HISTORY

MEDIAEVAL PERIOD

Berar under the Khiljis.

The final fall of the Yadavas of Devagiri at the hands of Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah in 1318, proved epochmaking in the history of Vidarbha and Maharashtra: The event was not a mere replacement of one-Hindu power by another as in the past. The uncompromising mono-theistic religion of the new political conquerors threw a challenge to the Hindu religion, to the Hindu Society, nay to the entire Hindu way of life. The Yadavas of Devagiri and the Hindu Kingdoms of the south failed to understand the true character of the Muslim invaders. The challenge thrown by Islam was unprecedented in history. As a result of this challenge there ensued a long cultural conflict which remains unresolved right up to our own times.

Prior to 1318 the Yadavas had been trying to meet the attacks of the Khiljis on their territory. It was in 1294 that the Yadava power was first attacked by Ala-ud-din Khilji the then governor of Kara-Manikpur. The expedition was undertaken not only to acquire the resources which he needed most from Devagiri far-famed for its fabulous wealth but also to punish Ramachandra Yadava, also known as Ramdeva the ruler of Devagiri, for his raid into the Uttara Pradesh a few years before.

Ala-ud-din had planned his expedition very carefully. He had intelligence from his spies that the main Yadava army was out of station on its southern expedition. He first gave out that he was marching against Chanderi, and later spread news that he was going to the south to seek service with the king of Rajamahendri. On his way to Devagiri Ala-ud-din pitched his camps at depopulated places. When he reached Lachur its governor reported the advent of the hostile army to Devagiri. Ala-ud-din with rapid marches fell upon Devagiri. Ramachandra was taken by surprise and completely defeated. He agreed to pay to the conqueror 1,500 pounds of gold, a vast quantity of jewels and pearls, 40 elephants and several thousand horses. Ramachandra further gave one of his daughters to the invader and agreed to pay annual tribute equal to the revenues of Elichpur District.

Ramachandra continued to pay tribute to Ala-ud-din till about 1304. In that year the armies of Ala-ud-din were defeated by the Kakatiya king Prataparudradeva. This naturally encouraged the Yadavas to throw off the Khilji domination. Shankaradeva also known as Sangama, the crown prince prevailed upon his father to stop the annual tribute paid to Ala-ud-din and prepare for a war. In 1307 Ala-ud-din sent his general Malik, Kafur against the Yadavas. Shankaradeva's army was defeated near Devagiri and his father Ramachandra was sent as a prisoner to Delhi. Ala-ud-din on being convinced that Ramachandra had no intention of defying his authority but waged was under the influence of his son, restored to him his Kingdom, conferred upon him the honorific title Raja-i-Rajan, gave him the district of Navasari as a personal jagir and gracefully allowed him to return to his metropolis. Hereafter Ramachandra remained loyal to the Sultan throughout his life. In the subsequent years when the imperial army passed through Devagiri on its expedition to Warangal and Dvarasamudra, Ramachandra offered it every possible help. [ Yazdani G. The Early History of the Deccan, Parts VII-XI; 1960. pp. 553-4.]

After Ramachandra's death in 1312 his son Shankaradeva rose in rebellion against the Sultan. Shankar's courage was undoubtedly admirable but his forces now were no match for the vast and well-equipped army of Malik Kafur who came to punish him at the order of Ala-ud-din. Shankara was defeated, imprisoned and killed. Towards the end of 1315 when Ala-ud-din Khilji fell ill, Malik Kafur was called back to Delhi, and Devagiri was practically devoid of Muslim forces. Taking advantage of this situation Harapaladeva, the ruler of Devagiri and his minister Raghava made a desperate bid to regain their lost independence. Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah one of the sons of Ala-ud-din, who had taken control of the Khilji empire easily overcame the resistance of Harapaladeva and killed him in 1318. [ Yazdani G. The Early History of the Deccan; Parts VII-XI, 1960, pp. 555-6.] The Yadava power was exterminated and the Khiljis appointed their own officers to administer Vidarbha and Maharashtra along with the vast territory which was once under the Yadavas. The extent of the Yadava kingdom was pretty vast. At its height it included southern Gujarat, the Marathi-speaking regions of Madhya Pradesh and Berar, Western Maharashtra, Western half of Hyderabad State, Karnatak which was in the old Bombay Province and the northern districts of Mysore. [ Ibid., p. 557.]

