SHAHU MAHARAJANCHYA ATHAVANI

THIS BOOK, COMPILED BY BHAI MADHAVRAO BAGAL, IS A COLLECTION OF THE REMINISCENCES OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND VALUABLE TIME WITH SHAHU MAHARAJ. VARIOUS ASPECTS OF HIS PERSONALITY ARE REFLECTED FROM THESE MEMORIES. WHILE MAHARAJ USED TO GO FOR A BATH IN PRAYAG FOR A MONTH, NARAYAN BHATJI CHANTED SHLOKAS AS HE WAS FROM SHUDRA COMMUNITY. THIS WAS THE FIRST BLOW OF BRAHMINISM RECEIVED BY SHAHU MAHARAJ. INSPITE OF THIS, HE FOUND A SOLUTION TO SUPPORT A HELPLESS WIDOW ON THE ADVICE OF GOVINDRAO TEMBE AND OTHER BRAHMINS THAT HE TRUSTED. MAHARAJ WAS HUMBLE ENOUGH TO HAVE TEA IN GANGARAM KAMBLE`S TEA SHOP. MAHARAJA`S BROTHER-IN-LAW ORDERED MAHARAJ’S ATTENDANT (HUJRYA) TO REMOVE HIS SHOES. HOWEVER, MAHARAJ DID NOT APPROVE OF THIS AND REPRIMANDED HIM. THIS BOOK ALSO TELLS US ABOUT THE ENCOURAGEMENT GIVEN BY THE MAHARAJA TO ARTISTS LIKE BALGANDHARVA, ABALAL RAHIMAN AND SO ON. FROM THE RECOLLECTIONS, MAHARAJA`S PROGRESSIVE, KIND HEARTED, LOVING, JUSTICE-LOVING, VISIONARY, MERITORIOUS, HUMBLE, SIMPLE PERSONALITY COMES TO THE FORE.