Shahu IV of Kolhapur

Shahu IV (also known as Rajarshi Shahu) (26 July 1874-6 May 1922) was Maharaja of the Indian princely state of Kolhapur between 1884 and 1922.

Accession

Shahu was born on 26th July, 1874 as Yeshwantrao Ghatge, eldest son of Appasaheb Ghatge, chief of Kagal (senior) by his wife Radhabai, a daughter of the Raja of Mudhol in present-day Karnataka. He was adopted by Anandibai, widow of Maharaja Shivaji IV of Kolhapur, in March 1884. Several generations of inter-marriage had ensured that Shahu's family was connected intimately with the ruling dynasty of Kolhapur, which is apparently what rendered him a suitable candidate for adoption, despite his not being a male-line member of the Bhonsle dynasty. A council of regency was appointed by the British government of India to oversee affairs of state during Shahu's minority. Shahu was invested with ruling powers upon coming of age in 1894. There is one college named Rajaram college built by Shahu Maharaja

ocial reform

Shahu maharaj is credited with doing much to further the lot of the lower castes, and indeed this assessment is warranted. He did much to make education and employment available to all: he not only subsidized education in his state, eventually providing free education to all, but also opened several hostels in Kolhapur for students hailing from many different non-brahmin communities, thereby facilitating the education of the rural and low-caste indigent. He also ensured suitable employment for students thus educated, thereby creating one of the earliest Affirmative action programs in history. Many of these measures were effected in the year 1902.

Shahu's other initiatives included restricting Child marriage in his state and the encouragement of intercaste marriage and widow remarriage. He long patronized the Satya Shodhak Samaj but later moved towards the Arya Samaj. Under the influence of these social-reform movements, Shahu arranged for several non-brahmin youths to be trained to function as priests, in defiance of timeless convention which reserved the priesthood for those of the brahmin caste.However, he faced opposition from many including Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak , the very famous patriot of that time. After Shahu Maharaj's death, this reform died its natural death. Chhatrapati Shahu was very fond of wrestling and encouraged it in his kingdom.Many wrestlers from all over India came to Kolhapur as wrestling enjoyed royal patronage in Kolhapur.

The Indian postal department has issued a stamp dedicated to Shahu. On the first-issue citation, the government of India hails Shahu as "A social revolutionary, a true democrat, a visionary, a patron of the theatre, music and sports and a prince of the masses. Chhatrapati Shahu was a many-splendoured personality who thought and acted far ahead of his times."

Personal life

In 1891, Shahu was wed to Lakshmibai née Khanvilkar, daughter of a maratha nobleman from Baroda. They were the parents of four children, including:
#Rajaram II, who succeeded his father as Maharaja of Kolhapur;
#Radhabai 'Akkasaheb' Puar, Maharani of Dewas (senior), mother of Vikramsinhrao Puar, who later succeeded to the throne of Kolhapur as Shahoji II , sometime ruler of both Dewas (senior) and KolhapurChhatrapati Shahu of Kolhapur died on May 6, 1922. He was survived by his wife, a son and a daughter, as listed above.

Full name and titles

His full official name was: "Colonel His Highness Kshatriya-Kulawatasana Sinhasanadhishwar, Shrimant Rajashri Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO"

During his life he acquired the following titles and honorific names:

*1874-1884: Meherban Shrimant Yeshwantrao Sarjerao Ghatge
*1884-1895: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulawatasana Sinhasanadhishwar, Shrimant Rajashri Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Raja of Kolhapur
*1895-1900: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulawatasana Sinhasanadhishwar, Shrimant Rajashri Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Raja of Kolhapur, GCSI
*1900-1903: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulawatasana Sinhasanadhishwar, Shrimant Rajashri Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Kolhapur, GCSI
*1903-1911: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulawatasana Sinhasanadhishwar, Shrimant Rajashri Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Kolhapur, GCSI, GCVO
*1911-1915: His Highness Kshatriya-Kulawatasana Sinhasanadhishwar, Shrimant Rajashri Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Kolhapur, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO
*1915-1922: Colonel His Highness Kshatriya-Kulawatasana Sinhasanadhishwar, Shrimant Rajashri Sir Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj Sahib Bahadur, Maharaja of Kolhapur, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO

Honours

*Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI)-1895
*King Edward VII Coronation Medal-1902
*Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)-1903
*Hon. LLD (Cantab.)-1903
*Delhi Durbar Gold Medal-1903
*King George V Coronation Medal-1911
*Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE)-1911
*Delhi Durbar Gold Medal-1911

Legacy

Once the Late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said "Dams are not just constructions of cement and concrete, but in fact are places of pilgrimage in the modern India." This was not the first vision towards this development as Kolhapur’s King Shahu Maharaj realized it almost 100 years before and decided to construct Radhanagari Dam, which is being looked as the first dam in India, on 18th February 1907 place of the dam was decided and construction of houses for labors and official was started which took almost two years and the foundation stone for the dam was laid down in 1909. Those were the days when there were neither the force of engineering experts nor the skilled labor force was available hence the progress was at very slow rate. There is a story about the shortage of funds also in air but Kolhapur King Shahu Maharaj was determine to complete the project so the water for irrigation will be available in abundance and it will add to per capita income of Kolhapurkars.

Radhanagari dam was completed in the year 1935 and since the 1938 is working with full capacity. Normally it is said that kings and rulers in India were over looking to the problems of common citizens but Radhanagari Dam is the living illustration of vision of Shahu Maharaj towards the development and welfare of common citizens.

Over the years Radhanagari Dam is providing water for the irrigation and after the independence of the country the near by forest area is converted into “Dajipur Reserve forest” and some tourist facilities started to attract the tourists from all over the India.

Next year being the century year of foundation stone of this most old dam of the country and Maharashtra government is coming forward with a developmental plan to increase the tourist facilities to attract the tourist from all over the globe. The plan budgeted expanses are estimated at Rs. 47 crores and recently first installment of Rs. 7.5 crore has been handed over to district administration. The plan include construction of memorial of Shahu Maharaj, a sum of Rs. 2 crore are allotted for the construction of new buildings for Taluka administration, Panchayat Samiti and Ploce station etc.

According to sources Dajipur forest is being developed for tourism on the pattern of eco tourism. Tourism ministry of India has already handed over a sum of Rs. 8 crore for the purpose. In very short future the fund received from the central government will be transferred to district administration and this will boost the effort to bring the Kolhapur on world tourism map, the Deccan Odyssey, the Maharashtra tourism train which is presently halting for few hours at Kolhapur will surely have a stay of at least for one day from the next year.

The centurion dam Radhanagari, the visionary project of Shahu Maharaj, which worked as means of increase in per capita income by providing water for irrigation is once again proving a reason for growth in per capita income, this time by boosting the tourism to area.

ee also

*Maratha Empire
* Bhosale family ancestry
*Reservation in India

References

*"Cultural Revolt in a Colonial Society" by Gail Omvedt, January, 1976
* [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/India/kolhap3.htm Genealogy of the ruling chiefs of Kolhapur]
* [http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Color/Plum/RAJARSHI%20SHAHU%20CHHATRAPATI Entry regarding Maharaja Shahu Chhatrapati on the website of Indian posts]