The Mysore MP's laudatory message on occasion of the 17th-century founder of the Maratha Empire’s birth anniversary was at odds with the Kingdom of Mysore's long history of resistance against Maratha expansion in the south.
Published Feb 20, 2025 | 2:23 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 20, 2025 | 8:22 PM
Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar. (Instagram)
Synopsis: A laudatory tribute to Maratha emperor Shivaji Bhonsle on his birth anniversary from Mysore MP and Wadiyar scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar puzzled many in Karnataka, as it contradicted Mysore rulers long history of resistance against Maratha expansion. For over a century, Mysore engaged in fierce battles and tactical alliances to check Maratha expansion south until both powers ultimately fell under British rule.
On Wednesday, 19 February, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar — royal scion of the erstwhile Wodiyar dynasty, also called Wadiyar by the British, of Mysore and current BJP MP from the Mysore constituency — posted a tribute to Shivaji Bhonsle that left many netizens from Karnataka bemused and puzzled.
The message on the occasion of the 17th-century founder of the Maratha Empire’s birth anniversary was at odds with the Kingdom of Mysore’s long history of resistance against Maratha expansion in the south.
His post on X, marking Shivaji’s birth anniversary, read: “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, an architect of Hindavi Swarajya, a fearless warrior, and a visionary leader who defied tyranny to establish a just and prosperous Maratha kingdom.
“His governance, military strategies, and unwavering commitment to dharma continue to shape India’s spirit of resilience and self-rule. His ideals of Swarajya, justice, and good governance laid the foundation for a strong and self-reliant nation.
“On his birth anniversary, I bow in reverence to the great Chhatrapati, whose legacy continues to inspire generations. May we always walk the path of courage, righteousness, and devotion to our motherland.”
The praise seemed particularly striking given historical records showing that for over a century, Mysore’s rulers had fought fierce battles to halt the Maratha expansion southwards.
At its zenith, the Vijayanagara Empire encompassed nearly all of South India. Its shattering and slow decay in the late 16th century marked the beginning of a three-century-long competition for its former dominions.
First the Deccan Sultanates, then the Marathas, and later the Mughals each vied for control until the British finally subdued the peninsula in the early 19th century.
Throughout this period, the Kingdom of Mysore, formerly a minor vassal to the Vijayanagara Empire, grew larger and stronger, filling the power vacuum and capitalising on the political instability, according to History of Mysore by C Hayavadana Rao (1948).
From Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar (r.1673-1704), who transformed Mysore from a minor principality into a force to be reckoned with, to Tipu Sultan (r.1782-1799), Mysore’s last independent ruler, each sovereign engaged pragmatically with these powers from the north, who sought to either subdue or expand into its territories, with routine invasion and pillaging.
“As a Kannadiga, he should be pointing out the numerous invasions and occupations by the Marathas into Kannada territory. However, due to politics, those in the BJP have to praise Shivaji and put him on a pedestal,” said Historian P V Nanjaraj Urs.
He continued: “It’s similar to what happened at the Kumbh Mela – one is supposed to take a dip in reverence, not wearing waterproof coats and pants. But that doesn’t matter to those in the BJP. They still celebrated as if facts don’t matter.”
“Every party must praise their heroes. However, we shouldn’t forget that it was the Marathas who helped a foreign power defeat the last independent opposition to British expansion in South India. It was the Marathas who helped the British defeat Tipu.”
A contemporary of Maratha Emperor Shivaji Bhonsle and the Mughal Emperor Alamgir (better known as Aurangzeb), Chikka Devaraja was a principal thorn in the Maratha plans to expand southward, according to Rao.
The Marathas first came into direct conflict with Mysore when Shivaji, amid his grand 1677 Karnataka expedition, briefly clashed with Chikka Devaraja’s forces.
Primary sources cited by the History of Mysore suggest that Chikka Devaraja repelled Maratha forces near Srirangapatna, preserving Mysore’s independence at a time when Maratha forces were conquering other territories like Gingee and Tanjore, in present-day Tamil Nadu.
Shivaji’s death in 1680 only increased the Maratha threat. In 1682, Chikka Devaraja’s forces decisively defeated a major Maratha invasion near Seringapatam, routing Emperor Sambhaji’s forces, and killing all its commanders. However, this victory would only temporarily stem the Maratha tide.
Rao noted that, by the early 18th century, the Marathas, under Chhatrapati Shahu and his Peshwas, had firmly established their influence in South India. Mysore was forced to pay chauth (tribute) and sardeshmukhi (additional tax).
During the 1720s and 1730s, under Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath and later Baji Rao I, the Marathas forced Mysore to become a tributary state, frequently extracting large sums of money and military support.
The situation shifted only with the rise of Haidar Ali, a lauded military commander who overthrew the Wodeyars and seized de facto power by the 1760s.
Haidar Ali refused to continue the tributary payments and faced multiple invasions from the Marathas as a result.
In 1764-65, Peshwa Madhav Rao I decisively defeated Haidar Ali, forcing him to pay a massive indemnity of 32 lakh rupees and cede territory.
But by 1769, Hyder Ali had regrouped and briefly recovered some lost territories, though another Maratha invasion in 1771 again forced him to resume tribute payments.
After Haidar Ali’s death in 1782, his son Tipu Sultan inherited a prosperous state, but one that was surrounded by rivals, the chief of whom were the Marathas, noted Rao in his book.
His relations with his northern neighbours oscillated between outright hostility and temporary alliances of convenience.
In 1785, facing pressure from Nana Phadnavis and Hari Pant Phadke, Tipu sought peace through the Treaty of Gajendragad (1787), ceding territory and agreeing to pay tribute.
But soon after, the final act of this centuries-long drama played out during the Anglo-Mysore Wars.
The Marathas, seeing an opportunity to weaken their old rival, aligned with the British and the Nizam of Hyderabad. During the Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790-1792), Maratha forces under Parshuram Bhau invaded Mysore, advancing to the very gates of Srirangapatna. The war ended with Tipu ceding half of Mysore’s territory.
By 1799, during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, the Marathas again joined the British coalition. Maratha forces under Dhundu Pant Gokhale participated in the final siege of Srirangapatna, where Tipu Sultan met his end on 4 May 1799. Without the Maratha’s support, the English faced an almost certain defeat at the hands of Tipu.
With his death, the British restored the Wodeyar dynasty under their indirect rule, marking the end of both Mysore’s independence and its centuries-long rivalry with the Marathas.
However, the Maratha autonomy began to erode soon after. Within three years, the British had begun interfering in their internal affairs, exploiting factional rivalries and consolidating their influence.
By 1818, after a series of Anglo-Maratha wars, the once-powerful Maratha Confederacy had been dismantled, with its rulers either exiled, pensioned off, or reduced to British vassals — much like the fate of the Mughals and the Wodeyars before them.
(Compiled by Dese Gowda; Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
