Narayanrao Peshwa

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Narayanrao Peshwa (1749 - 1773) was a Peshwa or ruler of the Maratha Empire from 1772 till his death by murder in 1773.

Contents 1 Early life and ascendancy to Peshwa 2 Reign as Peshwa 3 Murder of Narayanrao 4 Legacy

[edit] Early life and ascendancy to Peshwa

Narayanrao was the third son of Peshwa Balaji Bajirao (or Nanasaheb) and Gopikabai. The eldest son Vishwasrao had died in the Third Battle of Panipat and the second son Madhavrao succeeded his father after his death.

Madhavrao I died in 1772 and was succeeded by thirteen year old Narayanrao with his uncle Raghunathrao acting as regent.

[edit] Reign as Peshwa

When Narayanrao had ascended the post of the Peshwa at their capital Pune, the Brahmin way of life was at its zenith, and huge monetary grants were given for performing religious rituals promoted by Gopikabai. The priestly class occupied an important administrative post. The religious extravagance resulted in the Peshwa administration being paralyzed by debt. Revenue collection was affected, and the administrative staff and soldiers were not paid their dues for several months. The Gardis, the personal guards who served the Peshwa family from 1715, were not paid their salary for several months. Instead, the Peshwa household observed extravagant religious ceremonies where hundreds of Brahmins feasted.

[edit] Murder of Narayanrao

During the Diwali of 1773. several Gardi guards, led by their captain, Sumer Singh Gardi, asked Narayanrao to step down. Raghunathrao and his wife Anandibai, who were opposed to Narayanrao, promised the Gardis that they would mediate in their dispute with Narayanrao. The Gardis requested that Narayanrao accompany them to meet Raghunathrao and solve the dispute. In a heated argument at the palace fort of Shaniwarwada, Narayanrao was killed in a skirmish as the Gardis tried forcefully to take him.

According to popular legend, Raghunathrao had sent a message to Sumer Singh Gardi to fetch Narayanrao using the Marathi word dharaa (धरा) or 'hold'. This message was intercepted by his wife Anandibai who changed a single letter to make it read as maaraa (मारा) or 'kill'. The miscommunication led to the Gardis killing him in the presence of Raghunathrao.

This act brought ill fame to the Peshwa administration, now being looked after by the minister Nana Phadnavis. The Chief Justice of the administration, Ram Shastri Prabhune was asked to conduct an investigation into the incident, and Raghunathrao, Anandibai and Sumer Singh Gardi were all prosecuted in absentia. Although Raghunathrao was acquitted, Anandibai was declared an offender and Sumer Singh Gardi the culprit. Sumer Singh Gardi died mysteriously at Patna in Bihar in 1775, and Anandibai performed Hindu rituals for washing of sins.

[edit] Legacy

The Narayan Peth area in Pune is named after Peshwa Narayanrao.

Preceded by Madhavrao I

Peshwa 1772 - 1773

Succeeded by Raghunathrao