Radhikabai
Encyclopedia
Radhikabai was the daughter of Sardar Gupte of Nashik, Maharashtra
, India
, a Tipnis (secretary) of Baji Rao I
and later Raghunathrao
. She was the niece of Parvatibai
, wife of Sadashivrao Bhau
, and was emotionally attached to her. Radhikabai was older than Parvatibai's daughter Kashibai
by almost 2 years.
. Like her aunt, she received training in archery, armoury and handling court matters. Chatrapati Shahu
, who had a secular outlook in order to broaden the base of his Peshwa
administration (avoiding capture of all posts by any particular community), arranged Radhikabai's marriage to Vishwasrao
, eldest son of Nanasaheb Peshwa
, as one of the preconditions for making the Peshwa post hereditary. The arrangement was made on Padwa day, 1749. Likewise, Shahu’s confidante Parvatibai had become the wife of Sadashivrao Bhau.
to perform a religious pilgrimage. As per the records available at various pilgrimage sites Paravatibai, Kashibai and Radhikabai visited egUjjain, Vrindavan, Haridwar, the Shiv temple of Rawalpindi, and the Narasinha temple of Multan. Donations given by Parvatibai to the Golden Temple
at Amritsar
for burning oil lamps is clearly recorded, with the confirmed date of her visit as Diwali
Amavasya
of 1759, almost 14 months prior to the battle day.
. A few days later, news reached them regarding the defeat of the Maratha forces at the battle of Panipat and the death of Kashibai's father Sadashivrao Bhau and Radhikabai's fiance Vishwasrao. Following Sikh
tradition, Sardar Ramdas gave refuge to these ladies from Deccan. As per prevailing Hindu
custom of marrying a daughter within the first calendar year of her father's death, Kashibai was married to Sardar Ramdas' son Sardar Hardas Singh on Baisakhi day 1761 at Amritsar. Upon the death of her fiance, Radhikabai became a yogini
and led a pious life at Hardwar
until her death in 1798. She left all her wealth to the education and upbringing of Hari Singh, Kashibai's grandson. Later, in 1822, Sardar Hari Singh
, Commander-in-Chief of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's army, negotiated successfully with Dost Mohammad Khan
to return Vishwasrao's sword and other artifacts which the Durrani
s took away to Kandahar
as spoils of victory after the battle. This sword and other artifacts are displayed in the Lahore museum.
, living in destitution, used to beg before the wadas of Sardar
s who had retired to the holy city of Nashik. As per the records, Gopikabai would not take alms from servants, but would collect offerings only from mothers, wives or daughters of high-ranking Sardars; she would ring a bell tied to the cow which accompanied her. During the Hindu month of Paush, 1778, Gopikabai unknowingly went to Sardar Gupte's house seeking alms. She waited for some time, ringing the bell of the cow. Radhikabai, who was staying in her father’s residence, came out with an offering and was shocked to see Gopikabai begging for alms. Just then Gopikabai raised her head to see who was giving alms, and the eyes of the two women met. Gopikabai, who had always blamed Radhikabai for the early death of her son Vishwasrao, burst into a rage and started screaming at Radhikabai that she was a bad omen, the prime reason for Gopikabai's ill fate and why God had kept her alive to bear such humiliations. Gopikabai fasted the rest of the month and, with her frail health, suffered dehydration which resulted in her death. Radhikabai performed the last rites for Gopikabai and erected a deepmala (light tower) on the banks of the Godavari River
in Nashik. During the floods of 1961 this deepmala was washed away, leaving only a foundation where people put oil lamps while performing the last rites of their kin.
. Sardar Hari Singh erected a Gurdwara
in her memory at Hardwar in 1822.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, a Tipnis (secretary) of Baji Rao I
Baji Rao I
Shrimant Baji Rao Balaji Bhatt , also known as Baji Rao I, was a noted general who served as Peshwa to the fourth Maratha Chhatrapati Shahu from 1719 until Baji Rao's death. He is also known as Thorale Baji Rao...
and later Raghunathrao
Raghunathrao
Raghunathrao was Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy from 1773 to 1774. He was instrumental in the downfall of the Peshwa clan.-Early life:Raghunathrao, also known as "Raghoba" and "Ragho Bharari," was the younger brother of Nanasaheb Peshwa. His father was Peshwa Bajirao I & mother was Kashibai....
