Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali

Marathas are the inhabitants of Maharashtra, a region roughly marked by a triangle with the coastline between Daman and Goa as its base and Nagpur as its apex. Originally belonging to the peasantry stock, they recruited themselves in the armies of Muslim kings of the south. It was their national hero Shivaji who converted them into a military nation. Even during Aurangzeb’s reign the Marathas had successfully checked the expansion of the Mughal rule in their own country. In 1674 Shivaji assumed the title of Raja. He died in 1680. The saga of Marathas is portrayed in this book in pros and cons. Major topics given elaborate treatment herein will prove of utmost use to all concerned.