This extensive and once mighty empire collapsed like a house of cards when swept by the hurricane of Khilji onslaughts.

The eastern part of the Yadava empire included the whole of the present Wardha District. Nagpur, Bhandara and Chanda beyond the river Wardha then forming part of the Zadimandala wooded territory were also in the Yadava empire. The founder of the Mahanubhava Sect Chakradhara, wandered in the Zadimandala propagating his faith. [ Nene H. N. Lilacharita, Ekanika, p. 37.] Achalapur or Elichapur referred to in his biography became an administrative centre under the Khiljis. It was the seat of Imad Shahi of Berar when the Bahamani Kingdom was split up. It continued to hold its importance under the Nizam Shahi Kingdom and the Moghals. It sank into a nababdom when the Marathas established their supremacy all over Berar. Like many a Muslim city of historic importance Elichpur is a place of ruined masjids and tombs. Even today a number of respectable Muslim families of Berar mention with pride that they hail from Elichpur.

Its importance as one of the administrative headquarters was due to its strategic geographical location. After crossing the Satpuda and the Gavilgada Hills Achalpur almost stands at the northern tip of the Berar plain.

With the fall of the Yadavas, Devagiri became a centre of Islamic culture named shortly after as Daulatabad. Elichpur rose into prominence as a city of Muslim influence retaining its importance till it was pushed into obscurity by growing Nagpur in the mid-eighteenth century.

Berar under the Bahamanis.

The Khiljis were succeeded by the Tughluqs. During the reign of Muhammad Tughluq there broke out many rebellions finally leading to the establishment of independent states. These states had well defined groups. The first group of the Hindu states of Rajasthan was led by Mevar (Udaipur). The second group was formed by the Muhammedan states of Gujarat and Malva. The third in the south consisted of the Bahamanis and the Hindu kingdom of Vajayanagar, and the fourth comprised the kingdoms of Gondavana, Orissa, Bengal and Jaunpur. [ Kishori Saran Lal, Twilight of the Sultanate, 1963, p. 61.]

Of these states, we are concerned with the Bahamani which ruled over the Berar from 1347 to 1527. Its capital was at Gulburaga or Kalaburgi. The Bahamani kings divided their territory for administrative convenience into four divisions known as tarfs. They were Gulburga, Daulatabad, Bidar and Berar. Elichpur was the seat of the Berar tarf. The Bahamanis during their career of nearly 180 years fought wars with the neighbouring states of Khandesh, Malwa, Khedala and Vijayanagar. A good deal of their energy was spent in their wars with the powerful Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar.

Mujahid Shah Bahamani marched on Bukka of Vijayanagar between 1375 and 1378. He was accompanied by Safdar Khan the subhedar of Berar. He laid siege to Adoni and defeated the Hindu garrison. In the second expedition on the Vijayanagar kingdom when Harihar II was ruling, Firuz Shah Bahamani was helped by Salabat Khan, the Subhedar of Berar. Firuz defeated Harihar II (1398-99). The much prized Raichur doab was annexed to the Bahamani kingdom.

When the Bahamanis were busy fighting with the Vijayanagar rulers' Narasingdeva, the ruler of Khedala raided Berar and established his outposts at a number of places. Freed from the Vijayanagar war, Firuz Shah marched on Khedala, the stronghold of Narasing with a large army. The Gonds helping Narasing fought bravely but were finally defeated. Narasing accepted the supremacy of the Bahamanis. In the battle with Khedala king Faza-ulla-anju who had distinguished himself by his valour was appointed the Tarfdar (Subhedar) of Berar. Later Devaraya of Vijayanagar attacked Firuz Bahamani and totally defeated him. In this war the tarfdar of Berar succumbed to treachery. [ KVI. pp. 94-95.]

