (1774 to 1795 CE)

A Case of Kamaji Thakur a 96 kulin Maratha whose son Pahuji Thakur had legitimate wife from Pimparikar Gaikwad family whose son Ajamulla got Deshmukhi rights (Later Pahuji was forcefully converted to islam).

Pahuji had a Mistress named Kanchani. From this Mistress Kanchani he had a son named Karimulla. Karim Mulla had a Mistrees from "Mahale Rajput Hindu family". This Karim mulla was given some land for their maintenance by Pahuji Thakur.

Now who are these Mahale Rajputs?

Mahale is common marathi title. Among Marathi Khandeshi Rajputs it's used by Parmar and Pratihar rajputs as confirmed from a Khandeshi Rajput.

Again this is an imp primary source revealing social position of Khandeshi Rajputs in MH. Even an illegitimate son of a Maratha converted to islam kept a Rajput Mistress. But the current generation MH Rajputs allied with North Rajputs thinks completely opposite to this, but why?

The reason is 19-20th ce Bhaat (Not Brahmin) sources which connected these subalterns with Maratha dynasties & after stealing Maratha surnames they started claiming Maratha history.

Let's see an example

A subaltern Khandeshi Rajput from tribal belt of Dhule,Nandurbar after copying Maratha clan name Nikumbh. Claiming Nikumbh Marathas of Patnadevi. & What's their source? 19th ce Bhaats

In reality Rajputs named Nikumbh didn't exist in Khandesh before 19th century.

These peoples have copied many other Maratha clan names in 19-20th ce like Shinde, Ghorpade, Bagul, Shitole, Jagtap, Jadhav, Rane, More, Sawant etc. and tells 19th ce Bhaat stories to steal Maratha history.

It seems all Rajputs have same History stealing syndrome all over India

A video of Marathi rajputs themselves saying their traditional occupation is Theft.
These are the descendants of those Pindari Rajputs who looted Sringeri Matha ().

They are also recorded by Grand duff (3rd pic).

Conclusion

1) 19th-20th ce British sources tries to find origin of Marathi rajputs from Marathi women & Rajput men.

2) The contemporary primary sources contradicts with British sources & tells completely opposite story.

In reality, based on above primary sources the Marathi/Pardeshi Rajputs are the descandants of Maratha & Marathi men from their mistresses from rajput migrants to Maharashtra

Khandeshi Rajputs are actually the local Bhils & Pavra tribals who carved out a tiny kingdom in 18th ce in tribal belt of Khandesh(Dhule,Nandurbar) & thus gave rise to a new identity "Khandeshi rajput"

[18t ce in Indian Hs,P.J. Marshall.
Envr & ethnicity in
Indian Hs,Sumit Guha]

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