Skip to content
OFFER Use code on paid courses at checkout
View courses
Nishu DigiLearn Nishu DigiLearn
Enrol free
FREE PREVIEW Week 2-3 3 lessons

Maharashtra: History and Social Reform

Ancient and medieval dynasties of Maharashtra, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Maratha state, the Peshwas and Anglo-Maratha wars, social reformers, the freedom movement and the Samyukta Maharashtra movement.

Lessons in this module

1

Ancient and Medieval Maharashtra

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

Read notes ↓
2

Shivaji Maharaj, the Peshwas and 1818

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

Read notes ↓
3

Social Reform, Freedom Movement and Samyukta Maharashtra

Lesson • 5 quiz questions

Read notes ↓

Lesson notes

1. Ancient and Medieval Maharashtra

Long before the Marathas, many dynasties ruled the Deccan from Maharashtra. Their capitals, caves and inscriptions are common exam topics. This lesson covers the Satavahanas, Vakatakas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas and the Bahmani and Deccan sultanates.

Satavahanas and Vakatakas

  • The Satavahanas ruled the Deccan roughly from the 1st century BCE to the 3rd century CE. Their capital was Pratishthan (Paithan) on the Godavari.
  • Gautamiputra Satakarni was their greatest ruler. His mother Gautami Balashri's Nashik inscription describes his victories.
  • King Hala is credited with the Gatha Saptashati, a collection of poems in Maharashtri Prakrit, an early form of Marathi.
  • Many Buddhist caves of this period are found at Nashik (Pandavleni), Karla and Bhaja.
  • The Vakatakas ruled from Vidarbha. Some of the finest Ajanta caves were made under them.

Rashtrakutas and Yadavas

  • The Rashtrakuta dynasty was founded by Dantidurga in the 8th century. Their later capital was Manyakheta (Malkhed).
  • Rashtrakuta king Krishna I built the rock-cut Kailasa temple (Cave 16) at Ellora.
  • The Yadavas (Seunas) of Devagiri ruled from about 1187. Bhillama V made Devagiri (later Daulatabad) the capital.
  • Hemadri, a minister of the Yadavas, is linked with the Hemadpanti style of temples. Sant Dnyaneshwar wrote the Dnyaneshwari in 1290, in the Yadava period.
  • Alauddin Khalji attacked Devagiri in 1296. Muhammad bin Tughlaq later renamed it Daulatabad and shifted his capital there in 1327.

Bahmani and Deccan sultanates

  • The Bahmani Sultanate was founded in 1347 by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah, first with Gulbarga as capital and later Bidar.
  • Mahmud Gawan was a famous Bahmani minister who reformed the administration.
  • The Bahmani kingdom broke into five Deccan sultanates: Ahmadnagar (Nizam Shahi), Bijapur (Adil Shahi), Berar (Imad Shahi), Golconda (Qutb Shahi) and Bidar (Barid Shahi).
  • The Nizam Shahi kingdom of Ahmadnagar was founded by Malik Ahmad in 1490. Chand Bibi defended Ahmadnagar against the Mughals.
  • Shahaji Bhosale, father of Shivaji Maharaj, served the Nizam Shahi and Adil Shahi sultanates.
Quick facts
Satavahana capital
Pratishthan (Paithan)
Gatha Saptashati
King Hala; Maharashtri Prakrit
Kailasa temple, Ellora
Rashtrakuta king Krishna I
Yadava capital
Devagiri (later Daulatabad)
Dnyaneshwari
1290, Yadava period
Bahmani Sultanate
1347, Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah
Ahmadnagar sultanate
Nizam Shahi, founded 1490 by Malik Ahmad

💡 Match dynasty with capital: Satavahana - Paithan, Rashtrakuta - Manyakheta, Yadava - Devagiri, Bahmani - Gulbarga then Bidar.