During their rule over the Berar the Bahamanis-Sultan Ahmad Shah-constructed the fort of Gavilgad, occupying a commanding position in the Satpuda hills. In ancient time a small fortress was constructed by the Gavalis who ruled the neighbouring area. Gavilgad indicates in its name its origin from the Gavalis. The fort of Naranala too was repaired and reconstructed by Sultan Ahmad Shah. [Ibid., pp. 99-101.] The forts of Gavil and Narnala held their importance throughout the history of Berar. The saying in Berar that one who possesses Gavilgad commands Varhad expresses the strategic importance of the place. In times of difficulty the Bhosles shifted their treasury and zanana for safety to one of these forts.

The Bahamani dynasty which ruled for nearly 180 years had in all eighteen kings. Five of them were murdered, three were removed from the throne and two died of excessive drinking. The Bahamanis suffered from uncertainty of succession, intrigues of nobles, political murders, vices of wine and women, and above all fanatical zeal for the conquest of the neighbouring Hindu infidel kings. [LTS. pp. 61-62.]

The cruelties perpetrated by Muhammad Shah Bahamani on the Hindus in his raids on Telangana and the Vijayanagar, are gleefully described by the historian Ferishta. It was a common conviction of the Muslim Kings of the day that cruelties committed upon the Hindus-non-believers either in peace or war were acts of piety which pleased their God. As elsewhere the majority Hindu subjects of Berar had no place of honour in the eyes of the Muslim rulers. They had inferior citizenship. No wonder if the Hindus looked upon Narasingdev of Khedala as their saviour. But unfortunately for them he was defeated by the Bahamanis and had to accept a subordinate position. The net result of the long Muslim rule over Berar from 1318 to the down-fall of the Moghals was, lack of accord between the rulers and their majority Hindu subjects. Religion is the soul of a culture. A Hindu dreaded loss of religion more than death. The Muslims who first came to Berar with Ala-ud-din Khilji as officials were strangers. But from the succeeding generation they became natives of the land. As rulers they introduced administrative and land revenue reforms by preserving the original system as far as they could. But owing to sharp religious differences both in theory and practice a wide chasm separated the Hindus and the Muslims, though by historic forces both were destined to live together.

The differences remained all the more unbridgeable because the Muslims were not only of an alien religion but were also rulers who used force for the propagation of their faith, while the Hindus remained a vast majority as Hindu subjects inspite of forceful conversion and subordinate citizenship meted out to them. In the eyes of the Muslim rulers the Hindus always remained infidels and for the Hindus the Muslims always remained as Yavanas whose rule over them was a bolt from the blue.

In the light of this analysis of the impact of Islamic rule over Vidarbha it can be concluded that the Hindus of this region suffered from a sense of frustration and demoralisation.

During the reign of the Bahamani Sultan Muhammad Shah III (1463-82), Mahmud Gavan, his vazir, introduced a number of reforms political as well as administrative. He could discern that the four tarfs into which the whole kingdom was divided had become so large that the tarfdars on suitable occasions defied the central authority. He therefore divided the original four tarfs into eight; (1) Daulatabad, (2) Junnar, (3) Ahasanabad (Gulburga), (4) Bijapur, (5) Rajamahendri, (6) Warangal, (7) Gavilgad, and (8) Mahur. The last two were the new divisions of the former Berar tarf. In the reshuffle Gavilgad was made the seat of northern Berar and Mahur that of southern.

Mahmud Gavan's reforms.

In the former arrangement the tarfdar was in charge of all the forts within the jurisdiction of his tarf. Mahmud kept only one fort in charge of the tarfdar, the rest being under the direct command of the centre. From each tarf some portion was reserved for the expenses of the king its revenue being collected by officers appointed by the centre. This reminds one of the system introduced by Balaji Vishvanath in which, within a given area, a number of nobleman including the Chhatrapati enjoyed saranjam, mokasa and other rights. May be that Balaji-Vishvanath picked up the idea from the past history of Daulatabad of which he was the sar-subhedar during the Maratha War of Independence, and applied it to the Maratha country when he became Chhatrapati Sahu's right-hand man.

Mahmud also ordered a systematic survey of the land, fixing the boundaries of the villages and towns, and classifying land into fallow and culturable. Careful data of the land revenue collected in the few previous years were obtained for fixing the revenue. What Gavan could not do was the elimination of the middlemen who, it seems, were wellrooted as vatandars for ages.

