Progressive Religious Policy
- Shivaji was a secular and tolerant ruler. He was proclaimed to be the protector of Hindus, Brahmins, and cows. He showed respect for religious texts of all religions. He did not destroy a single mosque. Shivaji also protected Muslim women and children during the war.
- He provided financial help to Muslim saints and scholars. He appointed Muslims in the civil and military departments. Shivaji created a secular space under the Maratha administration.
- Shivaji wrote a strong letter of protest against Aurangzeb. He wrote “God is the Lord of all men and not of Muhammad alone. Islam and Hinduism are different pigments used by the divine painter to photograph the human species.” At the same time, Shivaji never hated Muslims. He respected the personal honor of a Muslim.
Administrative System of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born in Shivneri of Pune (formerly Pune was known as Poona) in the year 1627 to Shahaji Bhonsle and Jija Bai. The credit for establishing such a huge kingdom goes to Shivaji and his father, Shahaji. In 1637, he received the jagir of Poona from his father and later emerged as one of the greatest rulers of the Maratha empire. The Maratha regime was primarily an advanced and centralized authoritarian monarchy. The king was in charge and his main goal was the happiness and security of his subjects.
In this article, we will discuss the salient features of the administration under Shivaji which were extensively borrowed from the administrative approaches of the Deccan states.