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

2. Shivaji Maharaj, the Peshwas and 1818

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj founded the Maratha state (Swarajya) in the 17th century. Later the Peshwas expanded Maratha power across India, until the British defeated them in 1818. Dates, battles and the Ashtapradhan are favourite questions.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

  • Born on 19 February 1630 at Shivneri fort near Junnar (Pune district). His mother was Jijabai and father Shahaji Bhosale.
  • Key events: killing of Afzal Khan at Pratapgad (1659); surprise attack on Shaista Khan in Pune (1663); raid on Surat (1664).
  • Treaty of Purandar with Mirza Raja Jai Singh (1665); visit to Agra and escape from Aurangzeb's custody (1666).
  • Coronation at Raigad on 6 June 1674, when he took the title Chhatrapati. He died at Raigad in 1680.
  • He built a navy and sea forts such as Sindhudurg (Malvan). Forts were the backbone of his state.
  • In 2025, twelve forts were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India': 11 in Maharashtra (such as Raigad, Rajgad, Shivneri, Pratapgad, Sindhudurg) and Gingee in Tamil Nadu.

Ashtapradhan: the council of eight ministers

  • Peshwa: prime minister, in charge of general administration.
  • Amatya (Mazumdar): finance and accounts. Sachiv (Surnavis): royal letters and records.
  • Mantri (Waqia-navis): the king's daily affairs and intelligence. Senapati (Sar-i-Naubat): commander of the army.
  • Sumant (Dabir): foreign affairs. Nyayadhish: chief judge. Panditrao: religious matters and charity.
  • Revenue was collected partly through chauth (one-fourth) and sardeshmukhi (an extra one-tenth) from neighbouring territories.

The Peshwas and the Anglo-Maratha wars

  • Balaji Vishwanath became Peshwa in 1713. His son Bajirao I (1720-1740) expanded Maratha power to the north.
  • Under Peshwa Balaji Bajirao (Nanasaheb), the Marathas lost the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) to Ahmad Shah Abdali.
  • First Anglo-Maratha War (1775-1782) ended with the Treaty of Salbai (1782). Nana Phadnavis was a leading Maratha statesman of this period.
  • Peshwa Bajirao II signed the subsidiary Treaty of Bassein (1802) with the British. This led to the Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-1805).
  • Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818): the Battle of Koregaon (1 January 1818) and other defeats ended the Peshwa rule in 1818.
Quick facts
Shivaji Maharaj born
19 February 1630, Shivneri
Coronation
6 June 1674, Raigad
Treaty of Purandar
1665, with Mirza Raja Jai Singh
Ashtapradhan
Council of eight ministers; Peshwa = prime minister
Third Battle of Panipat
1761
Treaty of Bassein
1802, Bajirao II and the British
End of Peshwa rule
1818 (Third Anglo-Maratha War)
UNESCO (2025)
Maratha Military Landscapes: 12 forts

💡 Remember the forts with events: Shivneri - birth, Pratapgad - Afzal Khan, Purandar - treaty, Raigad - coronation and death.

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

3. Social Reform, Freedom Movement and Samyukta Maharashtra

Maharashtra was a leading centre of social reform and the freedom struggle. Reformers fought caste discrimination and worked for women's education. After independence, the Samyukta Maharashtra movement led to the creation of the state on 1 May 1960.

Social reformers

  • Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule started a school for girls at Bhide Wada, Pune, in 1848. Savitribai is remembered as India's first woman teacher.
  • Jyotiba Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj on 24 September 1873 and wrote 'Gulamgiri' (1873).
  • Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur reserved 50% of posts for backward classes in his state on 26 July 1902.
  • Gopal Ganesh Agarkar edited 'Sudharak' and worked for rational thinking and women's rights. Mahadev Govind Ranade was linked with the Prarthana Samaj and the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha.
  • Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve worked for widows and women's education; he founded the women's university now called SNDT (1916). Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil founded the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha (1919).
  • Balshastri Jambhekar started 'Darpan' (1832), the first Marathi newspaper. 6 January is observed as Marathi Patrakar Din (journalists' day).

