Murarirao Ghorpade, an 18th-century Maratha warrior who built his own militia to achieve Hindavi Swarajya (rule of the people of the land), and whose help was sought by the Peshwas, the French, and the British, is a shadowy figure in India’s history-writing, known to few. Biographer and author Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta, in her conversation with TMS, says: “In Maratha history, the focus has been mainly on Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj and Bajirao. Ghorpade's role wasn't clear to me till I spoke to the locals living around the Gooty Fort in present-day Anantapur district. As I peeled the layers, I realised that what’s unique is that Ghorpade’s story faces south, even though much of the documented Maratha history faces north. This was an untold story, and it piqued my interest.”
The book, Murarirao Ghorpade: The Accidental Catalyst Behind Robert Clive’s March Over India (Penguin), starts with his birth and goes onto cover various aspects of the Maratha kingdoms–the relationship between the Bhosales and the Ghorpades, for instance. In the latter sections, the book deals with the Maratha-Nizam antagonism, the foreign factors (the arrival of the British and the French in India, and their relationship with Murarirao). The author talks about the help that Robert Clive sought from the Maratha fighter. The book also discusses the opportunities that Ghodpade missed and his eventual death.
The idea of Hindavi Swaraj
Ghorpade was born a few years after Shivaji’s death, and he was influenced by the stories of the latter’s bravery. However, what inspired him the most was Shivaji’s idea of Hindavi Swaraj, so much so that he built his own militia to fight for it.
Was Ghorpade’s perception of Hind Swaraj different from Shivaji's? Gupta explains: “Ghorpade was influenced by Shivaji’s idea. He protected his own lands from foreign excursions long before being invited to be part of the famous Battle of Arcot. His lands were in the south. Gooty, Gajendraghadh, and Sandur, were far from the headquarters of the Maratha kingdom. He wasn't part of the Maratha army as much as an external resource that could be tapped during the southern excursions of the Marathas. So his idea of 'Hindavi Swaraj' was no different from Shivaji's or even Bajirao's ideas.”
Helping Clive
One of the turning points in Ghorpade’s life was the Battle of Arcot, where the British had a face-off with the Nawab of the Carnatic, Chanda Sahib. The latter was supported by the French. Clive led the British forces. Indian history would have been rewritten had Clive lost in this battle; it was Ghorpade who “saved” Clive by coming to his aid, says Gupta.
Why did Ghorpade, who never wanted to indulge in foreign affairs, help the British? Gupta says, “Ghorpade did not want to support either the French or the British. He waited for the Marathas to call upon his little army to action for the longest time. When they finally did call, to save their Maratha cousins in Thanjavur, there was a point when he found himself admiring the military stratagem of Robert Clive, who had just given up a desk job as a clerk to become a soldier. Ghorpade took sides based on where the probability of a win was higher. However, Clive was waiting for exactly this turn of fate. After Ghorpade helped him win at Arcot, he became known as a 'winner.' The British gave him opportunities to keep winning, and that's how Plassey happened.”