The Deccan party which was envious of the rise of Mahmud Gavan to dizzi heights within a short period, managed to murder him in 1481 by poisoning the ears of the Sultan against him. Shortly after his death there was complete chaos, and the Bahamani Kingdom which was already showing signs of disintegration was split up into five independent kingdoms though nominally it continued to exist till the death of its last ruler Kalimulla Shah in 1527.

In 1473-74 Berar was ravaged by a severe famine which forced many people to migrate to Malva and Gujarat. [ KVI. pp. 107-111. ]

Imadshahi of Berar.

As early as 1471 Fatehulla Imad-ul-mulk was appointed the tarfdar or subhedar of Berar. He originally belonged to a Brahmin family of Vijayanagar. He was taken a captive and converted to Islam by Ahmad Shah Bahamani in his Vijayanagar campaign of 1422 and made over to Khan Jahan, he then subhedar of Berar. By his native intelligence he soon merited the attention of his superiors and was finally appointed the subhedar of Berar. Fatehulla though a convert never forgot his respectable ancestry. When he rose to the position of a subhedar he repaired the fort of Gavilgad and engraved on the main gateway the well known emblem of the Hindu kings of Vijayanagar in memory of the place of his origin.

In 1490 Fatehulla declared his independence. He styled himself as Fatehulla Imadshah and made Elichpur the seat of Government. In the mediaeval period this was the only independent kingdom established over the Berar.

Fatehulla was succeeded by Ala-ud-din Shah. During his reign (1484-1528) Burhan Nizam Shah, the ruler of Ahmadnagar, demanded the paragana of Pathari from him. Burhan wanted Pathari paragana because his ancestor Malik Hasan hailed from that place. Malik was by birth a son of a Kulkami vatandar of Pathari but was converted to Islam in one of the wars between the Vijayanagar Kings and the Bahamanis. With a view to having the ancestral vatan of Pathari Burhan demanded it from Ala-ud-din offering in exchange a larger and higher revenue yielding paragana. When Ala-ud-din refused to comply with this request Burhan with the help of Barid Shah of Bidar invaded Pathari, conquered it, and offered it in perpetuity as a vatan to the Scions of the original Brahmin family to which his ancestors belonged.

Mahur episode.

Berar, as already observed, was divided into two tarfs, Gavilgad and Mahur by Mahmud Gawan. When the Bahamani Kingdom was split up into five Shahis, the Subhedar of Mahur aspired to establish an independent Kingdom there. In this attempt he was opposed by Barid Shah of Bidar. Barid had helped Burhan Nizam Shah against Ala-ud-din in the restoration of the Pathari paragana by Burhan. Now was the occasion for Ala-ud-din to revenge upon Barid Shah. He marched upon Mahur, forced Barid to flee and annexed Mahur to the Berar region, and retired to his stronghold at Gavilgad.

Towards the end of his career Ala-ud-din Imadshah was hard pressed by the powerful neighbouring kings of Gujarat and Golkonda in his efforts to maintain his territory. Ala-ud-din was succeeded by his son Darya in 1520. Places such as Daryapur and Daryabad in Berar are said to have been named after him.

Darya was succeeded by Burhan Imadshah whose kingdom was usurped by a mighty nobleman Tufal Khan. Burhan was imprisoned in the fort of Narnala. In the wars between the Vijayanagar kingdom and the kingdoms of Bijapur and Ahmadnagar Tufal Khan, the usurper, remained neutral. After their victory over Vijayanagar in the famous Battle of Talikot (Rakkasatangade) Nizam Shah and Adil Shah decided to invade the kingdoms of Tufal Khan and Bidar. Berar was to be annexed to Nizam Shahi of Ahmadnagar and Bidar to Adil Shahi of Bijapur. To execute the joint venture Murtaza Nizam Shah, the then ruler of Ahmadnagar, encamped at Pathari and invaded Berar. Unable to resist the vast army of Murtaza, Tufal Khan first fled into forest and later took shelter in the fort of Narnala. His son Samsher-ul-Mulk defended himself from the fort of Gavilgad. Tufal Khan and his son were defeated in the end and taken prisoners in 1572. [KVI. pp. 114-121.] Thus, after a short career of eighty two years (1490-1572) the independent kingdom of Berar-Imad-Shahi came to an end being annexed to the mighty neighbouring kingdom of Nizam Shahi.