Dr B. R. Ambedkar

  • He started 'Mooknayak' (1920) and 'Bahishkrit Bharat' (1927), and founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha (1924).
  • Mahad Satyagraha (20 March 1927): he led a march to drink water from the Chavdar Tale (tank) at Mahad, Raigad district.
  • Kalaram Temple Satyagraha (from 2 March 1930), Nashik: a movement for the entry of Dalits into the temple.
  • He founded the Independent Labour Party (1936) and was Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.
  • On 14 October 1956 he embraced Buddhism with lakhs of followers at Nagpur, now known as Deekshabhoomi.

Freedom movement and Samyukta Maharashtra

  • Lokmanya Tilak started 'Kesari' (Marathi) and 'Mahratta' (English) in 1881 with Agarkar, and made Ganeshotsav (1893) and Shivjayanti public festivals. He started a Home Rule League in 1916.
  • Gopal Krishna Gokhale founded the Servants of India Society (1905) in Pune and is called Mahatma Gandhi's political guru.
  • The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay in 1885. The Quit India resolution was passed at Gowalia Tank (August Kranti Maidan), Bombay, on 8 August 1942.
  • Marathwada, then part of Hyderabad State, joined India on 17 September 1948 after police action. This is observed as Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din.
  • The Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti (1956) led a mass movement for a Marathi-speaking state with Mumbai. Those who died in the movement (commonly counted as 105 martyrs) are honoured at Hutatma Chowk, Mumbai.
  • Maharashtra was formed on 1 May 1960 under the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960. Yashwantrao Chavan was the first Chief Minister.
Quick facts
First girls' school (Phules)
1848, Bhide Wada, Pune
Satyashodhak Samaj
24 September 1873, Jyotiba Phule
Shahu Maharaj reservation
26 July 1902, 50% for backward classes
Mahad Satyagraha
20 March 1927, Chavdar Tale
Kalaram Temple Satyagraha
1930, Nashik
Deekshabhoomi
14 October 1956, Nagpur
Darpan
1832, first Marathi newspaper, Balshastri Jambhekar
Maharashtra formed
1 May 1960; first CM Yashwantrao Chavan

💡 Make a reformer card for each person: organisation, newspaper and year. Phule - Satyashodhak 1873; Tilak - Kesari 1881; Gokhale - Servants of India 1905; Ambedkar - Bahishkrit Bharat 1927.

📝 5-question quiz on this lesson: enrol free to take it and track your score.

Other modules in MPSC Group B & C and Maharashtra Govt Exam Prep

Start Here: MPSC Group B and Group C Exam PatternsFREE PREVIEW → Ancient IndiaFREE PREVIEW → Medieval IndiaFREE PREVIEW → Colonial Rule and the Freedom StruggleFREE PREVIEW → Maharashtra: Geography and EconomyFREE PREVIEW → Indian Geography for National ExamsFREE PREVIEW → The Constitution of IndiaFREE PREVIEW → How India Is GovernedFREE PREVIEW → India's Economic Journey and PoliciesFREE PREVIEW → Maharashtra: Administration, Schemes and Current AffairsFREE PREVIEW → General ScienceFREE PREVIEW → Static GK for National ExamsFREE PREVIEW → Quantitative Aptitude: Number BasicsFREE PREVIEW → Quantitative Aptitude: Arithmetic IFREE PREVIEW → Quantitative Aptitude: Arithmetic IIFREE PREVIEW → Reasoning: Verbal BasicsFREE PREVIEW → Reasoning: Logic and ArrangementsFREE PREVIEW → Marathi Basics for MPSCFREE PREVIEW → General English: GrammarFREE PREVIEW → General English: Vocabulary and ComprehensionFREE PREVIEW → Computer KnowledgeFREE PREVIEW → Final AssessmentFREE PREVIEW →

Enrol free to access all lessons

Create your account in 30 seconds and start immediately.

Enrol free → Back to course overview