Celebrating M for Maratha Empire in M for Museums in M for March !

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco 

This post is a list of the six Maratha Royalty and Maratha Empire artifacts  at the Maharajas Exhibit in the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The exhibit was in London earlier, it is in San Francisco now and it travels to Virginia. Photography of all the pieces was not allowed for visitors. So, I have only some pictures from my visit.

His Majesty 
Shivaji Maharaja
 on his throne

1. Shivaji’s Maharajas Sword- It is titanium black in color. It's cover is satiny and gold with resplendent  pink and gold art work.  To see a piece of weapon from 500 years ago, that looked so stunning and so fierce was a very surreal experience. I have always seen swords that look like steel, but Shivaji Maharajas sword would make your blood run cold. It has a very dark, onyx look to it. Fortunately, I haven’t seen any shrapnel shells or any scary weapons in real life, but seeing this cutting piece of metal that was pitch black with an illuminating handle, was intimidating to say the least.

Bagh Nakh's were made from the 1640's

2. Tiger Claw-Bagh Nakh
When I first laid my eyes on this piece, I knew exactly what it was. It was a weapon that goes around your knuckles and acts as a tiger claw or Bagh Nakh. I have always found this story of Shivaji's Bagh Nakh fascinating. Mostly because, this claw is so different from the swords and knives that are commonly used by most kings in those days. So, if anyone remembers or knows their 4th grade history in Maharashtra, Shivaji pulled out this slick tiger  claw to rip out the enemies intestines. As a kid, I remember being extremely scared reading this story and I remember how animated my teacher was telling us about Shivaji's defense. His enemy who was physically double the size of Shivaji, wanted to take over Pratap Gadh (fort) where Shivaji was staying. The enemy during a meeting smothered and stabbed Shivaji and in return got his guts gouged out with the Bagh Nakh.

Madhu Rao II Narayan, the Peshwas
Oil on canvas, 1792
 (Displayed in the the museum)

3.Madhu Rao II Narayan, The Peshwa, with Nana Phadnavis and attendants is the third piece I want to talk about. This Peshwa is sitting calmly in a graceful posture and has a sharp and strict look in his eyes. This painting is an oil on canvas piece. Peshwa is a title given by Shivaji. The Maratha Empire had eight various Pradhans called the Ashtapradhan. Shivaji appointed the Peshwas as the top level administrators who delegated administrative duties. I think of them as the mastermind behind the rise of the Maratha Empire. It's while the Peshwas administered the empire, that the Maratha dynasty ruled most of the landmass of the Indian subcontinent. 


The Peshwas carried out beautiful clothing made of exquisite muslin fabric and magnificent red shawls. Madhu Rao's turban holds majestic head adornment delicately and decoratively studded with precious gems. Today, Indian and Pakistani dresses that are very beautifully fitted tight on the top and flowing long at the bottom are called Peshwas. (I am tempted to talk about Peshwa fashion here, but thats a whole different post.)

Shivaji Maharajas Portrait 
(similar to one in museum)

4. A portrait of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja– Shivaji Maharaja reestablished Hinduism in India against the imposing Moguls. Shivaji Maharaja was a seasoned ruler who built an Empire, to establish Self Rule or ‘Swaraj’ for his people. Led by his majesty Shivaji Maharaja, the Maratha Empire emerged as a major power in South Asia. He was a fair king who worked toward reestablishing and preserving regional and political identity.


Shivaji is seen wearing various alluring and exquisite royal attire with gold and silver work dazzling regally on bright colors. He carried out ceremonious, embellishments ranging from diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphire and pearls.

Shivaji Maharaj Darbaar

 5. Map of Maratha Empire - That map took me by surprise.  Looking at the borders and the wide spread color of the Maratha Empire was stunning .  The Maratha Empire at its peak, stretched widely through the South Asian landmass. It started from where Peshawar in Pakistan is today, from the border of Afghanistan to     
Tamil Nadu to the South of India to where Bengal is today in the very east of India.  Shivaji built countless forts on land and in the 

Maratha Empire in 1758

(in Orange)

 Map from Wikipedia

sea. It is during the time of his Empire that the navy in India took roots.The Maratha Empire had its military use guerrilla warfare tactics and Shivaji Maharaja formed a powerful intelligence network to spread all over. 


Credit for the rise of the Maratha Empire goes to many people and one of them is Malik Ambar from Ethiopia. Under Shivaji Maharajas Rule,  people were allowed to practice whatever religion they wanted. He treated people based on merit regardless of their religion or caste. Malik Ambar a muslim from Africa, trained some of the Maratha military. Malik Ambar and Shivaji Maharaja’s grandfather Maloji collaborated. The Muslims and the Marathas came together to fight off Moguls. Aurangabad today, is the result of Malik Ambar's battle along with the Marathas against the Moguls. 

Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II,
Bernard Boutet de Monvel, 
Paris, 1929 (Oil on canvas)
(Displayed in museum)

6. The Jazz Age Maharaja  There was a splendid oil painting of Maratha Royalty Holkar by Bernard Boutet de Monvel, Paris, 1929. By the painting was a majestic and modern dark wood and glass table with a bright vermillion red soft leather chair. Jazz tunes played in the background in the area where this painting was displayed. Yeshwant Rao Holkar  held many residences abroad, in Paris and the US. As the audio in the museum said, he was a citizen of a larger world.

Maharaja Holkar II,
(Displayed in museum)

This exhibit is mind boggling. At first, I thought, I'd just get to see beautiful dresses from the past. But, when I saw these beautiful artifacts from so many hundreds of years ago, I was simply spellbound.