Elichpur shot into prominence as the metropolis of Berar. Anjangaon and other places near Elichpur were noted for the fine silk and cotton cloth which they manufactured. For defence the Shahas of Elichpur constructed a number of forts throughout Berar. [Shiva Charitra Sahitya, Khand Pahila, 1926, p. 2.]

Berar under Nizamshahi.

The famous historian Ferishta was at the court of Murtaza Nizam Shah, and in the political tangle that followed the death of his master he took shelter at the court of Bijapur, collecting material for his extensive history of the Deccan, Gulshan-i-Ibrahimi better known as Tarakhi-i-Ferishta. Ferishta i.e.,-Muhammad Qasim Hindu Shah settled at Bijapur in the year 1589 A. D. and devoted twenty five years of his life to history writing. The other equally important contemporary work is Burhan-i-massir of Sayyad Ali.

After Murtaza Nizam Shah's death chaos prevailed at Ahmadnagar for succession. By this time the shadows of the imperial Moghals had begun to cast across the Deccan. In August 1591 the Moghal Emperor Akbar dispatched diplomatic missions to Khandesh, Ahmadnagar, Bijapur and Golkonda calling upon their Sultans to accept his suzerainty and pay tribute. Khandesh agreed to accept his sovereignty but the rest refused to surrender. Upon this Akbar sent a force under Abdur Rahim Khan Khanan on Ahmadnagar. Chand Bibi, the aunt of the reigning king Muzaffar heroically defended the fort of Ahmadnagar. The imperial general made peace recognising Burhan-ul-Mulk as the Sultan. The Sultan ceded Berar to Akbar in 1596 and accepted his sovereignty. Thus, Berar which was annexed to Nizam Shahi in 1572 passed under the imperial Moghal after a period of only 24 years. [A. L. Srivastava, The Mughal Empire, 1964 (Fourth Edition), pp. 158-9.]

This peace proved short-lived, because the Nizam Shahi Government tried to recover Berar from the Moghals. Akbar at this time sent Abul Fazl against Ahmadnagar. The fort was captured and the young King Bahadur Nizam Shah taken prisoner in 1600. However, the nobles of Nizam Shahi continued to resist the Moghals under the able leadership of Malik Ambar until his death in 1626.

Emperor Akbar went back from the south keeping Berar and Khandesh in charge of Daniel. During Jahangir's reign the Moghal army was divided on three fronts; Mewar, North-West frontier and against Khusran. Malik Ambar fully exploited this situation and tried to stabilize the restored Nizam Shahi Kingdom. It is remarkable that Malik Ambar should have found time to introduce his revenue reforms in the midst of constant wars and political intrigues.

Shahaji Bhosle, the father of Shivaji was one of the supporters of Malik Ambar. In 1622 Jahangir had sent Parviz and Mahabat Khan against Malik Ambar fearing that he would shelter the rebellious Shah Jahan. The Moghals at this time were supported by Adil Shahi of Bijapur. A bloody battle ensued on the famous field of Bhatawadi, ten miles east of Ahmadnagar (1624), in which the combined forces of the imperial Moghals and the Bijapuris were defeated. Malik's success was due to his guerilla war tactics. [ G. S. Sardesai, New History of the Marathas, Vol. 1,1957, p. 60.] Malik died in 1626. After his death Shahaji defended the Nizam Shahi Kingdom for ten years. In 1636 he had to surrender to the superior combined forces of Shahjahan and the Bijapur who had besieged him in the fort of Mahuli. With Shahaji's capitulation the existence of Nizam Shahi of Ahmadnagar came to an end. [ SNHM. Vol. I. pp. 70-71.] Berar was once for all lost to the imperial Moghals.

In this last struggle of Nizam Shahi, Jadhavrav of Sindkhed for sometime helped Malik Ambar.

