Historian pens book exploring Maratha queen Tarabai’s life

Kolhapur: Penning a novel based on the life of Maharani Tarabai, founder of the Karvir Kingdom and daughter-in-law of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who fought against the Mughals for years, was my life mission, said eminent historian and Maratha history researcher Jaysingrao Pawar.Pawar, an octogenarian historian, has written extensively on Maratha history, especially on unsung heroes. After laborious work of nearly a decade, Pawar completed an 800-page book on Maharani Tarabai— ‘Moghalmardini Maharani Tarabai', in two parts. The book will be presented on Friday by NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule at New Palace. Addressing a press conference with Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj and former Rajya Sabha MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati by his side, Pawar said, "Not many know about Tarabai Maharani. Her husband, the younger son of Shivaji Maharaj, Rajaram Maharaj, fought against the Mughals for 11 years. The baton was passed on to Tarabai after the demise of her husband, and she fought in such a way that the Mughals had to give up and return to the north. The first thought to write a book on such a valorous Maratha woman came to my mind in 1962 and it has taken me nearly six decades to complete my life mission."Pawar said he wished to get the statue of Tarabai Maharani established at Panhala Fort outside her palace. Panhala was the capital of the Karvir Kingdom and from the fort, she ran the state. "The first part of the book is about her fight against the Mughals, and the second is about her struggle with the Peshwas, who were undermining Satara's seat," he said.