With all due respect to Guruji Golwalkar , he was no authority on history.
There is no mention of Madari Mehtar till some document found in 1917, which refers to him. There is no indication when or who or what purpose this doc was created.
It has fantastic passages - each more impossible than the other.
Gave a talk on Nanasaheb Peshwa (Peshwa Bajirao's son) yesterday at his samadhi. Also stressed on the water supply arrangements he engineered for Pune. A system which continued to function for well over 150 years.
It was during his reign that Pune truly became a capital city of the Maratha Empire. New peths were established - Ganj , Vetal (now Guruvar peth) and others. Traders invited to set up business and orders given for expanding existing areas.
Like many cities before and after, a steady supply of clean water troubled 18th century town planners too.The man for the moment was Naro Appaji Tulshibaugwale.
Existing supplies were not sufficient or not tapped conveniently enough.
India's history syllabus is Mughal centric , Delhi centric and doesn't provide sufficient space to Indian heroes is something we have been hammering at on SM for past 15 years now.
Everyone providing their squirrel's share has made some dent in this medieval history narrative.
Another narrative which we have missed out - is the history of India's Industrial progress.
1. Britain GAVE US industrial progress and industries.
2. Indian Industrialists were basically people in cahoots with the goras.