Parshuram Trimbak Kulkarni (1660–1718), popularly known as Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi, was a Minister (''

Pradhan Pradhan (Devanagari: प्रधान) is generally ministerial title of Sanskrit origin in cultures of Hindu tradition, mainly used in the Indian subcontinent. The Sanskrit ''pradhāna'' translates to "major" or "prime"; however, the more modern ...

'') and

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(''

Sardar Sardar, also spelled as Sardaar/Sirdar ( fa, سردار, , 'commander', literally 'headmaster'), is a title of royalty and nobility that was originally used to denote princes, noblemen, chiefs, kings and other aristocrats. It has also been u ...

'') of the

Maratha Empire The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Shi ...

. He served as ''Pratinidhi'' (Chief Delegate) during

Rajaram I Rajaram Bhosle I (Pronunciation: �aːd͡ʒaɾaːm – 3 March 1700) was the third ''Chhatrapati'' of Maratha Empire, who ruled from 1689 to his death in 1700. He was the second son of the Shivaji, the founder of the empire and younger half- ...

and

Tarabai Tarabai Bhosale (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, ̪aːɾabaːi ''née'' Mohite) was the regent of the Maratha Empire of India from 1700 until 1708. She was the queen of Rajaram Chhatrapati, Rajaram Bhonsale, and daughter-in-law of the emp ...

’s reign. His contribution to the

War of 27 years War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular ...

is considered to be of vital importance. He was also the founder of the princely states of

Vishalgad Vishalgad (also called Vishalgarh, Khelna or Khilna) was a jagir during the Maratha Empire and then later part of the Deccan States Agency of the British Raj. It was governed by Deshastha Brahmins, who were feudatories of Kolhapur State. Fort ...

and Aundh in

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

. The first hereditary recipient of the title '

Pratinidhi The Pratinidhi (the Viceroy) was an important member of the ministry in the Maratha Empire. The title of ''Pratinidhi'' means ''the representative of the King,'' and such officials were entitled to sign and seal papers and to issue orders in the ab ...

', meaning 'the representative of the king' or viceroy, was Parshuram Trimbak Pant, who was a recorder and interpreter at the court of

Shivaji Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adils ...

. The title Pratinidhi was conferred upon him in 1698 by Rajaram, the second son of Shivaji.

Life

Early life

Parshuram Trimbak was born in 1660 in Kanhai village in a

Deshastha Brahmin Deshastha Brahmin is a Hindu Brahmin subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra and northern area of the state of Karnataka. Other than these states, according to authors K. S. Singh, Gregory Naik and Pran Nath Chopra, Deshastha Br ...

family. His father Trimbak Krishna was a devotional and pious village officer of Kanhai.

Career

Parashuram started his career as a clerk, but his abilities and valour enabled him, during the reign of Rajaram, to repel the attacks of Mughal emperor in Maharashtra. He succeeded in the recovery of Satara,

Panhala Panhala (Pronunciation: ənʱaːɭa is a city and a Hill station Municipal Council (3177 feet above sea level) 18 km northwest of Kolhapur, in Kolhapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Panhala is the smallest city in Maharash ...

and other fortresses and in re-establishing

Maratha The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a M ...

power. He had already been a nobleman but in view of his meritorious services, Rajaram conferred upon him the title of Pratinidhi, after the death of

Pralhad Niraji Pralhad Niraji popularly known as Pralhad Pant, was the ''Pant Pratinidhi'' of the Maratha Empire during the reign of Chatrapathi Rajaram I. He was the first occupant of the position of Pant Pratinidhi.He is remembered for his splendid contribution ...

, the first holder of the office. Rajaram was succeeded by his wife Tarabai who retained Parashuram Trimbak as Pratinidhi.

Death

Parshuram Trimbak Pant Pratinidhi died in

Mahuli Mahuli is an area of the Indian state of Maharashtra, covering about 6km. It is approximately 75km north-east of Mumbai in the 421601 postcode. Features Mahuli Fort, located 2815 ft above sea level, is a popular trekking and rock clim ...

, near Satara, in 1718 and was succeeded by his third son

Shripatrao Pratinidhi Shriniwasrao Parshuram (1687 – 1746 CE), popularly known as Shripatrao Pratinidhi or Shripatrao Pant Pratinidhi , was a General of the Maratha Empire. He served as Pratinidhi (Chief Delegate) during Shahu I's reign. After the death of his fath ...

as Pratinidhi of

Aundh State Aundh State was a Maratha princely state in the British Raj, in the Deccan States Agency division of the Bombay Presidency. The Principality of Aundh covered an area of 1298 square kilometers with the population of 88,762 in 1941. The capital ...

and the Vishalgad estate was succeeded by his first son Krishnarao Pant Pratinidhi.

References

Bibliography

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