. She was the niece of Parvatibai
Parvatibai
Parvatibai was second wife of Sadashivrao Bhau. She was from Kolhatkar family of Pen.- Family Life:...
, wife of Sadashivrao Bhau
Sadashivrao Bhau
Sadashivrao Bhau was son of Chimaji Appa and Rakhmabai and nephew of Peshwa Baji Rao I and served as the commander of the Maratha army.-Birth and early years:...
, and was emotionally attached to her. Radhikabai was older than Parvatibai's daughter Kashibai
Kashibai
Kashibai sadashiv was the daughter of Parvatibai and Sadashivrao Bhau, Commander-in-Chief of the Maratha forces, in the ill-fated Maratha campaign against Durrani forces led by Ahmed Shah Abdali. Her name ceremony took place on Chhatrapati Shahu’s lap...
by almost 2 years.
Childhood and engagement
Radhikabai spent her childhood in the custody of her aunt Parvatibai at SataraSatara
Satara is a city located in the Satara District of Maharashtra state of India. The town is 2320 ft. above sea-level, near the confluence of the Krishna and its tributary river Venna. The city was the capital of the Maratha empire in the 17th century, hence one of the the historical cities of...
. Like her aunt, she received training in archery, armoury and handling court matters. Chatrapati Shahu
Shahuji
Shahu Sambhaji Raje Bhosale Chhatrapati Maharaj was the fourth ruler of the Maratha Empire created by his grandfather, Chhatrapati Shivaji, and was officially the Raja of Satara...
, who had a secular outlook in order to broaden the base of his Peshwa
Peshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
administration (avoiding capture of all posts by any particular community), arranged Radhikabai's marriage to Vishwasrao
Vishwasrao
Vishwasrao was an Indian noble of the Maratha Empire.- Early life :Vishwasrao was born the eldest son of Nanasaheb Peshwa at Supa near Pune...
, eldest son of Nanasaheb Peshwa
Nanasaheb Peshwa
Nanasaheb Peshwa , also known as Balaji Bajirao, was the son of Bajirao from his marriage with Kashibai and one of the Peshwas of the Maratha Empire. He contributed heavily to the development of the city of Pune, India. He was appointed as Peshwa by Chattrapati Shahu himself...
, as one of the preconditions for making the Peshwa post hereditary. The arrangement was made on Padwa day, 1749. Likewise, Shahu’s confidante Parvatibai had become the wife of Sadashivrao Bhau.
Pilgrimage
In May 1758, when Radhikabai was 13, she and her aunt Parvatibai and cousin Kashibai (age 11) left Deccan along with their entourage to go to KurukshetraKurukshetra
Kurukshetra is a land of historical and religious importance. Historically the land belonged to Punjab now a district in Haryana state of India. It is a holy place and is also known as Dharmakshetra . According to the Puranas, Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and...
to perform a religious pilgrimage. As per the records available at various pilgrimage sites Paravatibai, Kashibai and Radhikabai visited egUjjain, Vrindavan, Haridwar, the Shiv temple of Rawalpindi, and the Narasinha temple of Multan. Donations given by Parvatibai to the Golden Temple
Harmandir Sahib
The Harmandir Sahib also Darbar Sahib , also referred to as the Golden Temple, is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab . Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev...
at Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
for burning oil lamps is clearly recorded, with the confirmed date of her visit as Diwali
Diwali
Diwali or DeepavaliThe name of the festival in various regional languages include:, , , , , , , , , , , , , popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-December for different reasons...
Amavasya
Amavasya
Amavasya is the Indian name for a New moon. The word Amavasya is common to many Indian languages especially Sanskrit, Hindi, Assamese, Kannada, Bengali, Konkani, Marathi, Oriya, Telugu, and Gujarati...
of 1759, almost 14 months prior to the battle day.
Third Battle of Panipat and its repercussions
On the fateful day of 14 January 1761, Kashibai and Radhikabai were staying in the house of Sardar Ramdas of MajithaMajitha
Majitha is a town and a municipal council in Amritsar district in the Indian state of Punjab. Majitha holds a distinguished place in the history of Punjab as the well-known Majithia Sirdars came from this region. These were several generals in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army of the Sikh Empire in the...
