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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
When was the Council organised?
[APRIL, 1921
When this council was first organised, we do not precisely know. At the time of the
4
Coronation, the eight Pradhans' (ministers) had stood on either side of the throne to pour holy water from gold and silver jars and basins, over the king's head.20 Malhar Ram Rao Chitnis tells. us that it was at this time that the Council came into being.21 These offices, however, were by no means new. Though the Mukhya Pradhan, the Amatya, the Mantri, the Sumanta, the Sachiva and the Senapati were unknown, people were quite familiar with the Peshwa, the Muzumdar, the Waknis, the Dabir, the Surnis, and the Sarnohat. What Shivaji did was to retain the old posts with new Sanskrit designations. But whether these new desig. nations meant any new power or new responsibilities is not certain. It is, however, significant that an official paper (Kanu Jabta) was drawn up in the first year of the Abhisheka era, to enumerate the duties of the eight cabinet ministers (Pradhans) and other heads of departments. 12 But it is quite possible that the paper was drawn up simply to enforce a stricter method in the existing organisation. Sabhasad tells us that the following officers had enjoyed the privilege of taking part in the coronation ceremony as cabinet ministers :
(1) Moro Pant, son of Trimbak Pant as Mukhya Pradhan.
(2) Naro Nilkhantha and Ram Chandra Nilkantha as joint Amatya.
(3) The son of Raghunath Rav as Pandit Rav.
(4) Hambir Rao Mohite as Senapati.
(5) Dattaji Trimbak as Mantri.
(6) Ram Chandra Pant, son of Trimbakji Sondev Dabir as Sumant.
(7) Annaji Pant (Datto) as Sachiv.
(8) Niraji Ravji as Nyayadhish.23
These men had already held these offices for some time. Sabhasad, while describing the coronation, refers simply to their new Sanskrit designation but does not say that these posts were newly created. (art ega ai fat). It is quite possible that Chitnis had also in his mind the introduction of Sanskrit designations when he wrote of the Raja's decision of appointing a council of eight Both Sabhasad and Chitnis Past incumbents of make frequent mention of past incumbents of these offices. these offices. Sabhasad, for example, says that one Shanirav Nilkanth was Moro Trimbak Pingle's predecessor in the Peshwaship.24 Shivaji's first Sarnobat was one Tukoji Chor Maratha, 25 He was succeeded by Mankoji Dahatonde.26 We do not know why
20 Sabhasad, p. 82; Chitnis, p. 162. 11 Chitnis, p. 161 त्रयोदशीचा दिवस प्राप्त झाला असतां अष्टप्रधान करण्याची योजना करून आठ सिद्ध कला. But all these offices existed long before the coronation. By the word Ashta. Pradhan here, Chitnis therefore does not mean the mere offices or the officers, but the Council. In the next sentence he mentions the appointment of two secretaries. These were also by no means new appointments. It is quite possible that the old officers were formally re-appointed, according to the rites prescribed by the Shastras for the coronation ceremony.
13 Sane, Parreyadi Bagaine, p. 357. The date of the document is given as follows:जावता राज्याभिषेक के २ आनंद नाम संवत्सरे ज्येष्ठ वद्य १३ त्रयोदशी भौमवासरे, and there is no reason to doubt its authenticity. Also see Sanada and Letters edited by P. V. Mawji and D. B. Paramis. 23 Sabhasad, p: 83. Ibid., pp. 7, 8 and 11; Peshwas' Diaries, vol. I, p. 41. 26 Ibid., p. 8. Ibid., p. 9.