Under Imad Shahi and Nizam Shahi Kingdoms the local Hindus-Marathas had better opportunities of rising to higher positions politically if they could merit the attention of the rulers by their service. The founders of these kingdoms were originally Brahmans. Their successors who were Muslims never forgot their Deccani identity. We have seen how Murtaza Nizam waged war with Ala-ud-din Imad Shah for the paragana of Pathari which belonged to his Brahmin ancestor Moreover, being of Brahmin descent originally, Imad Shahi and Nizam Shahi rulers were less fanatical than other Muslim Sultans. The rulers of both the Shahis had better relations with the Siddis (Abyssinians) and the Marathas. They had realised that for their political existence it was wiser to rely on the local Marathas by offering them places of honour at the court, than to remain just fanatical for the propagation of Islamic faith, and not to employ the Marathas as a part of their religious policy. Again, these two Shahis always supported the Deccan party at their court. In contrast to this attitude we find that the Adil Shahi and Qutb Shahi rulers who hailed from Turkey favoured the party of the foreign Muslims as far as they could. Nizam Shahi during the last phase of its existence fought for thirty-six years because it was well defended by local veterans like Malik Ambar and Shahaji Bhosle.

When the imperial Moghals began to cast their eyes towards the Deccan from the days of Akbar, Chengiz-Khan a diplomat at the court of Nizam Shahi tried to impress upon the Shahis of the Deccan that for their survival they must unite as Deccanis. The Portuguese for their own interest tried to bring home to the Adil Shahi Sultans of the day that all the Deccan Sultans must unite if they wanted to throw back the Moghals from the Deccan. But the dissensions among the Sultans of the Deccan were too strong to allow them to form a common front against the expansionist Moghals. [ Shiva Charitra Sahitya, Khanda Pahila, 1926, pp. 11-12.]

Moghal rule over Berar.

When Chand Bibi was defeated by the Moghal army under Khan Khanan, the Berar Subha had to be ceded to the Moghals (1596). Khan Khanan and prince Murad established Moghal rule throughout Berar. Murad resided at Balapur and founded the city of Shahapur. There he constructed a beautiful palace. Murad died at Shahapur owing to excessive drinking. On Khan Khanan being recalled to the north, Akbar appointed Abul Fazl in charge of the forces in the Deccan. The details regarding the administrative divisions of the Berar, its revenue etc., are available to us as furnished by Ain-i-Akbari of Abul Fazl.

Moghal rule over the Berar lasted effectively from 1596 to the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. Shivaji, had raided Berar and looted its rich cities. When Shahu, Shivaji's grandson, was restored to his ancestral gadi he secured from the Moghals the sanad for the collection of Chauthai from the six subhas of the Deccan of which Berar was one. When the Marathas started collecting Chauthai from Berar, that was practically the end of the Moghal suzerainty over the subha, though in theory it was in charge of the Nizam, the subhedar of the Deccan, appointed by the Moghal emperor.

Akbar, after the conquest of Berar, turned his attention to the rulers of Gondavana to the east of the present Wardha district. The Gond king of Chandrapur accepted the supremacy of Akbar. At one time the territory of the Gond Kings extended as far as the Wardha river up to its eastern bank.

In one of the folk songs sung on the occasion of the fair held in honour of Goddess Mahakali of Chandrapur, on the full-moon day of Chaitra, the oft repeated line is, "Oh I can see the fort of Chanda shining like a star in the sky from the Wardha: Oh I see the fort of Chanda high like a tamarind tree from the bank of the Wardha." This is suggestive of the Gond influence as far as the river Wardha. [ RCI. pp. 103-5.]

Berar under Akbar.

Since 1596 Berar became a part of the Moghal empire. Shortly there- after the land of Berar was surveyed and Todar Mal's land revenue system- better known as his bandobasta was made applicable. From Abul Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari we learn that the whole empire of Akbar was divided into 15 subhas. The Berar subha was counted as important because of its revenue yield. The subha of Berar then yielded Rs. 1.75. crores of revenue annually. The extent of Berar then was much vaster than what it is today. In the south its boundary extended as far as the river Godavari. To the east it touched the region of Gondavana. In the north it included Khedala on the present frontier between the Berar and the Madhya Pradesh. To the west it stretched as far as Khandesh. At one time as already observed, the paragana of Pathari formed part of the Berar subha. But the Sultan's of Nizam Shahi included it in their own territory, as it belonged to their Brahmin ancestor.