. A few days later, news reached them regarding the defeat of the Maratha forces at the battle of Panipat and the death of Kashibai's father Sadashivrao Bhau and Radhikabai's fiance Vishwasrao. Following Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
tradition, Sardar Ramdas gave refuge to these ladies from Deccan. As per prevailing Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
custom of marrying a daughter within the first calendar year of her father's death, Kashibai was married to Sardar Ramdas' son Sardar Hardas Singh on Baisakhi day 1761 at Amritsar. Upon the death of her fiance, Radhikabai became a yogini
Yogini
Yogini is the complete form source word of the masculine yogi- and neutral/plural "yogin." Far from being merely a gender tag to the all things yogi, "Yogini" represents both a female master practitioner of Yoga, and a formal term of respect for a category of modern female spiritual teachers in...
and led a pious life at Hardwar
Hardwar
Hardwar is a 1998 science fiction flight simulation computer game developed by The Software Refinery and published by Gremlin Interactive. In the USA, the game was distributed by Interplay under license...
until her death in 1798. She left all her wealth to the education and upbringing of Hari Singh, Kashibai's grandson. Later, in 1822, Sardar Hari Singh
Hari Singh Nalwa
Hari Singh Nalwa was Commander-in-chief of the Khalsa, the army of the Sikh Empire. He is known for his role in the conquests of Kasur, Sialkot, Multan, Kashmir, Attock, and Peshawar. He led the Sikh Army in freeing Shah Shuja from Kashmir and secured the Koh-i-Nor diamond for Maharaja Ranjit Singh...
, Commander-in-Chief of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh's army, negotiated successfully with Dost Mohammad Khan
Dost Mohammad Khan
Dost Mohammad Khan was the Emir of Afghanistan between 1826 and 1863. He first ruled from 1826 to 1839 and then from 1843 to 1863. He was the 11th son of Sardar Pāyendah Khan who was killed by Zaman Shah Durrani in 1799...
to return Vishwasrao's sword and other artifacts which the Durrani
Durrani
Durrani or Abdali is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali later as Durrani they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747. The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16%...
s took away to Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
as spoils of victory after the battle. This sword and other artifacts are displayed in the Lahore museum.
Radhikabai's meeting with Gopikabai
Radhikabai had come to Nashik on a pilgrimage during Kumbhmela in 1778. GopikabaiGopikabai
Gopikabai was the daughter of Bhikaji Naik Raste of Wai, near Pune.- Childhood:Gopikabai was noticed by Radhabai, the mother of Peshwa Baji Rao I during her visit to the Raste family...
, living in destitution, used to beg before the wadas of Sardar
Sardar
Sardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
s who had retired to the holy city of Nashik. As per the records, Gopikabai would not take alms from servants, but would collect offerings only from mothers, wives or daughters of high-ranking Sardars; she would ring a bell tied to the cow which accompanied her. During the Hindu month of Paush, 1778, Gopikabai unknowingly went to Sardar Gupte's house seeking alms. She waited for some time, ringing the bell of the cow. Radhikabai, who was staying in her father’s residence, came out with an offering and was shocked to see Gopikabai begging for alms. Just then Gopikabai raised her head to see who was giving alms, and the eyes of the two women met. Gopikabai, who had always blamed Radhikabai for the early death of her son Vishwasrao, burst into a rage and started screaming at Radhikabai that she was a bad omen, the prime reason for Gopikabai's ill fate and why God had kept her alive to bear such humiliations. Gopikabai fasted the rest of the month and, with her frail health, suffered dehydration which resulted in her death. Radhikabai performed the last rites for Gopikabai and erected a deepmala (light tower) on the banks of the Godavari River
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
in Nashik. During the floods of 1961 this deepmala was washed away, leaving only a foundation where people put oil lamps while performing the last rites of their kin.
Death
Radhikabai died at Hardwar on 29 November 1798 due to influenzaInfluenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
. Sardar Hari Singh erected a Gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
in her memory at Hardwar in 1822.