6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

406 SIX GLORIOUS EPOCHS OF INDIAN HISTORY
Muslim political menace. The n^me of this national race ?•
It is—
'MAHARASHTRA BORN OF THE TIMES OF SHIVAJI'
HINDU MAHARASHTRA ALONE FOUGHT
WITH THE WHOLE MUSLIM WORLD
998. At this time in the millennial Hindu-Muslim epic-
war such a great catastrophe befell the whole of India—and
especially Maharashtra—as had menaced perhaps, a very few
nations of the world. To add to the Muslim maelstrom from
, the north European nations like the Portuguese, the Dutch,
the French and the English dashed on India—and especially
the Deccan, with an avalanchine force, and it was practically
the lot of the Maharashtra, born out of the times of Shivaji,
to face all alone all these terrific aggressions. Stranger
than this is the fact that this Maharashtra, born as it was
from the sacrificial fire of dire calamities, faced them all
successfully, and was a match for all the enemies ! The
Muslim imperial throne of Delhi was hacked to pieces by
the Marathas and the Muslim power was finally rooted out
. throughout the whole of India.
999. The legend of this exceptional glory and valour
of Maharashtra has now been generally known in its true
perspective and form to the common people in Maharashtra
at least. The credit of making it widely known in its grand
and spectacular aspect, in its all-India context, must neces­
sarily go to the great research-scholars and writers of
history like Rajwade, Ranade, Khare, Itihasacharya
Sardesai and others. But with the exception of Ranade,
others have written their books in Marathi. Histories of
the Marathas written in languages other than Marathi have
been mostly written by our age-old enemies like the Muslims,,
the Portuguese, the English and others with horrid perver­
sion of facts, and unfortunately our Hindu writers from the
other Indian States have echoed them mostly through
ignorance.
1000. Hence I, at least, felt, right from my student-