Abul Fazl who was incharge of the Berar subha had stayed at important places like Elichpur and Balapur for a long time. The subha of Berar was then divided into 13 sarkars:-

Berar under Shahjahan.

Of these sarkars, Manikdurg and Baitulwadi which in fact formed part of Telangana were included in the Berar subha by Abul Fazl for administrative convenience. Under the Moghals Gavilgad then was noted for the manufacture of steel weapons. Balapur was well-known for its stone-carvings. In southern Berar glass and soap were manufactured. At a number of places having perennial source of water sugarcane and betel were cultivated.

During Jahangir's reign when Shahjahan rebelled and escaped to the south, he was helped by Darab Khan the subhedar of Berar. Perviz and Khan Khanan were sent against Shahjahan. When Berar was recovered Jahangir appointed Perviz as its subhedar. In 1628 Shahjahan himself became the Padashah and made suitable changes in the administrative divisions of the south. The former 3 subhas of the Deccan viz, (1) Berar, (2) Khandesh, (3) Nizam Shahi territory, were now divided into the four following subhas; 1. Daulatabad and Ahmadnagar, with Daulatabad as the headquarters. 2. Telangana. 3. Khandesh with its seat at Burhanpur having Assirgad as the military station for defence and 4. Berar with Ellichpur as the seat of administration and Gavilgad as the military station for defence. The subhedars of these regions were under the command of Aurangzeb who was appointed Governor of the Deccan. Till Aurangzeb's accession to the throne in 1658, the Vidar-bha region enjoyed peace and prosperity as it was freed from internal wars. During Aurangzeb's reign Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Raj had started raiding Berar and other territories outside his original kingdom in western Maharashtra which later came to be known as the Swaraj territory.

Shivaji's Berar expeditions.

Shivaji's well-known expeditions in the Berar area were his engagement with Raibagini of Mahur, the widow of Jagjivanrav Deshmukh, and his loot of Karanja in 1670.

His engagement with the Raibagini took place when she was appointed to march on Shivaji. The Raibagini had distinguished herself by putting down a rebellion which had broken in the area which was in her charge around Mahur. Aurangzeb duly recognisiqg-her services gave her the titles of Pandita and Raibagan. The meaning of the latter is Queen-Tigress. When the Raibagan was ordered to march upon Shivaji with a view to curbing his marauding activities, she collected a force of five thousand and moved against him. The two armies met in the Umarkhind pass. The Raibagan being overpowered by Shivaji's superior and select army was completely defeated. Her minor son Baburav and herself were made prisoners. But Shivaji admiring the bravery of the lady honoured her and her son with dress and ornaments and allowed her to go back to her estate. [ KVI. pp. 140-2. KVI. pp. 346-48.]

Next, in 1670, Shivaji personally raided Khandesh and inarched into Berar. The Mughal subhedar of Berar did not expect Shivaji and was therefore unprepared to meet him. Shivaji fell upon the rich and flourishing city of Karanja and looted it at leisure. The booty which he secured was loaded on four thousand pack animals on their homeward march. The booty consisted of fine cloth for which Karanja was famous, silver and gold worth a crore of rupees. All the rich men of Karanja were taken prisoner for ransom. Only those who disguised themselves as women could escape. Karanja and its neighbouring territory had accumulated vast wealth as it enjoyed peace and prosperity for more than half a century. From Karanja, Nandurbar and the neighbouring places the Marathas exacted written promises from the people for the payment of one fourth of the revenue, Chauthai, in future. No resistance was offered by the Moghal Governor of Berar, Khan-i-Zaman. He moved so slowly upon the Marathas that by the time he reached Karanja the winged cavalry of the Marathas had made good for home. [ Jadunath Sarkar, Shivaji, 1961, pp. 178-9.]

Shivaji's raid of Karanja is important as it laid the foundation of Chauthai collection for the Marathas in future. It was in virtue of this action on the part of Shivaji that Balaji Vishvanath Peshwa could ask for a sanad for the collection of Chauthai in the six subhas of the Deccan, of which Berar was one.

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